Need a job at 50 plus? Here is how we do it.

It is time to give some serious in's and out's of the job search. So here we go. In a later blog down the road, I'll take each of these sections and we'll have some fun with them.

The trick with attracting HR professionals, recruiters, employers to you is different at all ages.

• At 20 you had the look of youth and no experience...only enthusiasm to get you that first job.
• At 30 you started to feel your experience but couldn't make the leap from one "title" to the next. You had to do the job without the pay until you got the recognition and then hopped to another company to get the title.
• At 40, you were in your stride, going places and feeling a sense of self and security.
• At 50 plus, you are now in your game, but you need to move. You are either about to be laid off, you see the writing on the wall, you can't imagine continuing to do what you are doing for the next 20 years, or you've been looking for months and can't get a bite.

There are a few things you must do if you are over 50 and looking for a job.

1) Get current. Regardless of how great you think you may look, the reality is that you may not be as current as you should be. Get a good haircut. Get some new interview clothes that are fashion forward. Get new shoes and new accessories that are right for the season. If you don't know what is current, buy some magazines and see what the trends are coming up. Easier still is hop online and browse the fashions at higher end stores like Nordstroms, Bloomingdale's and see what is showing for the new season. Then buy the trends at whatever outlet you like.

2) Spice up your resume. If you are having challenges, use the Gen Plus resume builder. Hire an editor who specializes in resume building (Timesolvers is just one...there are many out there.) You've got about 5 seconds to keep your resume in front of the recruiter so make those 5 seconds count in your favor.

3) Apply to the right jobs. If you are a Bank Manager, don't apply for a position as a Film Accountant, unless your resume screams Film Accountant. Even if you have the skill set, unless your resume tells the story, you won't make it past the resume preview. A recruiter skims your resume, looking for the basic criteria on which the job hinges. Master's Degree required? If you don't have one, you likely won't be considered. But a Master's Certificate in an area might suffice.

4) Be seen. Post your resume. You can do that on Gen Plus (on our site you can also choose to post your picture or use an icon) as well as on other employment sites. But your chances of being noticed increase exponentially when you post your resume. HR recruiters "mine" job sites looking for their specific criteria, so make sure to fill in relevant keywords, appropriate to the types of jobs you are looking for.

5) Be ready. You need to be ready for an interview. Our online interview will give you an edge. We ask you many of the important revealing questions that take place in the initial phone interview. By answering those questions you accomplish two things: a) you have the time to give considered responses which prepares you for the phone interview, and b) you get your foot one foot closer through the door as the HR professional uses the online interview as a pre-qualifier.

6) Be a sleuth. Is there a company you want to work for and you don't see them posted on our site? Either go directly to their career section on the web, or stop in and ask for a tour of the offices. Usually an HR professional will be called to speak with you, which gets you one step closer to talking about a job.

7) 6 degrees of separation. There is a study that uncovered that usually within 5 or 6 contacts anyone can be connected to anyone else. If you know that you really want to work somewhere, within your personal contacts you may know someone who knows someone (etc.) who has a connection with the company you want to be at. All you need is an introduction to get your resume on a desk. We'll talk about this one in more detail in a later blog article.