This document discusses marketing your wisdom and maturity for career development. It outlines learning objectives such as taking a look at yourself, enhancing your ability to understand market demands, and learning how to present yourself as a viable candidate. The first step is to know yourself by reevaluating your skills, interests, values, talents, focus and what you have to offer. The second step is to know the job market by understanding desired skills, competencies, terminology, technology, and business trends. The document rates and describes competitive skills for today's job market such as decision making, communication, initiative and flexibility.

1. Career Development
Marketing Your
Wisdom and Maturity

2. Marketing Your
Wisdom and Maturity
What Are Our Creating a competitive advantage in the job search
Learning process requires us to look at what we bring at
Objectives? each stage of our career.
For experienced people at mid point in their career
or for those moving closer to retirement, this is the
time to recognize how you want to contribute
today and the uniqueness of what you bring.
The learning objectives for this class are to:
Take a look at what you need to know about
yourself
Enhance your ability to know the demands of
the market
Learn how to present yourself as a viable
candidate
Discover what is essential to compete
Develop an awareness of your competitive edge
Reevaluate your tools and strategy
Career Development
Marketing Your Wisdom and Maturity 1
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3. Know Yourself
What’s The First Knowing yourself is where effective marketing
Step? needs to begin. Getting very clear about who you
are today and what you bring to the table is the
essential first step in being competitive.
Reevaluate the following:
What are your motivated skills
What are your interests
What do you value
What are your natural talents
What is your focus and direction
What’s important to you
Pay special attention to:
What you have to offer today
What you have learned that has changed you
What has shifted in you
What you want to be known for
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4. Know the Market
What Do I Need To A valuable way to set yourself apart and show the
Know About The benefit of your maturity is to really understand the
Job Market? world of work and business. The following are
ideas to get you there.
Learn what skills are desired for your area
Discover what competencies are expected
Make sure you are using current terminology
Embrace technology
Educate yourself on how globalization works
and has changed the world of work
Keep up to date on business and market news
Join professional organizations and networking
groups
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5. Competitive Skills for Today’s
Job Market
The job market is very competitive and requires skills beyond product knowledge. Review
the Competencies column and rate yourself on a scale of 1 – 10. Identify your strengths and
look at areas for development. In preparation for networking and interviewing, look at how
you will present specific ways that you have used and added value with these critical
competencies.
Rating
On a scale of Descriptions
1 (lowest) to Competencies
10 (highest)
Big Picture Thinker Provides perspective, future focus, visioning,
with a broad view of issues and challenges.
Well read and knowledgeable about the
business, organization, and market.
Communication Skills Articulate, writes and speaks succinctly, and
listens to understand. Confident speaking
voice. Able to synthesize information and
accurately restate what others communicate.
Customer Focused Maintains a standard of consistent
responsiveness, information gathering, and
follow through. Builds strong relationships,
gaining trust and respect. Handles conflict
well, diffusing difficult situations.
Decision Making Self-driven with the ability to assess
situations and make independent decisions.
Determinations based on information,
analysis, experience, and wisdom.
Flexible/Adaptable Able to effectively shift directions and
priorities when faced with the unpredictable.
Copes with change and ambiguity, staying
engaged while quickly developing a new
focus. Open to new ideas.
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6. Competitive Skills for Today’s
Job Market
Rating Competencies Descriptions
On a scale of
1 (lowest) to
10 (highest)
Initiative Motivated solution provider that looks
beyond the job description. Uncovers
business opportunities to benefit the group
and highlight individual talents. Seen as a
contributor that impacts department goals.
Innovative Open to new ideas... Seen as resourceful
and may act as a catalyst to change. Looks
objectively at new ways of doing things.
Creative in thought and action.
Self-Awareness Knows strengths, weaknesses, how they are
seen by others, opportunities, and limits.
Seeks feedback, receives input without
defensiveness, and gains insight from
mistakes.
Team Player Relates well, builds rapport, and consistently
contributes to the group. Possesses a
diplomatic and tactful style. Known for
having a collaborative spirit.
Technical Acumen Skilled in using various software products;
Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint.
Proficient in essential technical functions of
the job. Open to learning and using new
technologies.
Time Management Uses time effectively, organizing work loads,
setting priorities, and meeting deadlines.
Can effectively handle multiple activities,
using resources well to accomplish a goal.
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7. Know How to Present Yourself
How Can I Present In presenting yourself, if you have concerns about
Myself Effectively? your maturity being an issue, consider two areas
that are critical to an employer.
They want to know if you have the current
skills and training they are seeking. To let
them know that…
Focus on the recent past
Express accomplishments powerfully
Project how you will add value
Emphasize the unique skills and experience you
bring
Illustrate a big picture view
Use current language about business, trends,
technology
They want to see if you have a positive
attitude. To show that…
Let them know you are a team player – not a
seasoned pro with all the answers
Speak about recent accomplishments and
exposure
Express that you are an ongoing learner eager
to add to your knowledge
Don’t be a victim
Keep up your energy
Expose yourself to inspirational thinkers
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8. Know How to Compete
What’s Needed To The best situation is to be seen as a current, up to
Compete? date citizen of the world while you reveal the
richness of the wisdom and confidence you’ve
gained through experience.
Consider the following qualities. Think about how
they can impact an employer’s view of you as a
viable and valuable candidate.
Savvy with technology
Recognizes how skills transfer
Ongoing learner
Flexible to changing business conditions
Embraces opportunities to stretch
Possesses and builds interpersonal skills
Welcomes feedback
Recognizes generational motivators
Brings exposure to rich experiences
Keeps current – world, pop culture, trends,
global economy, online resources for
information sharing
Utilizes multiple ways to be informed for a
broader view
Reads, listens, learns
Open to different styles and ways of doing
things
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9. Know Your Edge
What Are The Now let’s consider the amazing qualities you bring
Qualities To because of living life, developing wisdom, and
Emphasize? building experience. The following qualities are
undeniable benefits to your life stage and need to
be emphasized.
Wisdom
Experience
Knowledge
Accountability
Good judgment
Problem-solving skills
Team building
Crisis navigation
Negotiating compromise
Ability to assess cost-benefit trade-offs
Established identity
Self-awareness
Sense of purpose
Ability to work with different styles
Strategic thinking
Conflict resolution skills
Broad perspective
Interpersonal Savvy
High level communication skills
Know how to listen
Confidence – comfortable in your skin
Emotional intelligence
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10. Know Your Strategy
What Else Do I Need In addition to creating a profile, consider effectively
To Reevaluate? marketing your maturity as you develop your job search
strategy, create your tools, and prepare for interviewing.
Bring this awareness to…
Writing your resume
De-emphasize dates
Soften job titles If concerned about being
overqualified
List courses, professional development,
organization memberships
Emphasize accomplishments, results, skills
Demonstrate initiative
Use current terminology & key words
Reflect current trends in format/content
List technology skills that are up to date
Include volunteer/community activities
Writing Cover Letters
Avoid cumulative experience statements
Avoid rehashing job history
Pull key words from posting and clearly link
your skills to the position
Emphasize that you are a proven commodity
with current, pertinent skills
Crafting a business card
Use concise, strong language for skills and
attributes
Choose creative, current look
Creating an online presence
LinkedIn – Create a strong profile and
include your personal link on your resume.
www.Linkedin.com
Social Networking sites – keep your page and
interactions professional.
Personal Website – Way to highlight your
technical skills. Add to resume.
Online resume – The wave of the future. Use
a great free site, www.visualcv.com
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11. Know Your Strategy
What Is The Value Building a Profile
Of A Profile?
The profile is a concise visual aid that at times may
have more impact than your resume. It focuses on
the future and describes how you will contribute,
creating for the reader an understanding of how
you might fit in their department or organization.
The Profile describes:
What you want to do
Which competencies you will use
What various titles the job could have
What the situations are where you could add
value
What areas or departments would be a fit
Another benefit from creating a profile is what you
will discover about yourself in the process. It’s
also great prep for networking and interviewing!
On the following pages are two sample Profiles and
then a worksheet for your use.
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12. Sample Profile
Your Name Here
PROFILE
What I Want to Do:
Manage and develop efficient workflow processes and procedures to ensure optimal
productivity. Develop and coordinate the activities of operational and project teams.
Help create a well functioning team that exceeds quality performance metrics and quality
client service.
Which Key Competencies Will I Use:
Team Management Coaching/Mentoring Support/Guidance
Project Management Tracking Reporting
Capacity Improvement Planning Organizing
Conversion Planning Task Planning Meeting Deadlines
Process Improvement Problem Solving Implementing
What It Might Be Called:
Operations Manager Client Service Professional Retail Banking Officer
Project Manager Audit Officer Compliance Officer
Business Analysts Planning Manager Implementation Manager
Consulting Manager Reconcilement Manager Investigation Officer
When I Could Add Value:
Businesses want to improve overall team performance
Departments want to maintain a professional work environment and quality client service
Companies need to meet project milestones and department deadlines
Departments need streamlined workflows and new systems implemented
Detailed reporting is required to influence line-of-business service goals
Overall leadership is needed to guide projects and teams
Where I Would Most Likely Fit In:
Retail Financial Services Audit Risk Operations
Commercial Banking Central Operations Implementation Services
Treasury Services Product Implementation Client Services
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13. Sample Profile
Your Name Here
PROFILE
What I Want to Do:
Contribute to the success of a derivatives business by performing timely and accurate
management reporting, enhancing internal controls and ensuring regulatory compliance.
Which Competencies I Will Use:
Analyzing/Strengthening Accounting Systems
Competitor Analysis
Project Management and Multi-Unit Coordination
Derivatives Experience
Problem Identification and Troubleshooting
Expense Reduction
Financial Projections
Asset Securitization
What It Might Be Called:
Project Manager
Financial Manager
Controller
When I Could Add Value:
• Group is losing money internally and cannot pinpoint the cause.
• Organization’s profitability is not keeping pace with that of its competitors.
• Identified need to comply with new FASB/SEC disclosure requirements.
• Need to control/prevent losses caused by weak or missing internal controls.
Where I Would Most Likely Fit In:
Accounting
Risk Management
Audit
Internal Controls
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14. Profile Worksheet
Your Name Here
PROFILE
What I Want to Do:
Which Key Competencies Will I Use:
_____________________ ____________________ ___________________
_____________________ ____________________ ___________________
_____________________ ____________________ ___________________
What It Might Be Called:
______________________ _____________________ ___________________
______________________ _____________________ ___________________
______________________ _____________________ ___________________
When I Could Add Value:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Where I Would Most Likely Fit In:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
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15. Know Your Strategy
Creating your Commercial
What is it? Your commercial is a short introductory statement that
works like a verbal business card. The components are…
A title that clearly describes what you do
Your top three or four job specific skills
Focuses on skills you want to continue to use
May include attributes that set you apart and how
you could contribute in the future
When Do I Use It?
The following situations are some of the places this tool
can be used…
Networking
Meeting introductions
Interviewing
Performance reviews
Development discussions
‘Elevator conversations’
How Will It Help Me? The following are some of the ways your commercial can
help you.
Gain clarity on motivated skills, unique attributes,
and focus and direction
Increase confidence to engage in business
conversations
Provide a framework for expressing yourself in
performance and development discussions
Help position you with business associates around
your skills and aspirations
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16. Your Commercial
How Do I Get Use this worksheet to create your commercial. Fill in the
Started? sections and then put it all together.
Title
Top three or four job specific skills
One or two special attributes/soft skills
How I could contribute in the future
Now put it all together!
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17. Know Your Strategy
Developing Your Networking Plan
Be open to different groups, organizations,
clubs
Look for creative ways to interact with people
Research organizations that target baby
boomers
Be willing to share your knowledge
Look for opportunities to be consultative
Demonstrate your savvy with current
trends/technologies
Volunteer
Use online avenues like LinkedIn and to meet
people and make yourself more visible
Preparing For Interviewing
Expect your interviewer to be younger than
you
Show that you are current in your skills
Express flexibility, creativity, adaptability
Make known that you are team oriented
Emphasize comfort level with multi-
generations
Stress desire to learn new skills
Describe professional development
Express how your wisdom keeps you open
and effective in problem solving and
providing solutions
Limit how many stories you tell
Show how you are energetic and persistent
Indicate ability to navigate ongoing change
Be ready to describe how you take initiative
Demonstrate likeability
Preparing For Tricky Questions
Age-related
Working for a younger manager
When you graduated from high
school/college
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18. Know Your Strategy
Building Awareness About Generational
Diversity
The ability to relate to the different generations impacts
Why do I need to your relationships with managers, direct reports, peers,
understand and customers.
generational
This skill is an important on to market about yourself and
diversity?
indicates another way you add value.
Each generation consists of:
• A span of years
• Shares a unique set of values
• Reacts to the generation before them
• Looks at their generation as a standard of
comparison
• Looks at the next generation skeptically
What do the Traditionalists (born before 1945) – respects authority,
tradition, hierarchy, rules, values hard work, loyalty,
different commitment and wants to be appreciated for their
generations value? expertise
Baby Boomers (1946-1964) – values hard work,
teamwork, competition, avoids status quo, prefers face-to-
face communications, wants your full attention
Gen Xers (1965-1980) – values self reliance, global
perspective, informality, uses technology, independence,
ongoing feedback, wants a balance of work/life, prefers
email communication
Millennials (1981-2000) – values change, casual,
autonomy, giving back, highly confident in abilities, multi-
tasks, prefers texting, wants to share an opinion,
challenging assignments
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19. Know Your Strategy
What else can help Creating Results Phrases
me present myself?
The following activity is another way to prepare for
effectively presenting yourself.
By determining a skill or attribute that you would like to
emphasize, you can then create a ‘results phrase’. This
phrase (or phrases!) can be used effectively in networking,
at pertinent places in interviews, during negotiations, as
part of your online profiles, and in email correspondence.
Choose an attribute or skill you would like to emphasize
Write a short phrase about the skill. Start your phrase with
a short set-up like…
I’m recognized for…
A skill I’ve developed that has impacted my
performance is…
An attribute that stands out about me is…
A skill that adds to my effectiveness is…
A quality I’m known for is…
Ex. “An ability I’ve developed is an appreciation for
different work and personality styles. This helps me see
the value of different people’s ideas and approaches to
problem solving and results in more effective
collaborations.”
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20. Resources
Where Can I Find The following is a list of online resources that might
More Help? be useful.
http://www.quintcareers.com/
many articles and other great information
http://www.retirementjobs.com/index.html
over 50’s. Free for basic or 5.95 for 30 day premium
membership (12.95 for 90 days)
http://www.civicventures.org/nextchapter/overview.cfm
Search for Next Chapter in your community
The Boomer’s Guide to Good Work – available free
http://www.civicventures.org/publications/booklets/boo
mers_guide.cfm
MetLife/Civic Ventures New Face of Work Survey at
http://www.civicventures.org/publications/surveys/new
-face-of-work.cfm
http://www.careerjournal.com/ Wall Street Journal
Career Site – relevant articles
http://money.cnn.com/news/economy/index.html
Fortune Magazine Career Site
http://www.aarp.org/money/careers/
Articles, job search help, Best Companies
http://www.careerbuilder.com Lots of articles
http://www.ncoa.org/
Information on many topics including work &
volunteering
http://genplus.blogspot.com/
Reinventing 50+, addresses issues facing older workers
http://www.grayhairmanagement.com
Search site with one time fee of $85
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21. Resources
The following books may be of interest.
The Power Years by Ken Dychtwald & Daniel J
Kadlec, 2006
50+: Igniting a Revolution to Reinvent America by
Bill Novelli, 2006
Portfolio Life: The New Path to Work, Purpose, and
Passion After 50 by David Corbett, 2007
Encore: Finding Work that Matters in the Second
Half of Life by Marc Freedman, 2007
Too Young to Retire: 101 Ways to Start the Rest of
Your Life by Marika Stone, 2004
What Do You Want to Do When You Grow Up?:
Starting the Next Chapter of Your Life by Dorothy
Cantor, 2001
Don’t Retire, REWIRE! by Jeri Sedlar, 2003
The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-
first Century by Thomas Friedman, 2005
Crucial Conversations: Tools for talking when
stakes are high by Kerry Patterson, 2002
Getting To Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without
Giving In by Roger Fisher and William Ury, 1991
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