ET Australia Magazine Issue #4 January 2020

chose a position with a large Australian
company delivering home care services,
aged care and retirement living on the
Central Coast.
7 Tips for Finding Employment Over 50
In the last 2 years, just under 19% of
the students who gained employment
after completing full qualifications
across Business, Aged Care and Early
Childhood Education qualifications with
ET Australia Training College (excluding
traineeship programs), were aged 50
and over.
When interviewing potential students
for our courses, we find that older
students often haven’t considered the
transferable skills they have acquired
during previous employment or
through life experience in general.
More often than not, older students
have a clearer idea of their intentions
for studying and the impact this
will have on their lives, meaning
are more likely to keep themselves
motivated during the course, are able
to prioritize tasks, have excellent time
management and can successfully
navigate challenges that often occur
when learning a new skill.
ET Australia Training College also
offers further support in addition to
the quality training from our industry
experienced Trainers and Assessors.
We have recognised the need to
support students with resumés, cover
letters, interview techniques and work
placement in order to gain industryrelevant
experience. ET Australia
Training College has access to employer
networks with employers who regularly
call to ask us for job-ready students to
fill their employment vacancies.
So whilst we all agree that it can be
difficult to find employment when
considered a ‘mature age’ person,
it is also equally true, that more and
more employers are looking for the
reliability and experience which mature
age workers can bring, as the quicker
an employee becomes productive, the
quicker the business can operate more
successfully.
Update your skills
Recent qualifications will show that
you have updated your knowledge
of an industry, or show that you
have gained recent skills in a new
industry.
Make your resume ‘ageless’
Adding your age or birth date to
your resume gives an employer
the opportunity to pass over your
application due to your age.
Cover letters
Yes. You must write a cover letter
for every application as it allows
you to expand on your experience.
Although this can be taxing on your
time and patience, it’s what will
make the difference between your
application and someone who is
only relying on their resume.
Personal presentation
This one is timeless. First
impressions last, so make sure you
are putting your best foot forward
when you get the opportunity to
meet an employer face to face.
Know your skills and abilities
Many people don’t realise they
have a variety of skills gained
11
through their previous
employment, or through their life
experience. Work with what you
have and treat them as assets.
Some examples may be; time
management, interpersonal skills,
teamwork, personal motivation and
initiative etc.
Familiarise yourself with
current technology that may be
involved in the industry
If you haven’t got the skills needed
to do the basics in the industry you
are looking for work in, educate
yourself. There are many courses
available in basic computer training
and ET Australia Training College
offers one-on-one training also.
See the ET Australia website for
further details.
Be persistent
Don’t give up if you get a few
knockbacks. An employer may
receive hundreds of applications
for one advertised position, and
there simply isn’t time to respond
to them all. If you find you are
constantly receiving rejection emails,
look over your cover letters and
resumé with someone and fine
tune them.
Some of our aged care students enjoying
problem solving in a group setting.