Anyone who has ever seen a silver surfer (no, not the Marvel comic kind) in their local library knows age is no barrier to technology.
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Yet many older professionals increasingly feel locked out of one of the fastest-growing areas of UK business – the digital sector.
It’s easy to see why. The industry is regarded as a ‘young person’s game’, perfect for hip digital natives.
But for anyone not having grown up with Twitter, Facebook, apps and computer games, it can be too daunting to consider.
As anyone who has looked at IT on s1jobs knows, there are hundreds of tech roles out there, many of them for highly-qualified IT professionals.
Equally there are lots of roles that don’t require quite the same digital knowledge and experience. Employers in the fields of digital content, marketing, IT support and information analysis, for example, place a high value on many other skills alongside technical abilities.
But older workers need not be afraid of the digital world. Once embraced it can be a relatively quick and easy process to becoming familiar with both online processes and language.
A willingness to learn, experiment and try different approaches in the social media arena are great building blocks.
Using networks like Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr on a recreational basis can easily translate into an important business tool in time.
Remember there are some advantages to being an older and wiser job seeker. Employers value experience both in and outside the workplace and experienced professionals will often already have some of the skills required by digital employers. Management and leadership skills, good communications, commercial awareness and an ability to mentor others shouldn’t be underestimated.
As with anyone looking for a new career, the first step should be to audit yourself. See the value in your existing skills set and ask yourself how they might be transferred to the digital sector. Someone whose strong points include writing and communications might be sought-after in digital marketing just as a statistician could become a digital data analyst.
Once you’ve highlighted your strengths look to where you can improve. This means upskilling: go on one-day social media courses, try web design workshops or even ask your kids to teach you the basics. Hey, you taught them how to use a spoon, the least they can do is show you how to get on the Cloud!
A good starting point is simply to immerse yourself in social media; start a Facebook page or blog, read more about the digital sector and keep abreast of everyday trends right here on s1jobs.
Search the latest IT jobs on s1jobs.
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