Illustration: James Kaczman

TAKE IT FROM ME

The Job Hunt After Fifty

Know what you want. If you’ve applied for thousands of positions and are ready to be anything from a director to a security guard, watch out. That lack of commitment to a particular career could be coming through on your résumé and in your interviews, and employers could be worrying that you’d leave the job within months—or worse, that you’d stay and just go through the motions.

Forget about being over- or underqualified. Many job candidates of a certain age are faced with a dispiriting paradox: they hear that their long experience makes them overqualified, but they secretly believe they’re underqualified, lacking a complete understanding of today’s technologies and business culture. Instead of trying to resolve this paradox, think in terms of strengths (what you can teach) and weaknesses (what you can learn). Then consider how the companies you’d like to work for might use someone with your strengths and weaknesses.

Play up your enthusiasm for learning. Present yourself as someone whose career is far from peaking. Highlight that weekend course you took, the trade journals you subscribe to, your membership in professional organizations, your affiliations with LinkedIn groups, and any internship or apprenticeship you’ve completed. Throw yourself into studying subjects that interest you.

Look into tax deductions. You can deduct many job-search expenses—including career counseling and coaching, as well as professional résumé writing—even if you never land a new job. Check Publication 529 from the IRS for details.

How to Break into Advertising

Look beyond career paths. People always ask me about advertising career paths—what steps A, B, and C are. They’d be wiser to ask how to find a job that’s a good fit, one in which they can thrive and express themselves. And you’ll be happy to know that when you’re starting out in advertising, any job can bring you closer to that goal, because any job can help you learn about the business and get a sense of what your place in it could be.

Know what makes you you. In what way are you special? How do you stand out from the crowd? Think that through, and then make sure you communicate it during your interview.

Cultivate resilience and an ability to collaborate. Advertising agencies care almost as much about what you are like to work with as about your ability. When I’m interviewing job candidates, I’m thinking, “Do I want you in my life boat?”

Learn statistics. Take a course from the best teacher you can find. You’ve got to know how to tell stories with data and feel confident that the research geeks can’t snow you.

Starting an Exercise Program

Make an appointment. Schedule your exercise sessions. Write them down on a calendar, set email reminders, or use alarms until the routine becomes a habit.

Set short-term goals. That way you’ll be more likely to stay motivated, and you’ll also be more likely to achieve your long-term goals.

Anticipate obstacles. Think about all the things that could keep you from staying on track, and devise ways to overcome them. If cold weather could throw you, remember that skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, snowboarding, and sledding are all great ways to stay active.

Seek out recreation leagues. Local rec centers run groups for volleyball, softball, basketball, and other sports that can provide social support for those who want to exercise in a competitive atmosphere.

Consider home workouts. To cut down on expenses, use household items such as cans of soup and milk jugs for strengthening exercises. Dumbbells, exercise bands, a medium-weight medicine ball, or a fitness ball could be added to your program to keep things interesting and help target key areas of the body. Or, for an exercise routine that requires no special equipment, try yoga, Pilates, or calisthenics. Check out the Internet, DVDs, or TV exercise channels to learn more.

Eat Mindfully

Reconnect with hunger and fullness. To avoid overeating, heed your body’s physical cues, so that you become attuned to exactly what, when, and how much you need to eat.

Recognize heart hunger. Notice when you feel the urge to eat but are not physi- cally hungry. Try to determine what’s behind that urge. Identifying your feelings is the first step toward learning to satisfy your need for love and comfort without food.

Stimulate all your senses. Select foods that are visually stunning and smell so good your mouth waters. Think about not only what tastes you crave, but also what textures and temperatures.

Focus on quality. Respect your body. Make sure your food is wholesome, and grown and prepared with care.

Learn to savor. Remove distractions, create a pleasant environment, and slow down. Rather than getting hung up on what you “should” or “shouldn’t” be eating, eat what you really want and give it your full attention. If you do, you may feel satisfied with less.

WE NEED YOUR ADVICE. What are you an expert on? Share your life-enhancing tips with “Take It from Me” (tuftsmagazine@tufts.edu or Tufts Magazine, 80 George Street, Medford, MA 02155). If we publish your submission, you will receive $50.