The Art of Finding Work: What if I Told You Ageism Doesn’t Exist?

Saturday, March 8, 2025

Nick Kossovan

When you read the title of this column, where did your focus and mental energy immediately go?

What if, when job searching, instead of obsessing about all the things you can’t control—biases, economic factors, the job market, employer’s hiring process—you focused on what you can control, such as creating and maintaining a professional network, tailoring your resume and cover letter for each application, managing your digital footprint, and cultivating a positive mindset. Wouldn’t this be a more effective approach to your job search?

Every job seeker I encounter seems fixated on what they can’t control. LinkedIn has become an echo chamber of pity, dominated by posts vilifying employers, giving unsolicited advice to employers who’ll never read it, and venting about ageism, being overqualified, or ghosting. Participating in these discussions doesn’t reflect well on you when employers check your profile to evaluate whether you’re interview-worthy.

You’re likely familiar with the quote attributed to theologian Reinhold Niebuhr: “Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” This emphasizes the importance of accepting situations you can’t change and directing your energy towards what you can influence.

As a job seeker, you can’t control:

Someone’s Biases: Do yourself a favour; stop trying to control the beliefs and behaviours of other people. Whether it’s age, ethnicity, or any other characteristic, you can’t change how someone perceives (read: interprets) you. Biases are a fact of life, and dwelling on them only drains energy.

Speaking of biases: Why do people fail to recognize their own biases but see them in others?

The Economy and the Job Market: Yes, economic downturns, market fluctuations, industry trends, government policies, and global events contribute to the job market landscape, but you have no influence over them. My advice is to say to yourself, “It is what it is,” and turn your attention elsewhere.

The Hiring Process: Employers own their hiring process. You can’t control how an employer structures their hiring process, accesses candidates, or how long they take to make a decision. Since no two employers hire the same way, job searching is unpredictable, leading to frustration if you let it dominate your mindset.

I often see the unpredictability of hiring; what one employer views as a positive might be seen as a negative by another. For example, hiring manager A might determine, based on the level of your previous job and/or your age, that you’re overqualified and, therefore, will soon become bored and leave. Conversely, hiring manager B might perceive you as a potential role model for younger employees, in addition to bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Subjective perception, the basis for creating bias, plays a crucial role in hiring decisions.

Company Culture: You’re either a fit or you’re not. Trying to contort yourself in hopes of appearing to be someone who’ll “fit in” is pointless. If you get the job but can’t be yourself, you won’t be happy. Hiring managers know their company’s culture much better than you, especially its nuances; hence, trust them if they determine you won’t be a good fit.

Past Experiences: What’s done is done. If there’s anything to learn from a mistake, do so and move on. Dwelling in the past only creates unnecessary anxiety.

As a job seeker, you can control:

Creating and Maintaining a Professional Network: Your professional network is your lifeline in terms of job search and career advancement; thus, it’s the most influential factor in your job search. Given that the correlation between networking and job search success is common knowledge, you undoubtedly know the primary benefit of networking; access to unadvertised opportunities.

I highly recommend reading Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi.

Tailoring Your Resume and Cover Letter: Each job application should feel personalized, highlighting your skills and experiences that directly relate to the position you’re pursuing. “I applied to over 700 jobs in three months” isn’t a flex. As far as job searching is concerned, submitting two quality applications daily is significantly better than the ‘spray and pray’ method that most job seekers resort to.

Your Digital Footprint: Be mindful of your online presence. Your social media activity reflects your professionalism. A messy digital footprint is a red flag to employers, just as not having one makes you appear out of touch.

Practicing Interview Skills: The best hack I know for honing your interview skills is to have more conversations with family, friends, acquaintances, and strangers and ask more open-ended questions (“How did you spend this past weekend?” “What made you decide to become an accountant?” “What’s your go-to restaurant?”). The more comfortable you become having conversations, the better you’ll perform in interviews, which are essentially a conversation.

Maintaining a Positive Mindset: Your attitude impacts your job search. Control your mindset by practicing mindfulness and gratitude. Focus on what you can achieve, not on what you believe is holding you back.

Another book recommendation: Rewire Your Mindset: Own Your Thinking, Control Your Actions, Change Your Life! by Brian Keane.

As in life, what you focus on determines where your energy goes; therefore, choose your focus wisely.

Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned corporate veteran, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. Send Nick your job search questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.