{"id":3912,"date":"2014-07-05T07:43:13","date_gmt":"2014-07-05T11:43:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/?p=3912"},"modified":"2014-07-05T07:43:13","modified_gmt":"2014-07-05T11:43:13","slug":"kerrys-expert-tips-how-career-changers-can-work-well-with-a-younger-boss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/?p=3912","title":{"rendered":"Kerry’s Expert Tips: How Career Changers Can Work Well with a Younger Boss"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"flexjobs300x300_bigger\"<\/a>If you\u2019ve decided to change careers, you\u2019ll most likely be working for a younger (perhaps, much younger) boss. It\u2019s completely normal to feel a bit uneasy at the thought of working for someone with less experience than you, but it\u2019s important to stay open minded. Although they have less overall experience, you\u2019ll be surprised by their know-how in your new line of work. We\u2019re happy to share some expert advice on how career changers can work well with a younger boss, from AARP\u2019s Kerry Hannon.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Kerry Hannon<\/a>\u00a0is the\u00a0AARP Jobs Expert<\/a>\u00a0and the author of\u00a0What\u2019s Next?: Finding Your Passion and Your Dream Job in Your Forties, Fifties and Beyond<\/i>\u00a0and\u00a0Great Jobs for Everyone 50+: Finding Work That Keeps You Happy and Healthy \u2026 And Pays the Bills.\u00a0<\/i>She shared her advice for FlexJobs readers on how career changers can work well with a younger boss.<\/p>\n

(READ STORY ON FLEXJOBS.COM<\/a>)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Get Comfortable with Technology<\/b><\/h3>\n

You may already be a prolific texter, but if you\u2019re not yet, start getting comfortable using text to communicate. Says Hannon, \u201cA younger manager will probably want to communicate with you via text message, instant messenger, or emails rather than face-to-face chats or the phone. Voice messages are rarely even listened to from my experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s up to you to get on their program. No doubt you have a smartphone, but if you don\u2019t, get one pronto. If you don\u2019t have\u00a0core technical skills<\/a>, check out your local libraries, community colleges, and other venues where training is offered. Better yet, ask someone younger than you to spend a few hours giving you a tutorial; say, one of your kids or grandkids, nephews or nieces, the teenager who lives down the block,\u201d Hannon advises.<\/p>\n

Learn All About Web-Based Meetings<\/b><\/h3>\n

Even if you\u2019re not working from home, web-based meetings are how a lot of teams, especially those with younger managers, operate. Hannon suggests learning more about web-based meeting programs like GoToMeeting, Cisco WebEx, Join.me, TeamViewer, or Google+ Hangouts. Some of these are either free or offer a 30-day free trial\u2014plenty of time to get acquainted with their general functionality.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re still looking for a job in your new career, Hannon recommends\u00a0practicing video job interviews<\/a>. \u201cI recently practiced Skyping with my 52-year-old brother to prep him for his first video interview. He had never been on\u00a0Skype<\/a>\u00a0before. It was lots of fun, and he aced the interview. But I had to coach him on where to place his laptop, where to look at the camera\u2014not down at the screen\u2014and to clear out the background and so forth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Job Interviews with Younger Managers<\/b><\/h3>\n

When interviewing with a younger manager, Hannon recommends the following tips:<\/p>\n