3 Things You Should Always Mention in Your Cover Letter as a Mature Job Seeker

Mature job seekers can face many challenges, including being perceived as overqualified, less innovative, or lower-energy than their younger peers.

Fortunately, your cover letter is a powerful tool that allows you to frame your experience and skills in a positive and attractive light, especially when you mention these three things.

1. Explanation of Your Current Situation

Right off the bat, it’s best to address what is likely to be the hiring manager’s first question: Why are you looking for a new job at this point in your life?

Perhaps you took time off from your career to raise your children, to care for an ailing family member, or to overcome an illness yourself. If you have a gap in your work experience, give a brief explanation in your cover letter and mention how you have kept your skills current through attending industry events, completing continuing education courses, or whatever it may be.

If you are applying to a more senior role within your industry, make it clear how your experience and skills have prepared you to succeed. In this scenario, a long and successful career will likely work in your favor.

Or, if you are looking to change careers by applying to roles for which you are technically overqualified, reassure the hiring manager that you aren’t planning to leave as soon as a better opportunity comes along. For example, you could write that you are looking to ramp down your responsibilities in the later stages of your career in order to promote a better work-life balance.

2. Relevant and Transferable Skills

The next thing a hiring manager is likely to look at is whether you have the skills necessary for the position. While you can list your skills on your resume, use your cover letter as an opportunity to expand on these skills and to present real-world examples of how you’ve honed your skills and how they’ve helped you succeed.

Be sure to include both hard and soft skills to show the hiring manager that you are a well-rounded candidate. Hard skills are measurable and job-specific, like the ability to use Adobe design software or holding a Realtor certification. Soft skills are less tangible and often aren’t specific to a job or industry, such as leadership ability, communication skills, and so forth.

3. Proficiency with Technology

Particularly in heavily tech-reliant fields, some hiring managers may have qualms about hiring a more mature candidate who might not be as proficient with current technologies as a younger person. Even in roles that aren’t necessarily tech-based, it’s still important to be able to use software such as POS systems, digital communication platforms, online databases, and so forth. As such, it’s important to make it clear in your cover letter as well as on your resume that you are up-to-speed with industry technology and able to learn and adopt new tech quickly.