That's exactly what I'm trying to do now with the way things are happening in Banking/Finance Industry. Thanks to the help of Dan Miller's 48 Days to the Work You Love and Get Hired Now by Hayden/Traditi, Guerilla Marketing for Job Hunters by Levinson/Perry, Andrusia/Haskins Brand Yourself and Fisher/Vilas Power Networking, I'm trying to transfer my 20+ years of experience in Banking, Finance, Insurance, Notary Public, success and motivation, Business and Office administration, etc. I'm freelancing, doing temp assignments, etc., until I get a permanent job trying to get my foot-in-the-door by even getting my certification Microsoft Applications. Once you're in your late 50s, they don't want to tell you that we aren't willing to pay you what you're asking, or you'd be bored doing this, etc., you have to begin trying a multitude of ideas. If anybody else wants to respond and join me, great.

I think the key thing for many of us is to not talk about the past so much, but instead talk about the specific ways we will bring value to a specific company. I'm talking about new programs, new customers, new processes, etc. In order to talk that specific to a company, we have to do extensive research on what they are doing, what's working, what's not, what their "hot buttons" are, in order to wow them with our ideas.

As you mentioned in another group, it is important to look at more up to date approaches to the things that we do when we job hunt.

Gordon, you talked about the informational letter, the selling tool about you and what you would bring to a company or position. Do this in lieu of the traditional resume. I have had numerous conversations with my 22 year old son. He was a marketing major and he has shared with me some youthful wisdom from this new age front liner. Even though he is bubbling over with knowledge and ability on the internet there are clearly many life experiences that he is not aware of.

The people hiring can often be in need of a younger person to tap into a more youthful world of marketing, blogging and advertising. However, if you take the time to ask the young ones a few questions and look into their world, you can show employers that you are not a has been worker with old outdated skills. Read periodicals, journals and current event info. Always keep looking around you and the smallest thing can be the beginning of something big. That and your life skills and accomplishments together make you a good valuable thinker.and potential hire.

You're right on target in your thinking (in my opinion). It's so important for us 40+'ers to be able to talk-the-talk and more importantly, walk-the-walk.

I love your idea of proactively asking questions of someone 22 years old