How Can Middle-Aged Professionals Get Hired After 35? Experts Reveal: 90% of People Who Say This in Interviews Get Rejected

When consulting with middle-aged individuals seeking career changes, I often hear this phrase: 'Will any company want to hire me?' While I understand why people think this way, it doesn't help them. First, it's important to understand: employers don't want to 'buy' job seekers. In marketing, Dr. Theodore Levitt, in his book 'The Marketing Mode,' introduced the famous 'hole and drill' theory. He explained that a quarter-inch drill sells well not because people want drills, but because they want to make a quarter-inch hole. This theory closely relates to our situation. Employers don't simply need manpower; they need talent to solve internal challenges or boost sales. Therefore, what's needed isn't 'I can do this,' 'I'm good at that,' or 'Please buy me,' but rather statements like: 'With my skills, I can solve this challenge for your company,' or 'Based on my experience, I believe I can contribute to your company's growth.' The key is being able to explain: 'What tangible benefits will you gain if you hire me?' This ability is essential not only when seeking employment, but also when freelancing, starting a business, or selling your skills to clients. To achieve this, you must first articulate the value you can provide. Discussions about 'desired compensation' typically come after results are achieved. 'What benefit will you bring after joining?' Many say that as the labor force shrinks and labor shortages grow, we're entering a seller's market. Macroscopically, this is true, but microscopically, the opposite is often the case. Those who cannot prove 'If you hire me, I will create this value' cannot get hired. This is a major shift in today's job market. In the past, during buyer's markets, companies often 'bought' employees first and evaluated them after results were delivered. But now, even with labor shortages and a seemingly seller's market, the order of 'giving and receiving' has reversed to 'give first, receive later.' In other words, employees must first demonstrate value before receiving rewards. However, more and more people fail to understand this, cannot prove their value, or don't even try to showcase their abilities, and thus fail outright. Additionally, work has become increasingly specialized. For example, procurement roles are now highly segmented, making it difficult for many to understand exactly where they contribute. As a result, they don't know how to prove their capabilities and value. This is especially true in indirect roles such as administration, HR, and accounting—positions that support company operations but don't directly generate revenue. Yet, the excuse 'Because I'm in an indirect role, I can't clearly state my abilities' is unacceptable. Those who get hired can clearly explain what benefits they will bring to the company. They discuss their value from the employer's perspective. For example: What challenges existed in your work? What improvements did you make? What changes occurred before and after? Being able to explain these points is how you prove your value. Some mistakenly believe that 'value' means stating how much money they made for a company, but it's not limited to that. Simply being able to clearly explain what changes and results you achieved is sufficient. For example, an HR professional who implemented an internal evaluation system reform, reducing turnover by several percentage points, has created value by lowering personnel costs. With fewer resignations, fewer hires are needed, reducing recruitment costs. However, many people don't even consider how to prove such value, simply giving up with the excuse: 'Because I'm in an indirect role, I can't prove my value.' Author | Masayuki Kuroda, Mid-Career Transition Consultant. Born in Hyogo Prefecture in 1965, graduated from the Faculty of Law at Kansai University. Joined Recruit in 1988. For over 30 years, he has been involved in planning and developing career transition services. Formerly Editor-in-Chief of 'Rikunabi NEXT,' Head of HR Platform Division at 'Recruit Agent,' and Director at 'Recruit Medical Career.' After leaving Recruit in 2014, he founded 'Lucent Doors,' specializing in mid-career transition and corporate recruitment support. For over 30 years, he has worked in the job transition market connecting people and work, and since founding his company, has provided career counseling to many mid-career professionals. This article is reprinted with permission from 'Where Is the Better Job After 35? At 35 There's a Wall, at 45 a Cliff. The Key to Job Hunting Isn't Desperately Submitting Resumes, but Thinking: What Are Those in Demand After 35 Doing Differently Now?' Editor-in-Chief / Li Yiqing