Ageism is out! Did that wake you up? It is unacceptable for others to discriminate against you based on your age, and it is equally unacceptable to retreat into your shell and think you are over the hill and far away. Especially when it comes to social media and your career.
The internet has opened up many highways and byways that allow you to broadcast exactly who you are, your value add, and your personal brand.
If you think you’re too old to be on social media, think again. I was astounded to read a December 2014 Statistics Canada report highlighting that 36% Canadian internet users aged 65 and above use Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
How cool is that? Do you think you could convince your own parents or other elders in your life to use these platforms? Or are they already there?
Social media can open up a huge knowledge base for someone who is perhaps in the sedentary stages of life. It can be a wake-up call to excite them, to engage them, to empower them.
Archives from all our global historical moments are now documented and clearly portrayed across the internet, including discussions and photo galleries on social media sites.
My father in the UK is 87, and I hope to get him online and introduce him to social media shortly, so he can explore his fascination with his father’s stories of being in the trenches in WWI, along with his own experiences at the end of WWII.
You can learn what you need to know
Technology today is a lot easier than the DOS days, when you really needed to be analytically inclined. Today you just need to be logical, methodical and patient, and be aware of how social media can suck up your time. Deep technology skills are no longer required to take advantage of the wealth of knowledge out there waiting for you.
Many school boards offer very inexpensive, if not free, training sessions for the older generation to use the internet and social media. Also check your local library and these other ways to upgrade your technical skills.
As I often share in my presentations and with clients, failure to use social media today is career suicide! So don’t let your age inhibit you from enhancing your knowledge, advancing your career, sharing some magical moments in your life, and having fun.
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