How to find a job after 50

Looking for a job when you're over 50 can be challenging. Mark Miller, author of The Hard Times Guide to Retirement Security, offers these five rules:

Don't push prior work. “Your years of experience can be a double-edged sword,” Miller says. “You can come off as arrogant.”

Be the solution. Offer some ways you can solve the employer's problem.

Network. Because employers often use online databases to screen résumés, it can be difficult to connect with an actual person about a job posting. That's why networking is key. Hit up potential employers at conferences, through alumni groups and by using networking websites such as LinkedIn.

Keep skills up-to-date. Only 36% of workers ages 55 to 70 have pursued training to keep their tech skills current, says David DeLong, an expert in organizational behavior. Take a class or find what Miller calls a “reverse mentor” — someone younger who's tech-savvy.

Look the part. Some interviewers will make snap judgments, Miller says. If you haven't updated your wardrobe, glasses or hairstyle since the 1990s, it's time.