Even though you move a little slower and favor comfortable shoes, you’ve got plenty of living left to do. But life after 50 is more about finding new hobbies and creating new experiences. It applies to your work, too. Whether you’re currently employed or looking for a new gig, here are ways you can use your age to your advantage:

Experience: If you’ve been in your industry for 20 years or longer, you’ve gained a substantial amount of institutional knowledge. You should put that knowledge upfront when selling yourself for a position. This can be difficult to do without sounding condescending so remember, no preaching. You can try to compare two or three issues in today’s economy with issues you faced in the past, and tell your interviewer how you overcame the roadblocks and solved the problem.

Network: As companies rely more on independent contractors and consultants, they’ll need people within their own organization who can help steer them to quality talent outside the office. While companies use agencies to find the right people, there’s no substitute for first-hand knowledge of potential freelancers. When it’s time to fill a new or existing position, older workers are a great resource. They often are part of an extensive network of people who may be qualified – or who may know someone who’s qualified – for the open position.

Openness: Don’t be so sure that older workers won’t embrace technology. The TV sitcom cliche of grandpa yelling at his computer screen is a far cry from reality. Most older workers have already incorporated technology into their personal lives, so they’ll be happy to use some of the new tools you’re introducing at the office.

Perspective: What sounds like an esoteric offering is actually a very practical benefit. If you’re more experienced in your job, that’s great, but life experience counts, too. If you lived through layoffs, buyouts and every other corporate plague known to man, you know that they either eventually end or prompt rebirths in other areas. It’s helpful to have a cooler head on hand when things veer off course.

Focus: Donald Blackwell, a 56-year-old IT specialist in College Station, Texas, says one of the best traits of older workers is their ability to avoid distraction. “I’m not saying that all 25-year-old employees are easily distracted but I find that for me and several of my older colleagues, we’re really able to hone in on what needs to be done because frankly, I’m not really interested in something I can learn from a phone or a website when I’m at work,” Blackwell says. “I don’t have the urge to engage in office gossip or talk to my wife for an hour every day about the same things we’ll talk about when I get home. I enjoy what I do so I don’t mind focusing 100 percent when I’m at work.”

Confidence: Older workers often have a been-there, done-that demeanor that can serve as a guiding light for younger employees. Knowing he can get the job done has given Blackwell a certain swagger, he says. “I know what I’m capable of and I know how to solve problems. ” Blackwell says. /Tribune News Service