How to Secure Your Resume from Age-Related Negative Effects
Age is not always an advantage when searching for a job, especially in a competitive job market. Hiring managers may view older workers as more expensive to hire, with outdated experience or overqualified, or not up-to-date with the latest technology and workplace practices – even though age discrimination is illegal.
A way to overcome the belief that your age is a problem is to “secure” and carefully craft your resume. Your resume is not your life story, so there is no need to include everything you have done in your career. Learn what to include in your resume and what to leave out, how to choose the best resume format, review examples, and obtain a resume template for older job seekers.
How to Secure Your Resume from Age-Related Negative Effects
Limiting what you include in your resume from a time perspective can help job seekers avoid the stereotype of being “older” to a potential employer. It can also help demonstrate that you are current with the latest technology and skills required for your profession, thereby increasing your chances of being selected for an interview. The following resume writing tips for older job seekers will help market your candidacy and showcase your skills to employers without focusing on your age.
Choosing the Best Type of Resume
If you are considering using a chronological resume, which displays your experience in a historical order, it may be time to switch to a different format that does not focus on years. You might consider using a functional resume that emphasizes your skills and experience and highlights your achievements at the top of the resume. Alternatively, you can use a combination resume that includes both skills and your work history (just don’t go back more than 10 or 15 years).
Resume Writing Tips for Older Job Seekers
Limit relevant experience. Restrict the relevant experience (related to the job you are applying for) you include in your resume to 10 to 15 years, and leave older jobs out of the resume entirely. You can also list older jobs in a separate section of your resume, but do not mention the dates of employment.
Eliminate other experience. You want to keep your resume experience relevant to the job you hope to obtain, and unrelated experience may not be necessary. Leave all that experience off your resume or list it without dates in a category called “Other Experience” or “Additional Experience.”
Do not mention education/training dates. Do not mention the dates you graduated from high school and college or dates of any other courses you have taken, or professional development classes that were in the past. If you have a college degree, do not mention your high school graduation date on your resume.
Be cautious about years. Do not state how long you have been in your career field, if you use that information. For example, it is not helpful to say that you have 20 or 30 years of experience in anything. They may consider you older, and your resume may end up in the trash.
The best way to show you are an experienced professional is to say you have “over 10 years of experience” in your field. This is not a lie, and it allows you to capitalize on your value as a highly experienced employee.
How to Showcase Your Qualifications
Target your resume. Take the time to write a targeted resume tailored specifically to highlight the experience you have that relates to the specific job you are applying for. The same targeted resume will not work for every job, and you will need a different resume for each position.
Highlight
Your skills. All the years of experience you have probably mean that you possess an impressive skill set. Highlight the skills that hold the greatest value and show that you are comfortable with contemporary technology. Promote the fact that you keep up with the latest software and applications that you know how to use and avoid outdated technology.
Show that you are connected. Include a link to your LinkedIn profile in your resume. This will show employers that you are engaged with current communication and networking platforms. Depending on your usage, you may also want to list your social media handles, such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram – but only if they are appropriate for professional review.
Polish your resume. Appearance matters. Make sure your resume is polished and well-presented. You don’t want your resume to look outdated. Hire a resume writer or browse various resume sites to find the latest templates that will give your resume a fresh look.
Be ready to email or upload your resume
Be prepared to send your resume via email. Keep in mind that most resumes are emailed or uploaded to a company’s site or job board to apply for positions. Email a copy of your resume to yourself to ensure that the formatting does not get lost during the send (sending your resume as a PDF is likely the best option). Review the email etiquette guide to ensure you follow the correct protocol for sending your resume via email.
Download a resume template
Download a resume template (compatible with Google Docs and Word) or see below for a text version to get started on creating your own resume.
Example resume
Name: Edward Elder
Address: 123 Old Growth Road, Mt. Vernon, WA 98273
Phone: (123) 456-7890
Email: eelder@email.com
Personal website: www.linked.com/in/edwardelder
Profession: Sales Professional
Achieving continuous growth year after year by setting strategic goals and managing sales teams.
Skills:
– Engaging and focused ability to recruit, develop, and train highly productive retail sales teams.
– Training sales associates on customer attraction, product marketing, and inventory control.
– Analytical and cost-sensitive in pricing strategy development, shrinkage prevention, and supporting effective customer retention programs.
– Leading by example to ensure exceptional customer service delivery.
Professional Experience:
– Sales Manager at HOMEWORKS CENTRAL, Mt. Vernon, Washington (February 2016 – Present)
– Sales Manager at CARS R US, Ferndale, Washington (November 2008 – January 2016)
Education and Qualifications:
– Bachelor’s in Business Administration from EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, Cheney, Washington
– IT Skills: Microsoft Office Suite, Point-of-Sale Systems, Salesforce
More resume examples
Review more resume examples for a variety of circumstances and get templates you can use to write your own resume.
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Source: https://www.thebalancemoney.com/resume-tips-for-older-job-seekers-2064046
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