Today, nearly a quarter of the U.S. workforce is over 55 – a figure that has doubled since 2020. Yet, almost two-thirds of workers aged 50 and older report experiencing or witnessing age discrimination in the workplace, and nearly half of jobseekers looking for jobs for over age 50 have been searching for more than a year.
With searches for “jobs for over 50” soaring by 140% over the past months, experts at the online job search platform JobLeads have created a practical guide to help older professionals update their resumes and boost their chances of landing a job when you’re looking for jobs over 50.
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Age-proof your resume: Expert tips to stay competitive at any age
Format and structure
- Keep your resume concise: Stick to a two-page format (unless the job requires detailed documentation). A shorter resume helps avoid signaling excessive experience that may trigger bias. Avoid including irrelevant personal information such as your date of birth, email address containing your birth year, or marital/parental status.
- Choose contemporary fonts and modern formatting: JobLeads advises selecting modern fonts like Calibri or Arial. Avoid outdated fonts like Times New Roman, which can make your CV look old-fashioned, and use single spacing between sentences to eliminate typewriter-era formatting.
- Use ATS-friendly templates: Choose clean, simple resume templates compatible with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that are easy for both AI and hiring managers to read. Avoid text boxes, graphics, and images that ATS may not process effectively. Instead, opt for a single-column layout with clear section headings like “Work Experience” and “Skills”.
Experience and skills
- Tailor your career history to recent achievements: Focus on the most recent 5-10 years of your career, highlighting relevant roles and achievements. For earlier positions, provide only a brief mention without excessive detail, focusing on showcasing recent experiences that directly align with the job requirements and promote ‘up to date’ skills.
- Modernize job titles and remove graduation dates: Update outdated titles to current industry standards. For example, replace “Data Entry Clerk” with “Data Specialist” or “Secretary” with “Administrative Assistant” to reflect more modern roles. Additionally, as suggested by JobLeads in their blog, exclude graduation dates unless specifically requested, focusing on the relevance of your education rather than when you completed it.
- Customize keywords and highlight relevant skills: Update your CV to feature current, in-demand skills. Remove outdated technologies or tools, such as WordPerfect or Lotus Notes, and focus on modern competencies that are relevant to the role. Tailor your resume’s language to match job descriptions and company culture.
Professionalism and personalization
- Prove your cultural fit: In today’s competitive job market, it’s essential to show that you’re not just qualified, but also a great cultural fit for the company. Highlight hobbies or interests that are current, unique, and relevant to the role you’re applying for. For instance, showcasing your passion for emerging technologies, sustainability, or community volunteer work reflects your engagement with modern trends and values.
- Replace objective statements with a professional summary: Ditch the traditional objective statement and instead include a professional summary that highlights your career level, expertise, and key accomplishments. This provides a more modern, concise introduction to your qualifications.
- Omit references section and certifications: Skip the “References” section – employers typically ask for them later. Avoid attaching copies of certifications unless requested; instead, reference them within the relevant sections of your CV.
New technologies
- Use LinkedIn and AI tools to strengthen your resume: Use LinkedIn’s “How You Match” feature and the “Skills” section to analyze job descriptions and identify key skills and keywords. AI tools can further refine your resume, suggesting formatting tweaks and relevant keywords to improve ATS compatibility. However, it’s essential to apply your own judgment and ensure your resume stays authentic to your experience and voice.
