If you are an older worker seeking new employment in today’s uber-competitive job market, you can face an uphill battle simply by getting your foot in the door for an interview.
You might be surprised that it could be your resume that has been automatically screening you out of potentially lucrative positions for which you would otherwise qualify.
The numbers don’t lie
AARP conducted recent research on workers who were 50 or older. They discovered that a whopping 93% of those surveyed believed it was a common occurrence to experience age discrimination in the workplace.
Statistics prove them right, as data supplied by government sources showed that job seekers 55 and older experienced “substantially longer periods of unemployment” than their counterparts aged 20 to 24.
Does your resume age you out of career opportunities?
It very well might. For instance, what email address do you use for job searches? Anything other than a Gmail stating your name dates you. Definitely skip any AOL or Hotmail versions for your professional profile.
Trim the fat off your resume
Nobody cares what you did in the 90s. In fact, the person making the hiring decisions may not even have been born yet. Focus on career highlights from the past decade and a half and don’t state the obvious. People in white-collar fields are expected to be proficient in all aspects of Microsoft Office, so don’t mention those. Instead, list the relevant business software platforms with which you’re familiar, e.g., Wrike, Smartsheet, Basecamp or QuickBooks.
Don’t list dates
Unless you recently got your MBA or its equivalent, there’s no need to list the year you obtained any degrees or diplomas. State the college or university and leave it at that.
Did you experience workplace discrimination?
Building a stalwart case of age discrimination in the workplace requires accurate documentation, and the corroboration of others can be quite helpful. Learning more about the California laws regarding age discrimination can help you plan a course of action.