Resume Tips For Older Workers

Resume Tips For Older Workers Resume tips for older workers with skills to spareYour resume should tout your skills, not your age. If youre among the generation of older workers approaching 50 or older, you have so much value to bring to prospective employersexperience, hard skills, a been-there-done-that track record of industry know-how. So its a bit ironic that all your expertise could wind up working against you when youre looking for a job.By structuring your resume strategically, you can combat ageism in your job search and showcase the qualifications that are fruchtwein relevant to the job youre seeking, says Kim Isaacs, executive resume writer and resume expert.For instance, think twice before leading with decades of experience on your resume. Thats a career red flag that might signal to employers that youre outdated or overqualified, when, in fact, youre exactly who theyre looking to hire.Older workers tend to have a boatload of experienceoften in many differen t functional areas, Isaacs says, so the challenge is to whittle the resume content down to what employers would find most valuable.Ready to put together a resume thats anything but old-school? Follow these pro tipsSpend time on the summaryThe career summary section is where an older worker can shineyour accomplishments are usually strong and theres a level of expertise that younger workers havent reached yet, says Isaacs. (Notice its called a summary and not an objectivethats so 1980s)Keep in mind that you dont want to sound out of touch. Ditch industry jargon that might not be obvious to recruiters who may very well be younger than you. Also, its OK to say experienced, but dont say over 25 years of experience.Dont fudge the formatThough you may hear people suggest that a functional resume style is ideal for older workers, dont fall for it. I never recommend using a functional resume, says Isaacs. This type of format is typically used by job seekers trying to hide something, and emp loyers know that so they start looking for potential issues as soon as they start reading.Also worth noting Functional resumes do not perform well in applicant tracking systems.Isaacs suggests sticking with the traditional reverse chronological format. As long as yours is visually distinctive, concise, and to the point, theres no need to mess with what works.Tweak as you goTake the time to tailor your resume each time you apply for a job, says Susan Weinstock, vice president of financial resilience at AARP. Its time-consuming but worth it, she says. For example, make sure you include keywords from the job description in your resume. This will help you stand out to recruiters and hiring managers who are looking for a very specific skill set, not to mention that it will make your resume more discoverable by search engines and software.Go back, but not too far backThe question most people have is how far back should they go? Employers are most interested in what youve done recently, sa ys Isaacs, but theres nothing wrong with sharing older career milestones.Focus on accomplishments from the last 15 years or so, but leise provide brief highlights of earlier positions, she recommends. Tip Group older positions together in a briefEarly Career section, and omit the dates.Focus on growth and successNo matter what your age, the best way to market yourself is to showcase your best attributes and accomplishmentsespecially the ones that align with the job youre vying for.Your aim should be to keep the resume focused on the job target and downplay irrelevant information, says Isaacs. This can be especially tricky if youve gone through a career change (or two) over the course of your work life. So even if you went from the nursing profession to the hospitality industry, Isaacs says to try and highlight skills developed in one career that are transferable to another career.Also important is to show how youve developed and improved throughout your career by including accomplis hments that reflect professional growth. If youve been promoted, include previous job titles as well as higher ones so the history of advancement is clear, says Isaacs.Hide your age (sort of)Although you should never lie on your resume, you dont have to make it glaringly obvious that you went to college during the Reagan administration. The way around that is to just list your schools and degrees.Remove graduation or school dates, since some employment algorithms will screen out employees over a certain ageand they can do that by looking at graduation dates, says Weinstock.Address the tech elephant in the roomJust because youre over 50 doesnt mean you lack technology skills, but that stereotype does exist, and you have to overcome itespecially for positions that require some digital savvy. In your resume and cover letter, talk about the technology you use and know well that is relevant to your field, says Weinstock.Isaacs adds that including recent training completed, conferences at tended, and involvement in professional organizations can be strong indicatorsthat youve continued to learn and develop new skills. Even better? See if your tech skills can be woven into an accomplishment to show how the technology welches used to achieve a desirable result, says Isaacs.Also, go ahead and list your technology prowess in the skills section of your resume, but steer clear of mentioning anything thats outdated. SayWord 2016,notWord 2002, for instance.Bring in the prosfor freeIts not the easiest thing to writea resume that highlights your skills and experience but doesnt make your age a focal point. Looking for a simple way to increase the chances thatyour resume will be noticed?Get a free resume evaluation today from the experts atMonsters Resume Writing Service. Youll get detailed feedback in two business days, including a review ofyour resumes appearance and content, and a prediction of a recruiters first impression. Its a smart move no matter what stage your career is at.