resume examples for 60 year old

• Career Development

7 No-Fail Resume Tips for Older Workers (+ Examples)

While most job seekers experience obstacles during their efforts to find that perfect job, older workers, those with over 20 years of experience, often face unique challenges. For a variety of reasons, a lot of hiring managers seem to give preference to younger workers. Usually, that preference is the result of either conscious or unconscious bias. 

It could be because they might feel older workers are out of touch with modern tech or aren’t as quick at grasping new concepts or ideas. They forget that older workers often have so much more experience and knowledge about their chosen field than someone just entering the workplace.

To counter this bias, older workers need to know how to craft a comprehensive resume that maximizes their odds of landing an interview during the job search process without prejudice creeping in. You don’t want your detailed resume for an older worker ending up on the “no” pile without being considered at all and through no fault of your own.

Read on about how our team of career experts has come up with 7 no-fail tips for resumes for older workers that can help you land more interviews.

How strategic resumes help older workers

First, though, it’s helpful to understand why these tips for resumes for older workers are even necessary. It all comes down to perception. Applications from more experienced job seekers often contain resumes that are filled with years of valuable accomplishments. They have relevant skills crafted over many decades of employment. On the surface, you’d think those would be positive benefits that would excite most potential employers and hiring managers. Sadly, that’s not always the case when compared to younger job seekers.

In fact, many employers view a lengthy work history as a sign that the older worker is probably outdated. They may assume that you can’t possibly be familiar with current technology, trends, and strategies.

Worse still, they may even believe that they can’t afford to hire you. After all, your lengthy experience and impressive skill set should command a high salary, right? Basically, these hiring managers will assume that your age and experience with outdated tech skills represent too great a risk, and you might get turned down at the first hurdle before you’ve even been given a chance to state your suitability for the role.

The best way to avoid that rejection is to update your resume by following the tips below to showcase your skills and qualifications the right way, enabling you to effectively remove the age question from your resume. 

7 tips for resumes for older workers

1. omit dates from your resume.

One of the best tips for resumes for older workers is to avoid using graduation dates in the education section. It’s difficult to work around your age if your college graduation date is there in black-and-white. There’s no requirement to add this, so just skip the dates altogether, but keep it consistent so there are no dates on professional development courses as well.

2. Only include the last 10 to 15 years of your experience

Another of our top tips for resumes for older workers involves relevancy. Instead of including every bit of work experience you’ve ever done, going back to the 1990s, stick to your up-to-date jobs by setting out your career summary in reverse chronological order, with your most recent role at the top. So for older workers - leave some jobs off your resume. 

Your best option is to only include relevant experience from the last 10 to 15 years. For a more detailed explanation of how far back to go, check out our blog on how many years of experience you need to include on your resume .

3. Avoid listing outdated skills 

Many resumes for older workers include outdated and irrelevant skills that can easily give away their age. Include skills, programs, and certifications that are relevant in today’s job market or required for the position you’re targeting. “Typing,” “Microsoft Word,” and “Google” don’t belong on your resume for an older worker or on your cover letter either.

4. Highlight your skills

No list of top resume tips for older workers would be complete without mentioning skills. Many older workers are reluctant to boast about what they excel at, but this is the one place where you can. Your resume for an older worker should highlight your qualifications as much as possible, and skills are an important part of that process. Just be sure to give a place of prominence to your technology skills as well.

Also, remember that most companies nowadays use an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) to automatically screen your resume. These applicant tracking systems automatically screen resumes to see if you’re a good match for the position. An average of 75% of candidates are rejected by ATS and, most of the time, the candidate is qualified; it’s just that their resume isn’t optimized.

Make sure that you use a standard resume format so that the ATS can easily scan your resume for an older worker. You should also include keywords (i.e., skills ) that are relevant to the position. Check out the job description and be guided by what’s on there.

5. Include a LinkedIn URL

The inclusion of a LinkedIn URL also has a place in any list of resume tips for older workers. If you don’t have a LinkedIn page by now, it’s definitely worth getting one. 

This is especially true if you’re looking for a role, as the connections that can be made there are so worth it--for extending your network and for giving you a better chance of finding that perfect position. Be sure to include a link to that page within your contact details on your resume for an older worker. Having a LinkedIn link on there also helps with your ATS score.

6. Use an updated word processor

Since many companies want to see electronic copies of resumes, your word-processing software deserves some attention as well. If you’re using an outdated version of Microsoft Word, upgrade it.

And if you’re using any other type of word processing software, consider switching to Word. It’s pretty much the gold standard for resumes for older workers and others these days.

7. Customize every time you apply

There’s no one-size-fits-all in the resume world, so don’t rely on one basic resume, hoping that it will cover all roles. It won’t. When it comes to tips for resumes for older workers, this one is critical.

Every resume that you submit must be tailored to match the desired position. That means using keywords from the job posting and narrowing down experience and skills to ensure that they’re relevant. The days of using the same resume for every application are a thing of the past.

Resume example for older workers:

Sometimes, it helps to see something to get a real idea of what to do. Notice in the following example how the additional professional experience is listed below without dates--strategic!

The good news is that these tips for resumes for older workers can help you avoid bias and give you a better shot at landing an interview. That’s the best way to ensure yourself a fair chance of convincing an employer or hiring manager that you’re the right candidate for the job.

Recommended reading:

9 Tips to Avoid Age Discrimination on Your Resume

 How Long Your Resume Should Be in 2023 (Expert Advice)

Best Email Subject Lines When Sending a Resume (With Examples)

Elizabeth Openshaw, Editor & Content Writer, Elizabeth Openshaw, Editor & Content Writer

Elizabeth Openshaw is an Elite CV Consultant with over 12 years of experience based in Brighton, UK, with an English degree and an addiction to Wordle! She is a former Journalist of 17 years with the claim to fame that she interviewed three times Grand Slam winner and former World No.1 tennis player, Andy Murray, when he was just 14 years old. You can connect with her at Elizabeth Openshaw | LinkedIn .

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• Career Planning
• Finding a Job

Resume Examples and Writing Tips for Older Job Seekers

How to Age-Proof Your Resume

Choose the best type of resume, resume writing tips for older job seekers.

• How to Show How You're Qualified
• Email or Upload Your Resume

Download a Resume Template

Review a resume example, more resume examples.

Age isn't always an advantage when you're job searching, especially in a competitive job market. Hiring managers can view older workers as more expensive to hire, as having outdated experience or too much experience, or as not being current with today's technology and workplaces—even though it is  illegal to discriminate based on age .

One way to overcome the perception that your age is an issue is to "age-proof" and carefully edit your resume. Your resume isn’t  your CV , so it doesn’t need to include everything you’ve ever done.

Learn what to include on your resume, what to leave off, how to choose the best resume format, review examples and get a resume template for older job seekers.

Limiting what you include on your resume, from a chronological perspective, can help job seekers avoid the stigma of being considered "too old" by a prospective employer.

Also, showing that you're up to speed with the latest technology and skills needed for your profession will help maximize your chances of getting 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 highlighting your age.

Consider a Functional or Combination Resume.  If you’re currently using a  chronological resume , which lists your experience in date order, it may be time to switch to a different format that doesn’t focus on the years.

Consider using a  functional resume , which focuses on your skills and experience and lists your accomplishments at the top of your resume. Alternatively, you could use a  combination resume , which features both skills and your work history (just don’t go back more than 10 or 15 years).

Limit Your Related Experience.  Limit the related experience (related to the job you are applying for) you  include on your resume to 10 to 15 years , leaving older jobs off your resume entirely.

Another option is to include the older jobs in a separate section of your resume, but don’t list the dates when you worked.

Drop Your Other Experience.  You want to keep your resume experience relevant for the job you’re hoping to land, and unrelated experience is probably just not necessary. Leave all that experience off your resume or list it without dates in a category labeled “Other Experience” or “Additional Experience.”

Don't Include Education / Training Dates.  Don't include high school and college graduation dates or dates for any other courses you took, or professional development classes that were in the past. If you have a college degree, don't list your high school graduation date on your resume.

Be Careful About Years.  Don't list the length of experience you have in your  resume objective , if you use one. For example, it's not advantageous to say you have 20 or 30 years of experience in anything. It’ll flag you as older, and your resume may just get tossed out.

The best way to show that you are a seasoned professional is to say that you have “10+ years’ experience” in your field. This isn’t a lie, and it allows you to capitalize upon your value as an employee with significant experience.

How to Show How You're Qualified

Target Your Resume.  Take the time to write a  targeted resume  that’s customized so that it specifically highlights the experience you have that’s relevant to the specific job opening you’re applying for. The same targeted resume won’t work for every job, and you’ll need a different one for each job opening.

Highlight Your Skills.  All your years of experience probably means you’ve built up an impressive skill set. Shine a light on the skills that are most valuable and that show you’re comfortable with contemporary technology. Promote the fact that you're up-to-date with current technology by including the latest programs and apps you know how to use and leaving off out-of-date technology.

Show You're Connected.  Include a  link to your LinkedIn profile on your resume . This will show hiring managers you're engaged in current means of communicating and networking. Depending on your usage, you may want to list your social media handles as well, such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram—but only if they’re up to professional scrutiny.

Polish Your Resume.  Presentation matters. Make sure your resume is polished and well presented. You don't want your resume to look old-fashioned. Hire a resume writer or browse the 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 Email Your Resume.  Keep in mind that most resumes are emailed or uploaded to a company website or job site to apply for jobs. Email a copy of your resume to yourself to be sure the formatting doesn't get lost during transmission (sending your resume as a PDF is probably best). Review these email etiquette guidelines to be sure you're following the right protocol for  emailing your resume .

Download the resume template (compatible with Google Docs and Word) or see below for a text version to get started on creating your own resume.

The Balance

Resume Example (Text Version)

Edward Elder 123 Old Growth Road Mt. Vernon, WA 98273 (123) 456-7890 eelder@email.com www.linked.com/in/edwardelder

SALES PROFESSIONAL

Producing consistent YOY growth through strategic goal-setting and sales floor management.

Charismatic and focused in onboarding, developing, and coaching highly productive retail sales teams. Skillfully train sales associates in winning customer engagement, merchandising, and inventory control methods.    

Analytical and cost-conscious in establishing pricing strategies, preventing shrink, and championing effective customer retention programs. Lead by example to ensure provision of best-in-class customer service.  

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

HOMEWORKS CENTRAL, Mt. Vernon, Washington

SALES MANAGER (February 2016 – Present)

Meticulously perform scope of retail management responsibilities including team building, merchandising, inventory control, scheduling, and sales training and development for established home improvement store. 

Notable accomplishments:

• Redesigned store plan-o-grams that improved cross-sales by 72% and time-in-store by 81%.
• Implemented staff recognition and incentive programs that heightened employee retention to 95%.
• Introduced first-ever succession planning process that ensured seamless transition of sales associates to positions of increased authority as older personnel retired, preventing the need to hire from outside.

CARS R US , Ferndale, Washington

SALES MANAGER (November 2008 – January 2016)

Trained and mentored ~35 Sales Executives in customer service and sales negotiation / closing skills. Forecasted monthly sales expenses, conveyed sales goals, and designed incentive programs.  

• Pioneered dealership’s launch of online sales arm, increasing lead percentage by 63% .
• Increased overall market share by more than 15% YOY throughout tenure.
• Promoted to management from original role as Sales Representative.  ~ Additional experience includes roles as a Sales Executive for Retro Auto (Yakima, Washington) and as a Sales Representative for Home Hardware Sales (Yakima, Washington). ~

EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS

EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY , Cheney, Washington 

Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration (Emphasis: Marketing)

Information Technology Skills: Microsoft Office Suite • POS systems • Salesforce

Review more resume samples for a variety of circumstances and get templates you can use to write your own resume.

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How To Write a Resume if You’re an Older Worker

We'll cover how to avoid age discrimination, deal with career breaks and write your resume. Downloadable templates included.

2 years ago   •   9 min read

Like anything in life, there’s no one size fits all solution to writing a resume. This means that a lot of tips geared toward first-time job seekers can leave older employees with even more questions. Like: Do I really need an education section if I graduated a few decades ago? How am I supposed to fit thirty years’ experience on a one-page resume? And how I make myself appear younger on a resume to combat potential discrimination?

We'll cover those questions and more, but first, here are the most essential tips for writing a resume as an older worker.

Tips for writing a resume as an older worker

• Use a modern resume format or template
• Leave dates off your resume (including your graduation date, age, and date of birth)
• Don't list experience older than 10-15 years
• Customize your resume by tailoring your work experience and adding keywords
• Revamp your skills section to remove outdated skills and include new technologies

Highlight recent training

• Address any career breaks (including retirement)
• Emphasize your experience — it's a strength, not a weakness!

How to format your resume as an older worker

If you've been in the workforce — or out of it — for a long time, it may have been a while since you last updated your resume. If there's a chance yours is looking a little dated, here's how to quickly modernize your resume:

• Choose a clean, modern font like Arial, Georgia, or Helvetica
• Forget outdated style rules like using paragraph indents or double spaces after a full stop
• Stick to standard formatting, including default margins and spacing
• Upgrade to a newer version of Microsoft Word of switch to Google Docs
• Skip the hassle and download an ATS resume template

Leave unnecessary dates off your resume

We’d love to tell you not to worry about age discrimination, but unfortunately, it does happen. The best way to avoid it? Leave dates off your resume.

We’re not talking about dates of employment — those should always stay. On the other hand, if you graduated more than a decade ago, it’s perfectly fine to leave off your graduation date. And never directly list your age or date of birth on your resume — in fact, the fewer personal details you list, the better.

Only include your most recent and relevant experience

Here's a little-known tip: You don’t need to list every job you’ve ever held on your resume . In fact, if you entered the workforce 20+ years ago or have changed careers, you definitely shouldn’t.

Stick to jobs that demonstrate skills and accomplishments that are relevant to the position you’re applying for — 10-15 years of work experience is plenty, unless you’re applying for a senior-level position that explicitly requires longer.

Optimize your resume

If it’s been a while since you last applied for a job, you may not have had to deal with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). ATS are automated software that screen out applicants who don’t meet basic requirements by searching for set words or phrases and are used by an estimated two-thirds of companies.

What does this mean for you?

In simple terms, make sure the software can read your resume by including relevant keywords, avoiding images and decorate fonts, and uploading your resume as a pdf.

Embrace new skills and technology

The biggest concern hiring managers are likely to have is whether your skills are up to date. You can allay these concerns by listing technical skills that are relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Not sure exactly which skills belong on your resume?

• Check the job description for "must have" skills
• Use our skills and keywords finder to search for relevant skills in your role or industry
• Prioritize new or emerging technologies, like Software as a Service (SaaS) or Slack — especially if you’re working remotely.

If you need help finding new technology and hard skills that are most relevant to the job you’re applying for, use the tool below to get a list of relevant ones.

Another way to prevent your skills from getting rusty is to freshen them up with a short course or relevant certification. Search for reputable providers or well-known qualifications, especially if you’re looking for online courses.

Depending on how essential the qualification is to the position you’re applying for, you can list it at the top of your resume in your education section or resume summary, or at the bottom with your skills and additional information.

Address career breaks

Returning to the workforce after some time off — or even coming back from retirement? The good news is that gaps on a resume aren't as big a deal as they used to be.

The bad news is that you do still need to address it. The best place to do this is in your cover letter. Give a brief explanation of what you were doing (like raising children, traveling, or caring for a family member) and reiterate your enthusiasm for returning to work.

You can also deal with career gaps directly in the work experience section of your resume with a simple heading like “career hiatus” or "other experience," especially if you've used your time to volunteer or take on a personal project.

If you’re an older worker wondering what else, like age or graduation dates, should or shouldn’t be included in your resume, upload it to the tool below — it’ll perform a quick scan and let you know what to remove or add into your resume.

Leverage your experience

Older job seekers have a lot of advantages over those who are newer to the workforce, not least of which is a bigger network. Whether you’re returning to work after some time off, changing careers , or looking to move on after a long stint at the same company, it’s time to reach out to ex-colleagues and other professional contacts. Ask your network for potential job leads, advice, and connections within their company or industry — anything that can give you an edge over your younger competition.

Resume examples for older workers

Ready to start updating your resume? Keep scrolling for resume templates you can use if you're:

• An experienced worker seeking a high-level role
• Changing careers
• Returning from retirement or another career break

If you’re an experienced hire seeking a senior-level position

This is where your years of experience shine! Focus on your ability to lead a team , work in a high-stakes or high-pressure environment, and deliver results that affect the company’s bottom line.

In this template, we include only relevant experience — just the last 10-15 years is more than sufficient. We've left off older educational experience pre-MBA.

Download this template: Google Docs | PDF

If you’re changing careers

It might feel weird starting from scratch, but you can still include any skills or accomplishments from previous roles that are relevant to your new industry or role. You don’t need to include every job you’ve ever held, but do focus on transferable skills and accomplishments that are relevant to the new position.

Download this template: Google Docs

If you’re returning after a career break

You don't need to explicitly say that you're ending your retirement or coming back to work after raising children , but you should include some explanation of what you've been doing with your time away from your career.

This resume template highlights the career break in an 'Other Experience' section, which is ideal for an older worker who's returning back to the workforce.

Common misconceptions about resumes for older workers to avoid

False: a fancy resume will make you appear younger.

Fancy resume formats aren’t impressive, and they’re definitely not going to make you appear younger or more in touch. On the contrary, they’re hard to read and demonstrate a lack of professionalism. Stick to a simple, standard resume format, like our ATS-ready resume templates .

FALSE: Your resume needs to include every job you’ve ever held

Your resume should be a brief summary of your most relevant skills and experience, not an exhaustive list of your entire professional history . Leave off any experience that’s much older or no longer relevant.

FALSE: You should include a resume objective

Resume objectives are outdated. They’re also particularly unnecessary if you have any kind of professional experience. If you’re changing careers or want to highlight key skills and experience upfront, a resume summary is a much better option.

FALSE: You should list familiarity with older technology

Including outdated skills on your resume won’t do anything but frame you as out of touch with current workplace norms. Unless you’re applying for a job as a fax machine technician or COBOL developer, leave proficiency with older technologies and programming languages off your resume.

FALSE:  If you have a lot of experience, you need an extra long resume

For older workers with more experience, a two-page resume is completely fine . There’s no need to try to condense 30+ years of experience onto a single page, especially if it’s all still relevant.

If you spent a long time away from the workforce — for example, because you were raising children or are changing careers — you may only need a one-page resume. Leaving off older experience altogether might be better if it avoids raising questions about long career gaps.

FALSE: It's okay to lie about your age on a resume

Never lie on your resume , even as something as seemingly inconsequential as your age. Omission is different from lying — it’s fine to leave dates of graduation off your resume, for example — but even a small lie can be grounds for immediate rejection.

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• Resume & CV

10 Top Resume Tips for Experienced Older Workers (30s, 40s, 50s) in 2024

With unemployment on the rise, there are fewer jobs for mature professionals. And the competition is fierce, with people in every age group vying for an ever-shrinking pool of jobs. 

That's why it's more important than ever for experienced older workers to create an eye-catching resume.  There are more older workers today than ever before , and sometimes ageism can limit the available opportunities. Learn more in our article on generational diversity.

The bottom line: good resumes for experienced professionals are now essential. If you're an older worker trying to make your resume stand out, you may wonder how to distill your experience to give you the best chance of winning the job. 

In this guide, you'll learn how to create a resume for older workers. We'll show you how to list old jobs on a resume and share sample resumes for people over 50. We'll also include expert tips on how to write a resume for older adults. You'll learn how to make your resume more competitive to help you get more job interviews.

Jobs For Mature Professionals - Getting Started With Your Resume

A resume, also known as the CV, is a summary of your professional experience, education and training, and skills. Recruiters use resumes to determine which candidates for the role are suitable for interview. That's why a resume is a key tool for anyone who is searching for a job.

If you're thinking about the ideal resume format for 50-year-olds, it's worth knowing that there are several types of resumes you can use in your job search:

• A reverse chronological resume lists your experience and job roles from the most recent to the oldest. 
• A functional resume focuses more on skills and ability than timing.
• A hybrid or combination resume that includes both skills and job roles. 

Learn more about resumes in What is a Resume?

When you look at resume examples for older workers, it seems that a functional resume could be the best choice. That's because by omitting dates, you won't be excluded because of your age. But, as you'll see later, it's not quite so simple. There are some dates you've got to include. 

Whichever type of resume you choose, most sample resumes for older workers have some common elements. These include an introductory section, contact details, and information about skills, experience, education, and training. We'll look at these in more detail in the next section. 

10 Tips on Creating a Resume For Older Workers

Here are some tips on the appropriate resume format for 50-year-olds:

1. Use a Functional or Combination Resume

As mentioned earlier, good resumes for experienced professionals often use the functional format. That's because this resume type lets you show off your skills before having to deal with dates of employment.  

Virginia Jeyapal of career services firm Shadow Management Consulting, advises:  

"There are many important elements to integrate and consider when writing a successful resume that will land a jobseeker an interview, hopefully many. I have seen mid-career professionals, as well as C-suite executives struggle with their branding and presentation on paper. My advice is always: focus on the achievements and the big wins. What is your ‘value added’? It is not just about performing the basic duties of the role, what did you do beyond that? List career accomplishments and big wins with as many quantifiable details, percentages, and dollar values. This shows that you are high-achieving, top-performing, and exceed expectations."

Wondering whether you should simply omit the dates on a resume for older workers? I'll tell you why this is a bad idea in the next tip.

2. Include Dates

Once upon a time, you might have got away with omitting dates of employment on a resume for older workers. That's no longer the case. Many recruiters use application tracking software (ATS). 

The software scans resumes automatically and may reject resumes without dates. That means that, instead of working in your favor, leaving out dates can actually cost you the opportunity to get an interview. 

Virginia Jeyapal says: 

"In the past 10-15 years, the most significant change to resume presentation and formatting is that resumes have had to be keyword optimized and scannable friendly and allow for easy filtering through ATS (Applicant Tracking System) and ranking algorithms. Resumes have had to adapt from being typewriter produced documents to online formats and layouts that need to be captured, read, interpreted, analyzed, and filtered. If your resume is not ATS optimized, content-rich, achievement-oriented, and reflective of industry requirements for the role, chances are you won’t be getting those interview calls."

But don't worry. It's not all bad news as you'll see in the next tip.

3. Limit the Timescale

Yes, you've got to include dates, but you don't have to include EVERY date. Most sample resumes for people over 50 include 10 to 15 years of experience at most. You can also leave out anything that's not relevant to the role you're applying for.

But play it by ear, comments Michelle Aikman on Glassdoor : 

"Consider how important the experience is to convey your ability to do the job and whether it is absolutely critical that you communicate your qualifications or past experiences with a timeline attached to it."

So, what if you've got relevant information from positions beyond that 10-15 year period? I'll look at how to handle that in the next tip.

4.  List Older Skills Under "Additional Relevant Experience"

If you're considering how to list old jobs on a resume, here's a good tip you'll see on many sample resumes for older workers. Create a section called "additional relevant experience". That's where you can list roles that relate to the job you're going for WITHOUT the dates. This makes it less likely that recruiters will discriminate against you based on your assumed age.

5. Leave Out Outdated Skills

If you look at a modern CV template for an older person, you'll see it looks a bit different from older templates. That's because the skills you've got to list are very different. Sure, 20 years ago, it was a big deal to be able to use Microsoft Office apps and different types of email software, but those are now foundational. If you list them as skills, it immediately dates your resume. Another tip is to avoid saying exactly how long you've had experience of a particular skill: it's enough to say 10+ years. 

Stephanie Holt , who advocates for women in STEM leadership, has this advice on skills from long ago:  

"It is critically important to have a real understanding about what the relevant skills currently are in your industry and to speak to those skills. Technology has made it so that over time what used to be considered skills are now considered a minimum requirement and those should be mastered but not mentioned."

6. Don't Date Your Education

In contrast, resume examples for older workers take a different approach to dealing with education. It's important that you've got it. When you got it is less important. So, you don't have to say when you got your undergraduate degree or postgraduate qualifications, unless these are very recent. And, since this isn't your first job application, leave your high school diploma off your resume.

Stephanie Holt comments: 

"While your age is not a secret, there is no reason to put the dates you attended college and possibly be eliminated from the pool of applicants before someone is able to see your real potential value to an organization. Your technical skills and complimentary skills (mentoring, leadership, team building) is what are important and highlighting those is the best way to show why you would be great for a role. Showing 15-20 years of experience and leaving dates off of education is perfectly acceptable."

7. Show Updated Training

When considering how to write a resume for older adults, there's one place where dates work for you. The dates are important when you're highlighting recent training courses you've taken. Listing the courses, along with the dates, shows recruiters that you're willing and able to learn, which is useful for potential new hires.

And if you've been out of work for a while, but have relevant recent volunteer experience and training, feel free to include that on your resume. You never know when your community spirit might help you get closer to an interview.

8. Tailor Your Resume to the Job

Even if they share the same title, every job posting is slightly different. Each recruiter will take a different approach to listing skills, requirements and duties. What's nice to have for one role will be a must for another. 

Business News Daily says that job candidates have to pay attention to these differing requirements:

"Some companies have very specific instructions as to what they want to see in your resume, cover letter and work samples. Failing to do what's been asked could mean an automatic no from employers."

That's why older workers don't just need one resume; they need several. 

Learn more about tailoring your resume to a job posting in the article below:

9. Format Your Resume Correctly

Here's another factor that can derail otherwise good resumes for experienced professionals: formatting. Using the wrong formatting can give away your age. Twenty years ago, people were putting double spaces after a period, and using Times New Roman or another serif font for their resumes.

That's all changed. The best resumes use sans serif fonts and single spaces after a period. Other factors that can date your resume include:

• Having a "resume objective". Instead, call it a "professional summary"
• Using a Yahoo or AOL email address. Try Gmail instead
• Having an unprofessional email address. Ensure you use a combination of your first and last name for best results
• Having the words "fax" or "landline". Recruiters expect you to have a cell phone and use this as the number on your resume
• No LinkedIn profile. Again, recruiters expect this, so include that link with the contact details at the top of your resume. 

Sound like a lot to manage? The next tip will show you how to create a great resume fast. 

10. Use a Resume Template

If you're concerned about getting resume formatting right, a good approach is to use a resume template. This makes it easy to create your resume the right way without having to think about fiddly details. A great place to start your search for a professional resume template is Envato Elements. You can download as many resume templates as you want for one low price. 

The right resume template will include section headings that match modern standards, the right fonts, and a beautiful layout. These will help you ensure that your resume gets recruiters' attention.

Modern Resume Examples for Older Workers

To find the perfect template to create a resume for older workers, check out the options in the articles below:

Learn More About Creating Resumes

Want more advice on how to write a resume for older adults? Check out the guides below for more resume creation tips:

Create Your Resume Today

Remember, when seeking jobs for mature professionals, you don't have to be at a disadvantage. Use the tips in this guide to help you create the perfect resume for your next job search. And don't forget to check out the resume templates on Envato Elements to help you craft an appealing resume. 

4 Smart Moves to Age-Proof Your Resume as an Older Worker

With age comes wisdom and experience, but when you’re job hunting, being an older worker doesn’t always feel like an advantage. In fact, those who’ve been working for decades are often perceived as too expensive, lacking in the latest tech skills, or generally not as up-to-date as their younger counterparts. Though it’s illegal to discriminate based on age, it does happen.

“Ageism is an unfortunate and very real part of the job search for older workers, and for some it can start to creep into their experience as early as in their 40s,” notes Brie Reynolds, career development manager and resume writer at FlexJobs. “Because the resume is one of the first ways potential employers will learn about you, it's really important to make sure your resume guards against ageism as much as possible.”

If you’re an older worker about to embark on a job hunt or you simply want to update your resume in case a new opportunity arises, you may be wondering which information to include and what might sabotage your search. These expert tips can help you create a resume that will get you noticed for all the right reasons.

1. Focus on the Recent and Relevant

When you’ve been in the workforce for decades, you have a wealth of experience. But including it all in one document can be a liability rather than an asset if it overwhelms the reader—and makes them focus on your age rather than your fit for the job. While it’s tempting to showcase all you’ve done and achieved, it’s more effective to trim your resume down to the roles that best align with the specific position you’re seeking.

Resumes don’t need to be a single page . That said, your resume isn’t a memoir, says Gary Susman, an experienced digital marketer who recently landed a director position after a lengthy job search. “It’s just a marketing tool whose sole purpose is to land you an interview,” he says. “It doesn’t have to be exhaustive and comprehensive. It just has to show that you can solve the problem your hiring manager is hiring someone to solve.”

For example, while you may have fond memories of your time in an entry-level sales position 20 years ago, that role isn’t relevant if you’re pursuing an opening for a director of information technology.

Employers are most interested in how your recent work ties back to the job for which you’re applying rather than your experience from 15 or more years ago, according to Amanda Augustine, certified professional career coach and resume writer at TopResume . “Dedicate more resume space to detailing the positions you’ve held over the past 10 to 15 years that are related to your current job goals,” she advises. Leave off anything further back, unless it’s absolutely critical.

By including too much detail, older workers can also appear overqualified, says Nancy Von Horn, a career coach at Korn Ferry Advance. Rather than inundate a hiring manager with extraneous information, focus on the talents that truly set you apart and coincide with those the company is seeking.

“What do they need to know so you look like a great fit with the skills to do the job you are applying to?" says Von Horn, who suggests highlighting tech skills and listing ways you’ve stayed current in your chosen industry (such as trainings you’ve pursued and industry groups you’ve joined). “Remember, tailor your resume each time.”

2. Don’t Date Yourself

Ageism isn't always “a conscious effort,” says Reynolds. While they may not realize they're doing it, hiring managers can draw conclusions about an applicant's age based on all sorts of small clues. True or not, these inferences can trigger unconscious biases that affect your chance of getting hired.

Susman explains that when he included his number of years of experience, hiring managers told him he was “too qualified,” which he interpreted to mean they couldn’t afford to pay someone his age what his skills and experience were worth. He had better luck when he focused on more recent experience and made his age less obvious.

While you’ll have to provide dates in your work experience section, you can age-proof your resume by removing older roles as well as dates related to education and certifications if they fall outside that 15-year window, recommends Augustine. You can still name the institution you attended and the degree you earned, but you don’t need to include the year you graduated.

And “if you've earned any professional certifications, don't list the year that the certification was earned; but do provide each certification's expiration date,” says Timothy G. Wiedman, a retired professor of management and human resources.

While including a role you held or a diploma you earned two decades ago are obvious signs that you’re an older worker, there are other subtle clues that may reveal your age. Older professionals are sometimes thought of as lacking technological savvy. Don’t give employers a reason to believe you fit this stereotype by including, for example, an outdated email address.

“I made sure there was no indication of my age on my resume,” Susman says. “No mention of my graduation year, no old-school email address—if you have an AOL, Yahoo, or Hotmail address, ditch it and open a Gmail account.”

Once you’ve gotten that new email address, add it to the top of your resume, along with your mobile phone number and the URL to your LinkedIn profile, Augustine says. You can add your city and state, but you no longer need to include your full physical address. Removing it helps your resume look updated (and also guards you against your home address being made public wherever you post your resume).

Susman also recommends removing all mention of outdated or standard software knowledge. In other words, there’s no need to brag about your typing speed or your Typepad prowess. If, however, the position you’re going after requires extensive knowledge of particular software, technologies, or programming languages and you have those skills, definitely include them on your resume.

“By removing older dates, making sure your format is up-to-date, using a contemporary email service, and doing other small things, you can stop people from drawing the wrong conclusions about you when they read your resume,” Reynolds says.

3. Lean Into Your Resume Gap

Whereas some older workers have to overcome the perception that they have “too much experience,” others need to explain a gap in their resume. If you stepped out of the workforce to raise children or care for parents or have been unemployed due to layoffs, you may be wondering how to handle it on your resume.

Fortunately, hiring managers are familiar with resume gaps, so this isn’t necessarily a cause for alarm or worry. If you’ve been out of work for a while, don’t try to hide it. Be honest and be prepared to address your resume gap positively and professionally if you land an interview.

To get that interview, list on your resume the years you held each position before you left the workforce. Also, be sure to include volunteer and community engagement work you may have done in the meantime. If you were on a board of directors or an advisory board, add that, along with officer roles with responsibilities in national organizations and associations, co-op boards, parent-teacher organizations, and so on. List any achievements or skills you attained in those roles that meet the requirements of the job for which you’re applying.

“On a resume, volunteer experience is typically included after professional history or work experience,” says Heather Rothbauer-Wanish, author of Getting Back in the Game: How to Build Your Resume After Taking a Break . In most cases, volunteer experience is considered an addition to the resume, rather than a necessary component, she says, and would go in a separate section lower down. But if you have a resume gap that you’re hoping to fill and have relevant, skill-based volunteer work, you can include it in the professional experience section.

4. Highlight Your Achievements

While older workers may feel intimidated about the job search process, you have a credible ace in the hole that you can confidently present: data-based examples of how you've delivered impressive benefits and solutions for your employers over the span of the careers.

With that in mind, rethink outdated, dull phrasing, such as “responsible for,” and ditch bullet points that describe duties in favor of action statements that focus on achievements. “Discuss projects or departments where you worked in terms of the results you helped to accomplish,” says Sandi Webster, co-founder and Chief Learning Officer at Pandi Media, which focuses on empowering women through workshops, content, and seminars.

For example, instead of:

• Responsible for marketing materials and event promotion
• Responsible for keeping records to track contractor costs

You’d write:

• Created marketing materials and promoted events through social media, boosting attendance by 80% over a six-month period
• Developed and implemented a new record-keeping system, saving the company $12,000 per year in contractor costs

You might also consider including a summary statement at the top of your resume that quickly outlines what you have to offer based on your achievements to date.

It all goes back to crafting a document that sells what you can do for the organization if hired to fill the open role. By focusing on your relevant past accomplishments—of which you have many by this point in your career—you’re showing the recruiter or hiring manager how successful you could be if hired.

"It is easy to feel overwhelmed and insecure about a lot of things during a job search, your age being one of them, but don’t let this bog you down,” says Von Horn. It might take just a few strategic changes to your resume to get your foot in the door. And remember, Van Horn adds, that “people of all ages and with all kinds of obstacles get employed, so stay the course, stay positive.”

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How to Age-Proof Your Résumé

These tips can help older job seekers highlight their skills, not their ages.

Amanda Augustine,

Searching for a new job is challenging, regardless of how old you are. However, if you are 50 or older, you may face some additional hurdles.

According to AARP Research , nearly two out of three workers age 50-plus  (62 percent) think older adults face discrimination in the workplace today based on age and 93 percent of them believe that age discrimination against older workers is common in the workplace today. Their concern is justified. Government data shows that age 55-plus job seekers typically face substantially longer periods of unemployment compared with those job seekers between 20 and 24.

If you are concerned about facing bias during the job search, don’t panic. There are many things you can do to showcase the skills and experience you’ve earned during your career. The following tips will help you age-proof your résumé to help you stand out from the competition and land the right job.

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1. Focus on your recent experience.

The further along you are in your career, the less relevant your earlier work experience becomes. Employers care most about your recent work that matters for the roles they’re filling, not your experience from 15 or more years ago. As a result, give more detail about the positions you’ve held in the past 10 to 15 years that are related to your current job search, and say less about your earliest jobs. 

2. Eliminate older dates.

Remove the dates related to work experience, education and certifications if they fall outside the 15-year window. While you may want to consolidate older work experience in a separate section or a “Career Note,” including the dates of employment is unnecessary. Similarly, it’s important to share your credentials on your résumé, but the employer doesn’t need to know you earned your MBA more than 17 years ago.

3. Limit your résumé to two pages.

Most recruiters spend less than  10 seconds reviewing a résumé  before deciding if the candidate should receive further consideration. With so little time to make the right impression, it’s important to streamline your résumé to two pages. Focus on using this space to highlight your recent work experience and accomplishments that best match your current career goals.

4. Avoid the “jack-of-all-trades” approach.

Although you may have held numerous roles throughout your career, your résumé shouldn’t be a laundry list of everything you have done. Focus on tailoring your résumé’s content to support your current career objective, rather than providing a generalized summary of your entire work history.

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5. Optimize your résumé with keywords.

Seventy-five percent of all online applications will never be seen by human eyes, thanks to the hiring bots, which are software programs known as an applicant tracking system (ATS). Their job is to collect, scan and rank an employer’s inbound applications. To improve your résumé’s chances of making it past this digital gatekeeper and on to a human for review, make sure your document includes the appropriate keywords. If a word or phrase repeatedly shows up in the job listings you’re interested in, incorporate these terms into your résumé. 

6. Upgrade your email address.

Older workers sometimes are seen as lacking technical savvy. Don’t give employers a reason to believe you might fit this stereotype. Ditch your old AOL or Hotmail email account for a free, professional-looking Gmail address that incorporates your name.

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7. List your mobile phone number.

If you’re still listing your landline number on your résumé, it’s time to update your contact information. Only list your cellphone number on your résumé so you can control the voicemail message, who answers important phone calls from recruiters, and when.

8. Join the LinkedIn bandwagon.

LinkedIn is a valuable platform  for connecting with others in your industry and uncovering new job opportunities. It’s also an important place to advertise your candidacy to prospective employers. In fact, a study by recruiting software provider Jobvite found that 93 percent of employers admit to reviewing candidates’ social network profiles — regardless of whether the candidates provided that information.

If you’ve avoided using LinkedIn in the past, now’s the time to create an online profile that supports your career goals. Then, customize your LinkedIn profile URL and add it to the top of your résumé to ensure recruiters find the correct profile for you.

9. Showcase your technical proficiencies.

The fact that you know how to use Microsoft Office is no longer noteworthy (unless your role requires advanced knowledge of Excel). Show employers that you’ve kept up with the latest tools and platforms related to your field. If you’re in a nontechnical profession, create a small section toward the bottom of your résumé that lists these proficiencies. If you realize there’s a skill or tool outside your wheelhouse that’s routinely appearing in the job descriptions you’re targeting, check out sites such as AARP Skills Builder for Work , edX, Coursera and Skillshare to find free or low-cost online courses.

10. Customize each online application.

Small tweaks to the content of your résumé can make a big difference in determining whether your online application reaches a human being for review. Before you submit another online application, re-evaluate your résumé based on the job posting. Then, make small edits to customize your résumé so that it clearly reflects your qualifications for this specific role. You also might consider using a service such as AARP Resume Advisor, which offers free résumé reviews, to make sure you’re showing why you are a good fit for the job.

Join today and enjoy all AARP has to offer — including the AARP Job Board, a job search tool for experienced workers, a free resume review, plus savings on resume writing packages and online learning courses to boost your skills.

11. Ditch the objective statement.

Avoid using a run-of-the-mill objective statement that’s full of fluff and focuses solely on your wants and needs. Instead, replace it with your “elevator pitch.” In a brief paragraph, known as a professional summary or executive summary, explain what you’re great at and most interested in, and how you can provide value to a prospective employer. In other words, summarize your job goals and qualifications for the reader.

12. Aim for visual balance.

If content is king in a résumé, then design is queen. How your information is formatted is just as important as the information itself. Focus on leveraging a combination of short blurbs and bullet points to make it easy for the reader to quickly scan your résumé and find the most important details that support your candidacy. 

13. Focus on achievements, not tasks.

At this point in your career, recruiters are less concerned with the tasks you’ve completed and more interested in learning what you’ve accomplished. Separate each job under your work history into a short blurb that describes your role and responsibilities. Then, add a set of bullet points to describe the results you’ve achieved and the major contributions you’ve made that have benefited the organization. By bulleting these details, you’re drawing readers’ eyes to the information they care most about: your qualifications. Whenever possible, quantify your accomplishments to provide additional context for the recruiter. 

Editor’s Note: This article originally was published on January 23, 2019. It has been updated with more recent data about age discrimination in the workplace.

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Resume Tips for Avoiding Ageism (Part I: For Job Seekers Over 40)

Customers Interviewed by:

Ageism is alive and well in the time of COVID-19. Many employers have had to make the difficult decision to run super lean during this economic downturn, and both old and young job seekers are feeling the pinch.

The most common reason for reductions-in-force (RIFs or layoffs) is generally financial. And the truth of the matter is that an employer’s senior level employees cost more – both in terms of salary as well as benefits. Older employees who have been laid off may have a tough time replacing their salaries at new jobs as budgets shrink and companies opt to fill senior roles with less experienced and less costly workers.

10 ways to age-proof your resume

In Jobscan’s recent Hiring Professionals Survey , recruiters and hiring managers cited salary expectations as a reason they may not hire older workers, in addition to other reasons such as outdated skillsets, inflexibility, and lack of drive. You can address these concerns, whether founded or not, directly on your resume . Here are 10 ways to do just that.

1. Leave off your graduation date

You have probably heard it before, but it bears repeating: leave your graduation year OFF of your resume. (High School, Associate’s, university – all of them.) Make sure you are focusing on your current skills. Including a year is an invitation for a ready-to-make generational assumptions about you.

2. Keep your reverse-chronological resume format

Never opt for a functional version . Recruiters and hiring managers need context around when and how you developed your skills; a functional format is just a bunch of words with no structure and relatable impact. There are more than one federal compliance requirements that employers must prove they are hiring candidates that fit their job description – and a functional resume does not offer that insight.

3. Include relevant freelance roles

If you have any sort of consulting or side hustle that makes you even the smallest amount of money – move that to your “current” work experience as long as it is somewhat relevant to where you want to position yourself professionally. This serves two functions: it shows an entrepreneurial streak, and shows that you are still “striving” and keeping your foot in the proverbial pool.

4. Update your skills

Make sure you are only using the most up-to-date skills. This includes software, processes, tools, and certifications . Your skills should primarily be functional and quantifiable. You can demonstrate most “soft skills” in your phone screens and interviews.

5. Leave off dated technologies and softwares

Lose any mention of a software package that is more than 2-3 years old. Skip mentioning versions. It ages you quickly.

6. Only highlight current skills

Make sure you are only including relevant functional skills that are current . Drop something you did in 2012, even if you think it is one of the highlights of your career. Hint: if a highlight of your career is 8+ years old, recruiters and hiring managers may think you need to challenge yourself more.

7. Omit your earliest work experience

Focus on the last 5-7 years, and don’t go further back than 7-10 total. If you have been at the same company for over 15 years , only go back to the last 10, and you can include a small, unassuming note at the end of your last entry saying, “additional experience available.”

8. Sync up your resume and LinkedIn Profile

Make sure your LinkedIn profile —companies, titles, and dates—match your resume! Hiring managers and recruiters look at your LinkedIn profile, and if the two are disparate, they may assume you are lying on one of them.

9. Update your email address

Your best bet? A custom email address, like [email protected]. There is evidence that a Gmail account may not be the best for job seeking (and the same goes for Hotmail and Yahoo) due to the fact that these free domains are extensively caught in spam filters. It is less of an issue for an ATS (Applicant Tracking System), but why tempt fate?

10. Tailor, tailor, tailor

Simplify your resume as much as you can. Seasoned professionals have a tendency to try and pile on everything they have done to impress a potential employer. Keep a master document (think of it as a “brain dump”) with all your experiences; pick and choose the most salient examples for any job you are applying for. This is what is usually referred to as “ tailoring your resume .” You will never be all things to all employers. Showcase your expertise for the job at hand and show that you are the singular best fit for the role.

Want to find out if your resume is ATS-friendly and tailored to the job? Paste your resume and job description below to see your custom match score and tips for taking your resume to the next level.

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Kristen is a Senior Recruiter in the Seattle area, as well as a writer and guest speaker.

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Resume Tips for Job Seekers Over 60

Job seekers who are over 60 quite often have a difficult time. Employers tend to look at them as too old to be as useful as a younger employee. They don’t realize that this age group has a lot to offer any employer. Looking for a full time or part-time job at this age require a special type of resume.

• Contact details. Most employers will initially want to contact you by email so make sure you have a professional email address set up. This should be an address with your name, not a silly nickname. Leave out anything that will indicate your age , such as a number which is also the year you were born. Use an email service such as Gmail. It has lots of options including folders you can use for different employees as well as a set up for an email signature. This should impress potential employees since it looks professional.
• Stay recent. Employers don’t need to know what you were doing when you were 16. Include your most recent positions and go into detail on your responsibilities. Gear each resume and cover letter toward the position you are applying for. In which tasks at your last job were you especially proficient? How do they make you the most suitable candidate for this new position?
• How to list your education. Most employers will want to know which schools you attended and which degrees you have. You can do this without listing the years you attended. Specify how each course or degree helped you in your last position and how it could help you in a new job.

Don’t feel that just because you are a ‘tad’ older than other job seekers that you don’t deserve the position you are applying for. Concentrate on the knowledge you can bring that a younger person wouldn’t have. To read more on resume tips for job seekers over 60, click here .

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How to write a résumé that defies ageism and lands your next job.

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By Ellen Neuborne, Next Avenue

My book club meeting was finishing up when one of the women approached to ask me a favor.

"Will you take a look at my résumé?" she asked.

I'm an editor by profession and I get that request a lot.

"I've sent dozens of applications in and I'm getting nothing but silence, or automated rejections," she said. "I don't know why this is happening."

And then she dropped her voice down a notch.

"Do you think it's my age?"

Maybe. But the good news is, there's an editorial fix for that.

Ageism Starts At Résumé Screening

‘a very big opportunity’—crypto suddenly braced for a ‘tremendous’ china earthquake after bitcoin, ethereum and xrp price boom, biden vs. trump 2024 election polls: most voters say trump’s conviction isn’t a factor, latest survey shows, that sweet 2tb galaxy black xbox series x will be mine cosmically.

Ageism is nothing new. Every generation thinks the ones that came before them are dimwitted and taking up space. And that's never been more vivid than in today's job market. Everything from the skill sets to the application process is skewed to younger workers. If you're like me and you started office life on an IBM IBM Selectric, you know the odds are not in your favor.

Studies show it's a current problem. A study published earlier this year found age discrimination in hiring starts earlier than you'd think — around age 40 — and rises from there. Another showed anti-discrimination legislation does little to protect older workers since discrimination often takes place at the résumé screening level. Hiring managers, when given the cloak of anonymity, say they engage in age bias all the time.

I have seen age bias in action myself. The year I turned 50, I interviewed for a ghostwriting gig. The conference call interview went well, I thought, until we got to the last question.

"What is your age?" asked the potential author. Believe me, I knew 50 was not the right answer. They went with someone else.

But many of my peers say they can't even get to the interview. If you've been applying like a maniac and you're not getting anywhere, consider a résumé edit — one that defies your age.

Tips To Punch Up A Résumé

Use keywords. Your first reader is likely to be software and if you don't clear this hurdle, human eyes may never see your résumé. Describe what you can do using keywords for the position. Read the job posting and the social media of those who already work in the company, in the department, in the function. There you will find your vocabulary of keywords. Embrace them.

Employ action verbs. Avoid passive language. You are already considered less active than your younger competition, so don't underscore that by using passive language. Instead, inject energy into your skills description. If you have years (decades?) in the work world, you can do things: Organize, create, lead, sell, market, develop, train, support, design.

Talk yourself up. I once saw an interview with Sheryl Sandberg of Facebook in which she discussed the different ways men and women communicate. When a project was a success, she'd often ask the leader why. Women praised their teams, she said. Men responded: Because I'm awesome!

Don't Sell Yourself Short

No matter who you are or what your age or stage, you need to go into a job search with what my kids call White Male Energy. Don't hedge or explain or (even worse) apologize. You're applying for the job because you're awesome and they'd be lucky to have you. That's your story, stick to it.

Leverage your experience. One edge you have over the youngsters is that it's more likely you've done something story-worthy. You've had a lot more time to try. Don't skip the opportunity to be more interesting than some early-career kid.

One professional I know always keeps her very first job — she started an ironing business in college — on her résumé. Doesn't matter that it was forever ago. It highlights her ambitious personality.

I was at a Zoom team meeting recently in which we all went around the Brady Bunch grid and said one fun fact about ourselves. I heard the young folks say they'd hiked in Tibet or followed Phish or been an extra in a movie.

Show-Stopping Story

When my turn came, I said: "I've written 30 books and none of them have my name on the cover." It took a minute of whoas! and damns! before the leader got control of the meeting again. Leveraged properly, age can be interesting.

Accept your age. At the end of your résumé — the very end, after you've wowed them with your skills and your keywords and your awesomeness — put your education and your graduation dates.

I'm in the minority on this point. Many careers coaches advise leaving that info off. But I say leaving dates off your résumé is a tell. No young person does it. Instead, revamp your education section by ensuring the age-old college graduation date is not your most recent entry. Get an advanced degree. Get a certificate. Take classes in your field.

Many hiring managers fear older workers will be behind on their skills and set in their ways. Let your education section show that's not true.

Know Why You’re Valuable

Whatever you do, don't reject yourself — you still have value. A study by the Ohio Department of Aging finds workers older than 50 are more reliable than their younger counterparts. They often come to a job with a wide range of industry contacts. They maintain better focus on the job, make fewer mistakes and sometimes, even perform magic.

I have a friend who gained celebrity around her office by being able to read cursive — and make sense of the "scribbles" coming from the company's board chair.

They still need us. They just don't realize it yet.

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Resume Sample: Older Job Seeker (50+) Looking Younger

• Post author By Erin Kennedy

This chronological resume is for Karen Coffey (not her real name), a 53-year-old job seeker who wants to continue her career in healthcare administration.

How old does she look to you, based on this resume?

The Details About This Resume Sample

At this point in her career, Karen is concerned about competing successfully against much younger job candidates, knowing that an employer would want someone who has lots of energy and state-of-the-art know-how in the ever-changing healthcare sector.

Karen knew she just needed to get through the door for a job interview, at which time she would be able to demonstrate that she has what it takes to do the job as well as a person 20-30 years her junior.

To get that interview, her resume needed to sell her achievements and experience, yet minimize a focus on her age.

She conducted some research to get an estimate of the average age for professionals holding similar positions to the one she’s shooting for.

• She used LinkedIn to get a sense of the demographics of the company she was applying to, and made sure she included a link to her own online profile on LinkedIn right on her resume.
• She Googled each company and studied its website to learn about the corporate culture.
• She asked for opinions within her professional network about what age was most prevalent in her line of work.
• She factored in her own observations about the age of fellow colleagues she met at industry conferences, networking events, and online job boards.

Based on her research, Karen knew that a potential hiring manager would probably be younger than she is and would be looking for an administrator who is in their early 30s. With this age in mind, Karen was able to create a resume where the focus was on achievements/experience from the last 10 or so years of her career.

She also made sure to minimize the focus on her early career experience by not including any information other than jobs/names of employers. In addition, she removed the years from her education information.

The employer will deduce that if Karen graduated college when she was 22, then put in 10 years of work experience, she might now be in her mid-30’s a perfect candidate for the job she’s applying for!

The Bottom Line on Resumes for Older Workers:

Notice that Karen didn’t lie on her resume. She simply gave the employer enough information to draw their own conclusion, without giving away her age.

  The Resume Samples for Karen (Someone Over 50):  

• Sample Formal Resume for an Older Job Seeker Looking Younger
• Sample Simplified ATS Resume for an Older Job Seeker Looks Younger

More About Looking Younger for Your Job Search

• Job Search Guide for Boomers and Over 50
• Over 50: 5 Ways You Look Out-of-Date in Your Job Search
• Over 50: Beating the “Too Old” Bias, Learning New Skills
• Over 50? Personal Branding Is for Boomers, Too
• Linkedin Profile Photos for Job Seekers Over 50
• Managing the Age Issue with Recruiters: Age as an Asset NOT a Liability

Erin Kennedy is a Master Career Director (MCD), Certified Master Resume Writer (MCRW), Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW), and Certified Empowerment & Motivational Coach (CEMC). She has been helping clients since 1999. Erin is also the President of Professional Resume Services, Inc. . Visit her website and connect with Erin on LinkedIn and Twitter . More about this author …

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Sample Resumes:

• Resume Samples Home
• Resume for an Average Joe
• Resume for a New Graduate
• Resume for a College Student
• Resume for Someone Just Fired
• Resume Highlighting Education
• Resume for a Mom Returning to Work
• Resume for an Older, Laid-Off Worker
• Resume for an Older Job Seeker Looking Younger
• Resume for an Executive Making a Career Change
• Resume for an Unemployed Job Seeker with a Gap in Employment
• Resume for a Non-Profit Executive with No Degree
• Resume for Someone Unemployed with a Chronic Illness

Making Your Resume Effective:

• Guide to Effective Resumes Home
• 3 Smart Tips to Beat the ATS Systems
• How Top ATS Systems Analyze Your Resume
• The Secret for Standing Out When Employers Review Your Resume
• What Recruiters and Hiring Managers Want in a Resume
• New Requirements for Resume Success
• Why a General Work-History Resume Doesn't Work Now
• Returning to Work After Caring for a Parent
• How to Triple the Value of Your Resume
• How to Manage Resume Red Flags

Making Your Resume Visible:

• How Top ATS Systems Analyze Resumes
• Why 95% of Resumes Don't Get Read and What You Can Do About It
• Supercharge Your Response to Six Key Phrases on Job Postings
• Killer Tactics to Get Your Email (and Resume) Read
• 7 Deadly Resume Mistakes for New Grads to Avoid
• Resumes for the Unemployed and Overqualified
• Keyword Secrets to Get Your Resume Noticed
• To Change Industries, Make These 5 Tweaks to Your Resume
• How to Write Your Resume for the Right Audience
• How to Choose the Best Format for Your Resume

Cover Letters:

• What Should Your Cover Letter Contain?
• Cover Letters that Grab Recruiters' Attention
• Executive Briefing Cover Letters

LinkedIn and Your Resume:

• Do You Need a Resume AND a LinkedIn Profile?
• How to Create a Master Resume for Your LinkedIn Profile
• How to Convert Your Master Resume into a LinkedIn Profile