Here is how to stop your age from showing on your resume

Is it your resume that has kept you out of the job market for a few months now? Maybe. The labor market is highly competitive today, and those who do not adopt the latest resume trends tend to get lost in the crowd when it comes to job applications. Age-proofing your resume is the way to ensure that hiring managers see your full potential instead of the years you’ve spent on the market.

Draw the hiring manager’s attention to the most recent experiences

True, you must have worked in the field for 20+ years. But we don’t want a hiring manager to know that just yet. The best way to keep your age from showing on the resume is to only use your most recent and relevant work experiences to write the career summary. Our industry experts advise you not to go beyond 10–15 years of experience on your resume. Removing past work experiences from your resume is a smart job search move.

Use the right language

The language and terms you use to write your resume will make a whole lot of difference to your chances of getting hired. You must always optimize your resume for the ATS using the industry-specific language and keywords from the job description. Want to go a step further? Review multiple job postings on online job boards for the same title and use the language the employers have used when describing your experience.

Put emphasis on your transferable skills

You may have acquired a ton of versatile skills over the years on the job market. These skills will help you perform better in your next role. Whenever you write a resume, remember to highlight your transferrable skills. Some excellent transferrable skills to highlight on your resume are:

• Organizational skills
• Creative thinking
• Thinking outside the box
• Time management
• Social skills

Update your certifications

The education section of your resume is very important to attest to your qualifications for a particular job. If the educational qualifications, certifications, or licenses you have mentioned on your resume involve a lot of outdated skills, an employer may be able to tell that you are an older candidate. You must always upskill yourself to stay on top of industry trends. Listing recent certifications and licenses on your resume will show a hiring manager how you are committed to improving yourself.

Show how involved you are with professional development activities

Do you love attending conferences, workshops, and networking events? Add a separate “Conferences” section to your resume to highlight your involvement with professional events. This will show potential employers that you are proactive and like to stay on top of industry events.

Give priority to technical skills

Technical skills are more important than ever today. When you add technical skills to your resume, be sure to select skills that are relevant to your field as well as your job. Your proficiency in certain software, coding languages, online tools, productivity tools, and communication/collaboration tools will impress employers.

Choose a modern resume format

Resumes look a lot different today than they did 20 years ago. When you are updating your resume for your 2023 job hunt, select a new resume format. Modern resumes look clean, sleek, and minimalist. Also, modern resumes use formatting tricks such as headings, bullet points, bold text, and margins to make it easier for a hiring manager to navigate through.