9 Things on Your Executive Resume That Show Your Age

Joe Weinlick
Posted by in Career Advice •


You're proud of your age, your work experience and the valuable knowledge you bring to the industry, and you should be. The problem is that not all hiring managers see it the same way. If your executive resume makes recruiters think you're over the hill, they may pass you over for the job. Reduce the risk of age discrimination ruining your job prospects. Check out nine things on your executive resume that show your age.

1. An Old-School Email Provider

If you're still using an email account from Hotmail or AOL, it's time for an update. Ditch that old Yahoo email for Gmail, and don't include numbers that represent your year of birth.

2. Lack of Social Media Presence

Your executive resume should lead recruiters directly to your online presence. Include links to your LinkedIn profile, your Facebook page, your online portfolio or articles you published. Make sure all your social media profiles present a professional image.

3. An Objective Statement

Modern-day hiring managers have grown tired of those outdated objective statements. Recruiters aren't concerned with what you want from an employer, as they're more interested in what value you can bring to the organization. Remove this section from your executive resume in favor of a career summary that demonstrates your significant achievements.

4. Education Dates

It's not necessary to list your graduation date from college or received any diplomas or certifications. Simply include the institution and degree on your executive resume.

5. Irrelevant Jobs

Limit the job experience you list to those positions that are relevant to the position you're seeking. Get rid of those life-guarding and babysitting jobs from 30 years ago.

6. Outdated Certifications

Especially if you work in the programming world, certifications become obsolete quickly. If you list qualifications, training or certifications that are outdated on your executive resume, get rid of them unless they're relevant to the position for which you're applying.

7. Personal Interests

Be careful when listing hobbies and personal interests on your resume. The mention of grandchildren is a sure-fire way to reveal your age. If you list that you love playing Bingo or enjoy perfecting your needlepoint, hiring managers may jump to conclusions regarding your age.

8. Archaic Formatting

It used to be customary to include 2-inch margins on the left side. Forget this practice. Stick to 1-inch margins all the way around. Also, if you use two spaces after a period, stop. This is a sure sign that you learned to type on a typewriter.

9. Antiquated Phrasing

If you're using terms like "seasoned veteran" on your executive resume, you're automatically aging yourself. Use relevant keywords that differentiate you from other candidates, and be sure to list your most impressive accomplishments.

Your experience is something to be proud of, but your resume should demonstrate that you're still in touch with the modern work world. Make sure age discrimination doesn't cause you to lose out on a position you really want by keeping your executive resume up to date.


Photo courtesy of jadeja Ashwin at Flickr.com
Comment

Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.

Register
Sign In
  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Amy Weimann thanks for your comment. It is difficult to appear experienced instead of appearing old. We are glad that these tips were solid advice for you.

  • Amy Weimann
    Amy Weimann •

    This is such solid advice. Being a more experienced employee, there are many accomplishments I wish to highlight; the HR rep who first reviews my resume may be a millennial and appearing "old" instead of "experienced" is difficult at best.

  • Yvette R.
    Yvette R. •

    8 made me giggle. I ALWAYS count the two spaces after a sentence, then I remember it’s only one space. Yep, I took typing in high school. 😆

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Cindi Bierwerth thanks for your comment. Age does become an issue when you can't complete a job application without filing in the year you graduated. Companies know this and have found this loophole in the law that allows them to do this. They aren't asking for your age outright! It's great to ask the question, if you can reach someone to ask it. If the company determines what they need prior to posting. If the requirement is in the posting, then it's of interest to them. You could probably contact the company and challenge it but you probably won't be in the running for a position after that. I am sure we have all encountered the age discrimination issue at some point in our lives. Either we are too young or too old! What about anyone else? Have you experienced this/ What did you do to get around it?

  • Cindi Bierwerth
    Cindi Bierwerth •

    When they ask questions that are in any way designed to calculate my age, I always ask "Is this a specific requirement for this position? I have a Degree in (Blah Blah) and I am sure I fit your educational needs". Or, I tell them 1902. If they don't like it, it's not someone you want to work for.

  • Brigitte F.
    Brigitte F. •

    Right now I am feeding children at a Preschool for over 6 years now and I need something different.

  • George Kenton
    George Kenton •

    so there's no options, just bury me

  • Timothy P.
    Timothy P. •

    Exactly right

  • Greg S.
    Greg S. •

    Unfortunately, many on-line applications require dates - you can’t submit them without them. Also, many in the job market were laid off from long term employment. You can’t disguise your age if you have more than 20 years of experience; even worse, if you total more than 30 years with more than 1 employer (not including babysitting or lifeguard jobs). I realize it’s now considered a weakness, but, dedication used to be honorable and rewarded. Finally, even if you get past all of these issues, you walk in the door and your age is obvious. No matter how well the interview goes, if you get any follow up at all, it’s usually that you’re overqualified. Age discrimination is alive and well.

  • Michelle E.
    Michelle E. •

    Another way they try to figure out how old you are, what year did you graduate from high school.

  • You Might Also Be Interested In

The Net Generation Goes To Work
The Net Generation Goes To Work
article posted by Technology Staff Editor in Technology
IT Careers: Making A Change
IT Careers: Making A Change
article posted by Technology Staff Editor in Technology

Jobs to Watch