With shrinking nest eggs cracked under the weight of a recession second only to the “big one” of 1929, senior citizens of retirement age continue to work or are looking for work because they need the money. Some are too young for Medicare and most can’t live on Social Security’s meager payouts. Maturity and experience used to be an asset, but in today’ youthful labor market they can be a liability. With tech-savvy Gen X’s and GenY’s dominating the job market, companies may look at a senior’s resume and its years of experience in a workplace before computers as negative instead of the positive.
For many senior job hunters, the resume may be sabotaging their chances for a getting a job. If a resume starts out with “25 years of experience in…” a recruiter or HR manager may read no further. Like it or not, legal or not, employers can find talent at a lower price with less exposure to high health care costs by hiring someone younger. Spending an entire career in one industry or, worse yet, one job can be another red flag. What used to be looked at negatively as “job hopping” is now looked at as being promotable, eager to learn and grow, and able to be flexible, adaptive, and proactive.
If you need a job, and answered “yes” to some of the red flags listed above, crafting a resume in light of today’s workplace is critical. Here are some tips for a sensational resume for today’s job market.
1. Showcase only the last ten years of work experience. If you start the summary with “30 years experience,” someone will, “do the math” and add at least 22 years to that. Leave the numbers out –highlighting your most recent experience will encourage the hiring manager to read further.
2. Summarize the rest. A summary paragraph, highlighting experience targeted to the job you are seeking, is all you need to wrap up years 11 and up.
3. The exact year you graduated from college (unless it is in the last 10 years) or took continuing education classes is not necessary on your resume. The same with military experience. An interviewer can’t legally ask for those dates, and you don’t have to include them.
4. Use action words and bullet points when describing work experience. A short summary of key responsibilities (one or two short sentences, max) and two or three bulleted accomplishments have more impact than merely listing duties off a job description.
5. Include a section on technical and computer training and your level of expertise. List business software programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, which most companies use for email. If you are not familiar with these, get some books from the library, invest in some online courses, or use the tutorials with the software. You can list classes that are in progress on your resume. It shows you take initiative to keep current.
6. Leave off personal information and hobbies. However, if you are a certified master gardener or play cello with the City’s symphony, your interest is no longer a “hobby” but is another area of expertise and can be included.
7. Customize your resume for the job you are seeking. You may have been an executive at your last job, but you have everything you need to be successful at a lower level as well.
8. Once you get an interview, be positive and “in the moment.” Remember, they are looking for “fit” as well as expertise, so help them see you comfortably integrating into their workplace and culture.
9. Make the best choice for You. If your gut tells you working for a supervisor younger than your kids is going to be a problem, listen and opt-out. Now is not the time to start job hopping.
10. Be honest. Everything on your resume should be true and defensible. Falsifying a resume or application is still an employer’s best case for immediate termination.
Even in the worst of times, there are lots of opportunities. Maximize your strengths and showcase how they fit in today’s challenging world of work and you’ll find a satisfying job. The sun sets every day, whether you’re working or not. Keep the hammock handy, and enjoy all of what life has to offer.
By Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR; MJNH Consulting
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