So the “Great Resignation” is in full swing and companies continue to lament that they cannot find enough qualified employees….yet ageism is still a thing! What? Don’t get me going!! So ageism cannot be fully eliminated as a factor in your job search but if you are older and out there looking there are some things you can do to your resume/LinkedIn profile to improve your chances of landing a great job. 👍Keep your work history to 10-15 years if possible. If there are significant roles or accomplishments before that there are ways to weave that into your profile without giving specific dates. 👍Include your education, but not graduation dates 👍Make your resume/profile targeted to the position you are applying for. You have a wealth of experience but you need to fine tune your value proposition so you are not just a “jack of all trades”. 👍Your LinkedIn headshot matters. Make it a great one 👍Emphasize recent technology…..Microsft Word is a given. 👍Finally, stay positive. A job search at any age can be a challenge. Keep looking forward, great results will come What other tips can you offer? #resumes #interviewing #jobhunting If your job search is stuck in neutral reach out to me. Let’s talk about moving your career forward!
Very useful
Maybe take a look at your hair cut and style of dressing - we could all benefit from a makeover at various stages of life and changing up your hair and experimenting with different styles can make you feel and look younger. If you like what you see when you look in the mirror that’s a sure-fire confidence booster.
Thank you for those great tips
I have been reading a lot on this post about ageism and technology. As an XGen I can tell you that I have worked on the building and teaching when we changed the hospital EMR to Epic. Having used many I will say it’s my favorite. It’s on my resume but how is a recruiter to see all the experiences and special xtra creativity and projects I have to offer if I have to put my high school graduation year in and it never is seen. Two years ago I was working with a nurse who served in Vietnam. I was three at the time. Some hospitals have had 5 generations working in nursing until Covid. Once Covid hit most left so they would not endanger spouses and family members who might get the virus from them. It was a huge loss to the area of nursing mentors and the orientation process. People don’t realize how much this impacts the care given to patients. The idea of ageism is very scary to me for many reasons. Can you please explain to me that many people with so much to offer struggles to find work and yet we have a government of 70-80 year olds running this country. They are the oldest in the world men and women a like, why aren’t we wondering about that situation??
Problem is many employers want your ENTIRE work history, that is their way around asking how old you are.
This will help me change my resume a bit. I am an RN BSN. Looking to move out of the hospital setting. Do I look to old in the head shot. I have many years experience and can still run circles around my younger co workers. Any advice is welcome. I have worked harder than ever during this pandemic and now I want my dream job to get me through the next 10 years and I will never go back!!!! Thanks in advance.
These are all very interesting comments and I am confused to the fact that we all want and encourage “to be yourself”, yet at the same time, we say “ don’t show yourself “. Yet, being over 50 and unable to find a job, I can see that we have to be a bit of both. However, I am uncomfortable hiding graduation years in my resume and portraying someone who I am not Matt Tooker .
Play to your strengths. The employer is not going to get 30 years of experience from a 30 year old. Does your resume read like a career obituary or is it a Marketing document about your potential to add value to the hiring manager. It's not about you...it's about the VALUE you bring. For example a saleswoman I counseled was whining about ageism. As I scanned her resume, I asked her to tell me something about her not on her resume. She said she has put product on the shelves of Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons, Target, etc, but still can't get an interview. That's NOT on your resume??? Whatever is on your resume doesn't matter. What you just told me is the reason I would want to hire you if I wanted to get my product on the shelves of leading retailers. I can teach you about my product in a day or two. Many president's club achievers have never successfully opened accounts at Walmart. Most never do. You know how and have contacts! Focus not on what you have done, but what VALUE you bring, what problems you can solve and watch the conversation change.
I have a question. I retired 2 years ago just as the pandemic began. How do you write a good resume when you have been in that career for almost 30 years and now looking at wanting a small part time position in something totally different? Also factor in the over 65 age. Any suggestions and thank you.