Press Enter to search
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.
3 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- Revamp your skills section to remove outdated skills and include new technologies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- Forget outdated style rules like using paragraph indents or double spaces after a full stop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.
Spread the word
How to list honors on your resume, is it illegal to lie on a resume, keep reading, how to show bilingualism on your resume (with examples), oops what to do if there’s a mistake on your resume, getting the basics right: resume line spacing, subscribe to our newsletter.
Stay updated with Resume Worded by signing up for our newsletter.
🎉 Awesome! Now check your inbox and click the link to confirm your subscription.
Please enter a valid email address
Oops! There was an error sending the email, please try later
Thank you for the checklist! I realized I was making so many mistakes on my resume that I've now fixed. I'm much more confident in my resume now.
- 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 .
Our resume services get results.
We’ve helped change over 30,000 careers.
Get a free resume review today
Our experts will review your resume’s grammar, layout, and ability to pass ATS — all free and delivered straight to your inbox.
PROTECT YOUR DATA
This site uses cookies and related technologies for site operation, and analytics as described in our Privacy Policy. You may choose to consent to our use of these technologies, reject non-essential technologies, or further manage your preferences.
Unsupported browser
This site was designed for modern browsers and tested with Internet Explorer version 10 and later.
It may not look or work correctly on your browser.
- 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.
.jpg)
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:
.jpg)
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.
Resume for Older Workers – How To Write a Resume for 25+ Years of Experience
In This Guide:
Why is a resume important for older workers, how to get the best out of your resume for older workers.
You are an older professional, who would like to re-enter the workforce? Or maybe you are trying to make a career change? Either way, you are probably facing one big issue.
Although by law, employers are forbidden from taking age into account when it comes to job positions, age discrimination is still a common issue. There are a couple of steps that you can take to prevent your age from being an obstacle.
In this article, we are going to explore the following topics:
If you feel rusty about the basics of your resume, check out how to make your resume stand out . But if you are ready to build a kickass resume as an older worker, stick around.
A resume specifically tailored to showcase the experience of older workers is important because no matter what job you apply for, you will probably be competing with lots of other candidates of all ages.
But you have a long work history and skills , crafted and perfected through lots of years of experience. That should be more than enough to stand out, right?
Well, often that’s not the case. Furthermore, frequently your lengthy experience and skills have a negative effect. That’s because most recruiters are looking for compact, one-page resumes that focus on impact and productivity, not long history of employment.
It is common for potential employers to perceive your long work experience as a sign that you would not be familiar with the new technologies, trends, and strategies. Another possible case is for them to think that they could not afford a candidate with so much experience, as there would be high salary expectations.
There are lots of other scenarios as well. That’s the reason why you need to craft your resume in a new way. A well-written resume for older workers can demonstrate all your valuable experience and skills, but also minimizes any risks of age discrimination.
If you do it right, you greatly improve your chances of getting that interview.
Now that you understand the importance of your resume for older workers, it is time to get to work. There are quite a few important aspects of your resume that would need some attention.
We got you covered. Let’s go through them, one by one.
Choose the right resume format
When hiring managers see your resume, they would mainly focus on your work experience and skills.
So make sure you choose a resume format that showcases your most relevant qualifications.
There are three main resume formats for you to pick from.
Reverse chronological resume format
The Reverse Chronological Resume Format is the most common out there. That’s because it is suitable for pretty much every job position.
This format is mostly career-oriented – it lists your work history in order, as the most recent position would be at the top.
It is the ideal format for people with lots of work experience, relevant to the job position they are applying for. If you feel like this is the Resume Format for you, go read our in-depth article about it – Reverse Chronological Resume Format .
If not, we have two more for you.
Functional resume format
Your second alternative is pretty much the opposite of the Reverse Chronological Resume Format. The Functional Resume Format is also known as the Skill-Based Resume Format.
And yes, you guessed correctly, it focuses mainly on your skills . It is the perfect choice for you if you are looking for your first job or career change, or if you are trying to steer away the employer’s focus from a gap in your employment history.
The great thing about the functional resume format is that it groups your skills in categories and presents them in a great and easy-to-read format. If we’ve got what you need with this Resume Format, learn more about it here – Functional Resume Format .
If that’s not what you need either, we’ve got one last option for you.
Hybrid resume format
If neither the Reverse Chronological Resume Format, nor the Functional Resume Format feel quite right, we’ve got what you need. The Hybrid Resume Format is the perfect combination of the two formats listed above.
It takes all the best features from both formats. It includes both Reverse Chronological Work History, and a highly detailed Skills Section.
It’s mostly used for job positions that require expertise in a variety of fields, and you want to show that you are the right person for the job.
So which format should you choose?
Well, it is entirely up to you. A reverse chronological resume would be best fit if you are trying to show your career progression.
But that is not always what you would want. If you have employment gaps, or you are transitioning into a new field of work, a functional resume might feel like a better fit.
And there is always the hybrid resume that you can use to combine the best features of the other two resume formats. No matter what resume format you choose, your resume should absolutely have:
- Professional summary
- Work experience section
- Skills section
- Education section
Don’t use outdated formatting
Your resume formatting can reveal your age too early in the hiring process. That’s why you should modernize your resume formatting.
There are just a few old habits that you need to ditch, and you should be good to go.
First, make sure you skip the Microsoft Word and use a 21-century resume builder that will take care of the formatting, design, and any potential typos. By doing that, you can ensure that your margins and spacing would be just right by default.
Second, make sure you don’t use an outdated font . Times New Roman used to be widely used, but there has been a long time since then. To make your resume look modern, use a font like Calibri, Cambria, or Verdana.
Last, but not least, don’t insert double-spacing after periods . Doing that became obsolete in the 1970s with monospaced fonts.
Update your contact information
Your contact information should always be up-to-date. And, as an older worker, you wouldn’t want your contact information to give out your age.
Make sure you exclude any outdated technologies like fax or a landline number. What you need instead is a cell phone number. And make sure you don’t specify it is a cell.
But in modern times, the initial communication with the hiring manager will likely not be over the phone. It is widely preferred to start communication via email.
For that purpose, you should also choose an up-to-date technology. Your old email address in Yahoo or AOL might give out your age. Make sure you sign up for a free Gmail account. It is not that new, but it is pretty much email standard.
Last, but not least, you would want to show right from the start that you are really up-to-date with technology. Join LinkedIn ––a social media specifically tailored for professionals. So if you don’t have an account yet, make sure you create one, update it with all your relevant information and include it in your contact information.
Write a professional summary
Your professional summary is your chance to sell yourself to your potential employer. And that is exactly what you would want to do.
The professional summary is a 3-4 sentence statement that presents your experience, skills and career goals. It should present you in the best possible light and keep the hiring manager intrigued all the way through.
To do so without the danger of age discrimination, you need to carefully choose your words. If you have 25 years of experience, you would want to present that as “over 10 years of experience”. It’s still truthful, but you avoid the chance of age discrimination.
Skip your graduation dates
No matter how well you hide your age on your resume, it is all in vain if you list your graduation date in your education section.
What you need there is just your degrees and the institution you got them from, no dates. Make sure you list your highest degree first, and stick to associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.
However, if you recently completed a new degree in your education, you can list the date, as it shows your education is current.
Highlight your tech skills
In modern times, almost every job out there requires some technical skills. So it is crucial to show that your tech skillset is not outdated.
Scan the job listing for any technologies that your potential employer is looking for, and list all that you are familiar with. Make sure you also provide some examples to prove that you really know what that technology is all about.
Another great thing you can do here is show your potential employer that you are comfortable learning new technologies. Employers love employees that are constantly improving themselves.
Don't list your entire work history
When creating your resume for older workers, you wouldn’t want to list every job you have ever had. Your work experience section should be limited to the last 10 to 15 years.
Make sure whatever you list from that time is relevant to the job position you are applying for. However, if you find that your relevant experience is beyond these 15 years, there is a way around it.
In that case, you can include that work experience, but make sure you don’t list any dates. Also, if you go for older work experience on your resume, make sure you are really up-to-date with all technologies and trends in the field.
Looking for a job, or making a career change later in life is a great way to start fresh. The most important things you have to remember are:
- Show that you’re up to date with everything that’s going on in today’s professional work (make a LinkedIn, a Gmail account, do a nice-looking resume with a resume builder).
- Skip on any dates that don’t add more value to your resume (year of graduation).
- Focus on impact and relevancy rather than more job positions.
And voila! You’re ready to tackle the next challenge of your life!
- Resume Guides
How to Answer The "How Did You Hear About This Job" Interview Question
How to answer the “are you a team player” interview question, email to send resume: how to build yours [+ template], how to write your first job resume, how to decline a job offer: say no with tact (with examples and email template), cover letter vs. resume: which should you use.
- Create Resume
- Terms of Service
- Privacy Policy
- Cookie Preferences
- Resume Examples
- Resume Templates
- AI Resume Builder
- Resume Summary Generator
- Resume Formats
- Resume Checker
- Resume Skills
- How to Write a Resume
- Modern Resume Templates
- Simple Resume Templates
- Cover Letter Builder
- Cover Letter Examples
- Cover Letter Templates
- Cover Letter Formats
- How to Write a Cover Letter
- Cover Letter Guides
- Job Interview Guides
- Job Interview Questions
- Career Resources
- Meet our customers
- Career resources
- English (UK)
- French (FR)
- German (DE)
- Spanish (ES)
- Swedish (SE)
© 2024 . All rights reserved.
Made with love by people who care.
IMAGES