How To Make The Age of Your Resume Anonymous
Simply Hired Staff
At Simply Hired, we know you need a good, up to date, snazzy resume no matter what stage you’re at in your career. As a savvy, career-minded adult, you know that too, along with the fact that a killer resume can help you advance into new and exciting positions, regardless of whether you’re looking presently. With the advent of recruiters, headhunters, and specialty firms being paid to hunt down the best talent possible, having a resume on hand is, well, handy.
Why is it then that most active professionals maintain resumes that, let’s face it, are dated? If it’s been more than a decade since you busted out your dance shoes for prom, for example, it’s probably well past time that you left off that high school job at the local ice cream stand. Similarly, the further you advance in your career the less relevant it becomes that at one point you score big at the state track & field meet.
Accomplishments and work history are great to include, but they can also age and date your resume both in biographical terms and applicability to your current position. When you’re out to make the most of your career, neither is desirable. It’s never too late to teach an “old” dog new tricks, as the saying goes, and likewise not impossible to freshen up and make the age of your resume anonymous to would be employers.
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Remove Your Age
Step number one should be obvious, but it bears pointing out that your physical age should stay far, far, away from your resume. Any mention of birthdate on its face should be carefully excised. Not only does this date your resume, but it could place potential employers in an awkward spot. Thanks to antidiscrimination laws, employers aren’t allowed to use age as a factor when making hiring choices. So skip the personal information and save your birthday celebrations for personal friends and family.
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Make Employment History Relevant
If you’ve got a long and storied employment record, congratulations. Chances are, however, that your first job (or three) right out of high school or college probably isn’t reflective of your current capabilities. Peruse your resume for old or irrelevant jobs and remove them entirely to avoid dating both yourself and your skills.
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Structure Your Resume or CV Correctly
You’ve probably changed quite a bit in the last 20 years and the same can be said for the state of resumes. While a classic CV tends to avoid modern trends, best practices do shift over an extended period of time. Failing to keep your resume in line with what everyone else is submitting can leave your candidacy looking dated. If it’s been some time since you’ve given the document a spruce up, consider downloading a modern template for a fresh and ageless look.
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Focus on Your Current Skills
Whether in love, life or a professional career, living in the past typically isn’t going to get you very far. If you’re looking to appear relevant and impress potential employers, focus on your current skillset. Typing 60 wpm may have been a big deal when most people didn’t have access to a keyboard, but employers nowadays would rather hear about your web development skills or expert efficiency certifications. Leave off the outdated abilities and focus on your current strengths in order to keep your resume looking fresh.
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Emphasize Personal Strengths
Last but not least, if you’re worried that age may be of concern to a potential employer try using your years of experience to your advantage. A long history in a given field can be a huge plus in the workplace. Draw attention to this fact by putting personal and professional strengths first and foremost. If you have the room, consider inserting a resume objective to kick things off that promotes you as an experienced, knowledgeable and seasoned professional in your field.
Have any other tips for de-aging your resume? Drop us a line in the comments and your advice may be featured in a future how-to article.
Article Updated from the Original on August 16, 2018
