To Avoid Age Discrimination Eliminate 7 Things From Your Resume

Article Title

Ageism in the Workplace: Strategies for Older Workers

We are seeing more people over the age of 50 losing their jobs. They worry about ageism, which is a legitimate concern. When you are close to 60 or older, the discrimination becomes even more apparent. John, age 60, was an HR director at a Fortune 500 company where he worked for 20 years. Having just been laid off from his job, he contacted me for job search and resume writing assistance. He became very worried when he realized his age was an obstacle to securing a new job. John has the same issues I see in many older workers. He didn’t know how to sell himself in his resume, on LinkedIn, and especially not in an interview. Recent accomplishments were few and far between. A resume that should be full of achievements only had generic job descriptions. Often a mature worker’s resume is tremendously outdated, screams “I’m old,” and won’t be an asset.

Let’s compare John’s situation to Mary, a marketing director, who called wanting resume writing help. Mary was 64 years old, and as we talked, she mentioned that she had white hair and wrinkles and wondered if that would stop an employer from hiring her. As we started compiling her past achievements, she had a lot of accomplishments in the last few years. Everyone liked working for Mary—she was a great manager and had evidence in her work history to prove it. It was clear she had developed high-performance collaborative teams that beat expectations. Mary didn’t do things the same way just because they always had. Instead, she attended conferences, listened to thought leaders, watched relevant TED talks, and stayed on top of new industry trends. With that new resume in hand, it’s no wonder she quickly found a terrific new job.

When it comes to resume writing, many mature workers need a crash course on what they need to stress and what to eliminate. Employers love to see outcomes and results, so always focus on noting those.

Marc Cenedella, CEO of Leet Resumes and founder of Ladders, has also seen a lot of resumes from older workers. He offered some good advice on what to change when creating your resume to prevent age discrimination from being a problem.

Strategies for Older Workers

1. Chop your work history section. Ancient jobs from 20 years ago have no relevance to the hiring manager. Instead, focus on the last 15 years, cutting your resume down to that. Put heavy emphasis on your last 5-7 years and stress relevant experience.
2. Drop your college grad year if it’s before 2005.
3. Watch the technology you mention. Tech changes every day. Only advertise your software skills that are needed and valued now. Anything you did in the 1990s or 2000s isn’t relevant. Drop any mention of things such as Autocad or WordPerfect that are not used anymore. List popular software employers want like Excel (advanced user), SQL, Marketo, Salesforce, Slack, Illustrator, and cloud skills working in AWS or Azure are good to mention.
4. Emphasize you have a team mentality. Drop any reference that says you avoid or dislike change. No “my way or the highway.” Instead, show you are coachable, and if you are the manager, describe how you mentor team members and focus on their professional development. The goal is to show you have built high-performance, collaborative teams.
5. Don’t appear out of date. Your resume must reflect that you are a continuous learner and apply the knowledge or new skills at work. Consider getting some current certifications to enhance your background. Classes like project management to improve or gain a new marketable skill are valuable, too.
6. Drop old-fashioned email addresses. If you’re using an AOL, Hotmail, or Yahoo email address, it’s time for an update. Using AOL tells hiring managers you are a low-tech person and haven’t bothered to keep up with trends for 25 years. Instead, switch to a Gmail address.
7. Don’t list your home address or home phone number. City and state and a cell number is all you need.

Don’t sell yourself short. You still have a lot to offer. Your resume is an advertising tool, so be sure it markets you in the best possible light.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
• Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies, and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies, and action in this regard.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for Target 8.5: Proportion of youth (aged 15-24 years) not in education, employment, or training.
• Indicator for Target 10.3: Percentage of individuals who perceive themselves as discriminated against or harassed in the previous 12 months on the basis of attributes such as age, sex, disability status, race, ethnicity, religion, or economic status.

The article discusses the issue of ageism and discrimination faced by older workers, highlighting their challenges in finding new jobs. This connects to SDG 8, which aims to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. The article also touches on the issue of reduced inequalities, as older workers often face discrimination based on their age. This aligns with SDG 10, which seeks to reduce inequalities within and among countries.

Based on the content of the article, the specific targets that can be identified are Target 8.5, which focuses on achieving full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, and Target 10.3, which aims to ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome.

The article does not explicitly mention indicators for measuring progress towards the identified targets. However, potential indicators that can be used include the proportion of youth not in education, employment, or training (Indicator for Target 8.5) and the percentage of individuals who perceive themselves as discriminated against or harassed based on attributes such as age (Indicator for Target 10.3).

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: forbes.com

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