Today I Learned...
- Emphasize your skills and experience rather than your age on your resume and cover letter.
- Customize your resume and cover letter for each job application to highlight relevant qualifications.
- Use a professional email address and consider leaving off irrelevant experience to avoid age discrimination.
s an older job seeker, it can be challenging to create a resume and cover letter that effectively showcases your skills and experience while avoiding age discrimination. However, with the right approach, you can create a winning application that helps you land your dream job. In this article, we'll share some best practices and tips for creating resumes and cover letters as an older job seeker.
Emphasize Your Skills and Experience
When creating your resume and cover letter, focus on highlighting your relevant skills and experience rather than your age. This can be done by using a functional resume format that highlights your abilities, including any transferable skills from previous careers. In your cover letter, mention specific examples of how your experience and skills match the job requirements.
Customize Your Application
Tailor your application for each job you apply for by customizing your resume and cover letter. This means highlighting specific qualifications and experience that are relevant to the job description. Use keywords from the job listing to help your application stand out to hiring managers.
Avoid Age Discrimination
Unfortunately, age discrimination can be a factor in the hiring process. To avoid this, use a professional email address and consider leaving off irrelevant experience from previous jobs that could indicate your age. You can also leave off the dates of your degrees if they were earned a long time ago.
Creating a resume and cover letter as an older job seeker may seem challenging, but with the right approach, you can stand out to hiring managers and land your dream job. By emphasizing your skills and experience, customizing your application, and avoiding age discrimination, you can create an effective and professional application that showcases your value as a job candidate.