Are you involved about age discrimination? Whereas most job seekers concern discrimination by hiring managers, the reality is that you simply’re extra prone to be discriminated in opposition to by a pc.
Most 50-something or older job seekers don’t understand that the expertise they leverage to use for jobs could also be screening them out of consideration. Sadly, this is without doubt one of the most typical causes that job seekers don’t get the interviews they need and deserve.
Right here’s the important thing factor it’s essential know. The databases, or applicant monitoring techniques (ATS), that employers, recruiters, and job boards use to parse, retailer, and analyze incoming resumes are able to estimating how a lot expertise you possess. When recruiters or hiring executives search these databases for candidates with a certain quantity of expertise—let’s say 12-15 years—the ATS will display screen out candidates who possess something aside from 12, 13, 14, or 15 years. In consequence, your resume or LinkedIn profile won’t be listed within the ensuing candidate search. This eliminates your candidacy earlier than a human even sees your resume or LinkedIn profile.
Please be aware that whereas job boards, firms, and recruiters don’t intend to discriminate, the expertise they’re utilizing to arrange the flood of resumes they obtain is doing so inadvertently. Which means each time your resume is entered right into a job board system, firm web site, or recruiter web site, the expertise filtering described above might happen. It additionally implies that your LinkedIn profile might be subjected to this similar filtering course of any time an organization or recruiter searches for candidates such as you with a certain quantity of expertise in thoughts.
When you’re at present in or plan to launch a part-time or full-time seek for a brand new function, take time to age-proof your resume and LinkedIn profile. Three easy modifications will increase your candidacy, enable you entice extra alternatives, and win you extra job interviews.
How Do You Age-Proof Your Resume And LinkedIn Profile?
To age-proof your resume and LinkedIn profile, it’s best to replace your LinkedIn profile image, eradicate dates out of your schooling listings, and take away pre-2000 employment dates out of your work historical past.
Do You Want To Put Your Age On Your Resume?
No, you shouldn’t put your age or any info which may reveal your age to an employer in your resume. Doing so would possibly make you extra prone to expertise age discrimination within the hiring course of, limiting your job alternatives.
1. Revamp Your LinkedIn Profile Image
Whereas we strongly advocate an expert headshot to your LinkedIn profile image (you may get one in most markets for $100-$200), an novice photographer would possibly work if you understand one who takes good portrait pictures. The secret’s a gorgeous pose that makes probably the most of your facial traits and persona whereas minimizing any age-related deficits.
When you’ve got silver hair, for instance, think about using a darkish background or black and white photograph to scale back the chance of a washed-out look. Choose a pose that conveys vitality and vitality and hints on the knowledge youth merely can’t replicate. Use a full-face smile to challenge vitality with the photograph and be sure you costume in interview-ready apparel. You wish to appear skilled but approachable.
2. Eradicate Dates From Your Training Listings On Your Resume And LinkedIn Profile
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It’s customary today for most folk over 30 to omit schooling dates from their resume and LinkedIn profile. That is simple sufficient to do on your resume the place it’s also possible to omit dates of coaching, certifications, licensure, or affiliations.
In brief, omit any date previous to 2000, since most recruiters solely wish to see the final 10-15 years of your expertise in your resume or LinkedIn profile. To attain this on LinkedIn, go to your profile after which edit your “Training” part. Take away the month and 12 months within the drop-down field to your begin and end dates. Eradicate dates from different sections as nicely.
3. Take away Pre-2000 Dates From Your Work Historical past Sections On Your Resume And LinkedIn Profile
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This is a bit more complicated however nicely value doing. In your resume, listing your post-2000 work expertise in your “Work Historical past” part and separate your pre-2000 expertise into an “Extra Expertise” part. On your pre-2000 jobs, omit your dates of employment and listing the quantities as a substitute. For instance, in the event you labored at GE from 1992-2000, report that as “8 years.”
LinkedIn doesn’t enable members to omit dates from employment so your solely alternative is to eradicate pre-2000 jobs altogether. Attempt embedding a brief model of older jobs in your first post-2000 itemizing or briefly noting related older roles in your LinkedIn abstract. Both tactic will enable you win extra LinkedIn profile views.
Whereas we by no means advocate utilizing on-line job boards for an efficient job search at any age (there are extra environment friendly methods to create and pursue profession alternatives for your self), the reality is that these techniques inadvertently “discriminate” in opposition to candidates with greater than 15 years of labor expertise. Sadly, this similar potential exists on LinkedIn and firm/recruiter web sites anytime a hiring supervisor or recruiter conducts a candidate search based mostly on the quantity of expertise job seekers possess.
The excellent news is that a couple of easy tips can shield your resume and LinkedIn profile from age discrimination and provide you with larger entry to the profession alternatives you need and deserve. By following the information above, you may efficiently age-proof your resume and LinkedIn profile—and stand out as a certified and related candidate.
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