Are you involved about age discrimination? Whereas most job seekers concern discrimination by hiring managers, the reality is that you just’re extra prone to be discriminated towards by a pc.
Most 50-something or older job seekers don’t understand that the know-how they leverage to use for jobs could also be screening them out of consideration. Sadly, this is among the most typical causes that job seekers don’t get the interviews they need and deserve.
Right here’s the important thing factor it is advisable to know. The databases, or applicant monitoring methods (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 specific amount of expertise—let’s say 12-15 years—the ATS will display screen out candidates who possess something apart from 12, 13, 14, or 15 years. Consequently, 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 observe that whereas job boards, firms, and recruiters don’t intend to discriminate, the know-how they’re utilizing to prepare 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 could happen. It additionally signifies that your LinkedIn profile could possibly be subjected to this identical filtering course of any time an organization or recruiter searches for candidates such as you with a certain quantity of expertise in thoughts.
Should 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 adjustments will enhance your candidacy, allow you to appeal to 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, you need to replace your LinkedIn profile image, get rid of 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 data that may reveal your age to an employer in your resume. Doing so may 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 in your LinkedIn profile image (you will get one in most markets for $100-$200), an newbie photographer may work if you recognize one who takes good portrait photographs. The secret is a horny pose that makes essentially the most of your facial traits and persona whereas minimizing any age-related deficits.
When you have silver hair, for instance, think about using a darkish background or black and white picture to scale back the chance of a washed-out look. Choose a pose that conveys power and vitality and hints on the knowledge youth merely can’t replicate. Use a full-face smile to undertaking power with the picture and ensure you costume in interview-ready apparel. You need to appear skilled but approachable.
2. Remove Dates From Your Schooling Listings On Your Resume And LinkedIn Profile
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It’s customary as of late for most people over 30 to omit schooling dates from their resume and LinkedIn profile. That is straightforward sufficient to do on your resume the place it’s also possible to omit dates of coaching, certifications, licensure, or affiliations.
Briefly, omit any date previous to 2000, since most recruiters solely need 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 “Schooling” part. Take away the month and yr within the drop-down field in your begin and end dates. Remove dates from different sections as effectively.
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 advanced however effectively value doing. In your resume, checklist your post-2000 work expertise in your “Work Historical past” part and separate your pre-2000 expertise into an “Extra Expertise” part. To your pre-2000 jobs, omit your dates of employment and checklist the quantities as a substitute. For instance, for those who labored at GE from 1992-2000, report that as “8 years.”
LinkedIn doesn’t permit members to omit dates from employment so your solely alternative is to get rid of pre-2000 jobs altogether. Strive 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 allow you to 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 methods inadvertently “discriminate” towards candidates with greater than 15 years of labor expertise. Sadly, this identical potential exists on LinkedIn and firm/recruiter web sites anytime a hiring supervisor or recruiter conducts a candidate search primarily based on the quantity of expertise job seekers possess.
The excellent news is that a couple of easy methods can defend 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 guidelines above, you may efficiently age-proof your resume and LinkedIn profile—and stand out as a professional and related candidate.
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