Should You Put Your Age on Your Resume? Here’s What Experts Say
What You'll Learn
Whereas it's hardly ever possible to erase the 10 or 20 years off your professional history, trimming a resume and highlighting the traits that the employer is looking for can fix the situation. Today, our online resume writer will give you a handful of suggestions on how to downplay your resume age and get your foot in the door faster. While reading this article, you will learn the following:
- Whether age should be included on your resume
- How to avoid age discrimination in your job search
- Tips for writing a resume after 40, 50, or 60
Should You Include Your Age on a Resume?
Mentioning your exact age on a resume is usually discouraged. Here's why it may harm your job search. Anti-discrimination laws prohibit employers from using personal information like date of birth, or other personal details such as marital status or young children, in the hiring process. A professional resume should not contain such information. Your resume template should align with the job description, have contact details on the top, email account, education history, etc. Many employers want to know our approximate age and career goals. However, professional work practices, relevant experience, skills, and qualifications should be prioritized.
7 Signs Your Resume Might Be Making You Look Older
1. Including your graduation year from decades ago
As the general rule, graduation date is the immediate indicator of your age. If you want to prevent employers from estimating your age, do not include the date. Let your skill set and short answer on education speak for itself!
2. Using outdated email providers (e.g., AOL)
While you may feel comfortable using Yahoo or AOL for your email address because you have had that email for over 20 years, such information suggests a more traditional or long-standing background. The younger generation has no idea of such domains. Consider creating a more contemporary email account using Gmail, for example. Use your first and last name for it.
3. Listing irrelevant early-career jobs
While it is generally assumed that your resume should contain information about your entire professional experience, the truth is that nobody cares about your professional duties 20 or 30 years ago. A professional resume should be interesting to your reader, the potential employer, who wants to see the most recent position you had. Focus only on the roles that are relevant to your target job.
4. Having an objective statement instead of a summary
Yes, you no longer need an objective statement. It was preferred a couple of decades ago. Now, a professional resume should have a summary section that clearly states the value you can bring to your prospective employer. This section should align with the job description of your target position.
5. Not linking to a LinkedIn profileYes, it is a must to have a LinkedIn profile. Don't have it yet? You need to rush to write your professional summary on that website! Employers from many countries pay attention to your professional online network. It is bad news for HR manager to hear you have no idea what a LinkedIn profile is. Still reading? Start working on your LinkedIn profile right now!
6. Using an old-fashioned resume design
You need to have a contemporary template for your document. Using a blank white background with no formatting at all is still possible and even preferred in many cases; however, modern resumes should be clean, use fonts such as Calibri or Arial, headings and bullet points, etc. Take a look at your current document. Does it look modern, or does it scream, "I was created 30 years ago"?
7. Mentioning experience with outdated technologies
While your knowledge of how to use fax machines or pagers was an excellent addition to your skill set 40 years ago, your current prospective boss does not care much about that information. These details indicate only one thing - you are old. If you want to make a good impression, do not list such outdated information at all.
Make sure to avoid these common resume mistakes that could cost you the interview.
How to Hide Your Age on a Resume (Without Lying)
When it comes to resume writing, older job-seekers typically have two challenges. The first one is prioritizing their extensive experience so that the most relevant and important content is in the spotlight. The second is showing that you keep your skills current and aren't stuck in the past. Here's what you can do to accomplish both of these goals:
Remove Dates from Education
Whereas it's strongly not recommended that you delete employment dates, it's perfectly okay to remove the year you got a degree. Being detailed about education is important for recent graduates. However, as you gain professional experience, you can limit this section to a school name and degree. This simple trick will shift the focus toward your qualifications and away from personal timelines, and if your resume appeals to the recruiter, the exact graduation date won't be a big concern for them. Do you feel stressed out by the daily grind at work? Grab some professional tips on how to get away from work routine and stay energized and inspired.
Use a Modern Template
Whether you are continuing your career path or thinking of'Â turning your passion into a successful career, note that the resume writing rules have changed in recent years. Given that a hiring person spends little time reviewing your resume, it should be easy to read and look through. Use bulleted lists instead of paragraphs, and don't write more than 6 bullets for each job. Make sure there's enough blank space on the page so that the document is comfortable to look through. Do you feel your productivity stints in the mornings?
Focus on Skills Over Experience
Your resume is a marketing document, not an autobiography. Listing every single job you've had since graduation will make the document unnecessarily long. Moreover, hiring managers aren't typically interested in overly dated jobs. Going back to the most recent 10-15 years is sufficient to give the employer a glimpse of your expertise and credentials. This will make your resume more focused, concise, and informative for your target employers. At the same time, keep the resume relevant. You might want to remove the experience that has little to do with your target role and be more detailed about past successes that relate closely to the position.
Showcase Recent Achievements
In an attempt to hide their age, many job-seekers simply remove the employment dates. However, this tactic works against you. The hiring manager might assume that you want to hide your age or short job tenures and will be more skeptical about your resume. The only exception from this rule is the dates for your earlier jobs ' the ones you had over 15-20 years ago. For your early jobs, it's okay to list only job titles and company names. Do you have issues with job-hopping in a resume? Instead, focus on your most recent achievements. With so many CV formats, you can choose the one where skills are highlighted.
Include Tech Savviness
There's a common misconception that older candidates are less tech-savvy than younger applicants. Whereas this might not be true in your case, you'll still need to address this issue in your resume. Mention any technical and software skills the employer asks for in a job posting as well as general tech skills and the industry software. It will be helpful to indicate the level of proficiency, especially if your daily work assumes heavy reliance on this software. Also, remove outdated tech skills and programs that are no longer used ' you don't want to look stuck in the past.
To write a resume without revealing your age, remove dates, focus on recent experience, and avoid outdated formats.
Check If Your Resume Gives Away Your Age
Upload your resume and get a free check to see if it contains age-revealing elements.
Want to make your resume age-proof? Read our tips to avoid age discrimination.
Also, discover how to age-proof your resume and LinkedIn profile to stay competitive.
Resume Tips for Older Workers (50+)
For most workers above 50, writing a resume turns into a real challenge. Not only do you have to condense decades of extensive experience into two pages, but you also need to present your experience without drawing attention to your timeline. Unfortunately, age discrimination exists. Employers are wary of older candidates for multiple reasons: they assume that the person is overqualified, and they doubt their tech skills and ability to fit into the younger team.
If you're over 50 and seeking employment, it's important to tailor your resume to highlight recent accomplishments, remove outdated information, and format it in a modern style.
Use a resume format without graduation dates.
Focus on your recent 10'15 years of experience.
Include technical skills relevant to today's job market.
Opting for a resume format without graduation dates can be a smart choice for those over 50. This helps prevent any age-related biases and shifts the focus to your professional experience and accomplishments, rather than the length of time since your education. By omitting graduation dates, you keep the spotlight on your recent achievements and your expertise, rather than emphasizing when you attended school, which might be irrelevant in today's job market.
When crafting your resume, concentrate on the past 10 to 15 years of experience. This period is more likely to include your most relevant and impactful roles. Employers want to know what you've done lately and how your skills have evolved in the context of today's industry needs. Highlighting your most recent work shows that you're actively engaged in your field and have been honing your abilities to meet current demands.
Including technical skills that are relevant to today's job market is essential. As technology continues to evolve, employers expect candidates to be proficient with the latest tools, software, and platforms. Make sure your resume reflects any recent technical skills you've acquired or updated, such as familiarity with new software, programming languages, or industry-specific tools. This helps reassure employers that you're adaptable and ready to take on modern challenges.
Need help? Check out our Resume for older workers: tips and examples.
Also, learn which format to choose in our guide: Best resume format for older job seekers.
Resume vs CV: Should You Include Your Age?
In most cases, age is not required on either a resume or CV. However, requirements may differ based on your country or industry.
- Resume (US/Canada): Do not include age or DOB.
- CV (Europe/Asia): In some countries, including age or DOB is common but not mandatory.
If you're applying for acting roles or creative fields, you may be asked where to put age on an acting resume ' usually in a separate personal info section, if at all.
Need help downplaying your age on a resume?
As you see, downplaying your age on a resume takes much more than simply deleting your old jobs. You also need to improve the quality of your resume in general so that the employers won't question your ability to keep up with the current workplace trends and your communication skills. If you are confused about how to structure the resume or prioritize the content, consider working with a top executive resume writing service. Our resume pro will help reconsider your experience and draw the attention away from your age, concentrating on what makes you a perfect fit for the role. Check out our prices and packages ' they are affordable for any budget.
Frequently Asked Questions About Age on Resumes
Should I put my age on my resume?
In most cases, it's recommended to leave your age off the resume to avoid potential age discrimination and keep the focus on your skills.
Should you include your age on a resume?
No, it's not required. If you're unsure where to put your age on a resume â you probably shouldn't include it at all.
How to age-proof your resume and LinkedIn profile?
Focus on modern skills, current achievements, and avoid listing outdated experiences. Apply the same strategy to your LinkedIn profile by emphasizing recent accomplishments.
Can you lie about your age on a resume?
Lying about your age can damage trust. It's better to strategically omit information than to be dishonest.
How do AI interview systems handle age-related bias in resume screening?
Modern AI tools are designed to ignore age, but unintentional bias can still occur. Use age-neutral formatting and up-to-date skills to improve fairness.
How to Remove Dates From Your Resume
Step 1: Delete graduation years
Remove the year you graduated from any education listings.
Step 2: Trim old jobs
Limit your work history to the most recent 10â15 years, unless the older experience is highly relevant.
Step 3: Use a skills-based format
Highlight accomplishments and key skills instead of listing roles in strict chronological order.