Resumes to Win More Interviews
Today, more and more aged workers delay retirement and actively apply for new roles. However, many senior workers face age discrimination in the labor market. 74% of aged Americans believe their age could be the barrier to getting hired.
By updating and modernizing your Curriculum Vitae and highlighting fresh technology qualifications, you can overcome the age bias and get more quality interviews. Today, we share hiring manager-approved bio tips for senior workers and templates to help you create an interview-winning portfolio.
What Are Common Portfolio Mistakes Senior Workers Make?
When describing their relevant capabilities or work history, aged employment-seekers can make mistakes that cost them interviews. Here are the major pitfalls to avoid if you want to maximize employment opportunities in your 50s or 60s:
- Making the vita 3+ pages long. You may have more than three decades of relevant background, but there's no need to list every role and project. Including every position you've had makes the document too long and turns off hiring managers.
- Out-of-date tech capacities. In 2000, including Windows 2000 and Microsoft Word could give your Curriculum Vitae a boost. Today, listing such qualifications is considered outdated.
- Including an objective instead of a summary. Objectives are not used in modern bios. You should have an employer-centered summary instead.
- Not including accomplishments. Modern vitas focus on achievements, not position duties. Having a long work tenure is great, but without measurable achievements, it won't impress younger hiring managers.
- Forgetting about ATS. Today's Curriculum Vitaes are scanned by applicant tracking systems (ATS, also known as biography robots) before a human recruiter sees them. If you don't insert keywords, your application might get tossed.
These and other vita shortcomings in boomers' bios can cause setbacks in the hiring process even if you have decades of relevant expertise. But worry not - keep reading to find out how to fix them and make your Curriculum Vitae attractive to employers.
How to Age-Proof Your Bio (With Examples)
Age bias against aged workers is based on the premise that seniors are overqualified, lack technical proficiency, and slowly adapt to ever-changing environments. By modernizing your old portfolio and adapting it for a role description, you can beat the bias and boost your chances of landing an interview. Here are the key points to take care of.
Use modern formatting
Black-and-white Microsoft Word bios are out of fashion. If you want to submit a bio as a Microsoft Word document, do this:
- Create your vita using the most recent version of MS Word software so that fonts and formatting look modern. A fresh, polished document won't reveal your age before time.
- Use a Word bio template. Click on the Search, type Resume and you'll see available templates.
- Use a touch of color and a sans-serif font, such as Arial, Helvetica, or Calibri.
Introduce relevant proficiences and keywords
Unlike previous Curriculum Vitaes, modern documents cover the most relevant abilities as a list. The Skills section quickly communicates your competencies to recruiters, and it's also good for ATS. Here's how to add key aptitudes to your portfolio effectively:
- Read the posiiton description and highlight the required talents and qualifications
- Provide these abilities as a bulleted list (provided that you have these capacities, of course)
- Add both hard skills (analytical, technical, and software qualifications) and soft skills (such as communication or problem-solving)
- Keep a reasonable number of aptitudes (usually between 10 and 20) for a strong portfolio.
Remove outdated information
To make your employment search more effective, remove outdated qualifications, positions, and other information that adds no value to potential employers. Here's what to remove from your employment history if you have 20+ years of background:
- Outdated qualifications (such as old computer software, programming languages, or qualifications irrelevant to your target position)
- Graduation dates. If you graduated over a decade ago, always skip the dates.
- Vocations you had over a decade ago. Don't list every role you've had since graduation - they take up valuable space and instantly reveal your age.
- Inexpert email. Use an email address with your first and last name.
Consider a functional employment history
If you've had employment gaps, a functional format can conceal them. This document focuses on your aptitudes and competencies over the work history timeline. It starts with a summary and a detailed list of proficiences, and the work expertise is listed briefly near the bottom. If you assume that a functional bio might be a good fit, read our guide to writing a job-winning functional bio.
How Many Years of Experience Should You List on Your Bio?
According to vita experts, mature workers should introduce the most recent 10-15 years of expertise. You can go back a little further if your prior background is highly relevant (i.e. you worked for an industry-leading company). It's great if your portfolio also shows progression and growth - even if with the same company.
This is because recruiters are interested in your recent expertise and fresh capacities. Keeping your background recent and relevant is key to landing interviews. That being said, you can remove irrelevant roles without hesitation or list them under a different subheading.
Don't forget to attach a matching cover letter with your portfolio, as 60% of employers expect them. Read our step-by-step guide to writing an effective cover letter.
How Long Should a Portfolio Be for 20+ Years of Experience?
No matter the total occupation length, senior workers should keep their biography to 1-2 pages. Recruiters review each vita for a few seconds only, and if you submit a multi-page employment history, the recruiter won't be able to locate the details they need.
Moreover, keeping your document short and targeted increases your chances of being shortlisted. If you only keep the work experience, qualifications, and achievements relevant to this particular company, they will see you as a potentially great fit. Making the profile recent, relevant, and tailored also shows that you're aware of the current employment history practices and will feel comfortable in any modern workplace.
7 Expert Bio Tips for Senior Professionals
Trim your Curriculum Vitae to 1-2 pages.
Narrow down your background to keep your profile to 1-2 pages. Longer portfolios often signal that you lack focus. Include the last 10-15 years of your employment history and cut off the outdated information as suggested above. This tip will give you a competitive edge in your employment hunting.
Use a modern, ATS-friendly template.
Use a modern resume template in Word or download our expert template below. Employers initially scan your resume for 7 seconds, and if you use a neat template and a standard portfolio format, it will make a positive impression. Make sure that the template you use has simple formatting and is ATS-compliant.
Focus on recent achievements and skills.
No matter how long you've been in the employment market, companies only care about your most recent expertise. Focus on your 1-2 most recent roles in your vita. Add measurable results, achievements, and abilities to give a comprehensive idea of what exactly you have done and what you can bring to the table.
Remove education dates more than 15-20 years.
If you graduated over a decade ago, leave graduation dates out as they can reveal your age. Remove academic achievements and GPA if you haven't done it before - including them is important only for recent graduates.
Highlight technology and digital proficiences.
To show that you stay up to date with the technology, add remote communication platforms, cloud collaboration tools, Microsoft Teams, and similar digital skills to your resume. It will persuade the potential employer that you are well aware of the standards of the modern workplace and can effectively collaborate with younger candidates.
Include your LinkedIn profile URL.
Including your social media presence will show the employer that you're tech-savvy and keep up to date with the trends of the evolving job market. Plus, a completed LinkedIn profile will give the employer a broader picture of your qualifications, strengths, and work history.
Tailor your resume to each job posting.
In 2025, sending out a generic resume everywhere doesn't work. You need to customize your resume for each job you're applying for. No need to redo everything - just revise a brief description in your summary, qualifications, and most recent job so that it looks relevant to the employer's needs.
Download Free Resume Template for Senior Workers
Our resume experts developed an ATS-friendly Google Docs resume template suitable for aged employment-seekers. Download it and paste your information to create a modern-looking resume that attracts the recruiter's attention in seconds! Click here to grab your free template.
3 Real Resume Examples From Specialists 50+
Professional returning to work
This senior job-seeker shows a steady progression of a vocation, specific skills for the role, and measurable achievements. This profile format will suit an experienced worker who wants to continue their profession after a long break or hiatus.
Career changer
This sample resume is for older professionals changing careers in their 50s or 60s. It uses a functional format focused on the person's qualifications and impact and lists the education section and employment briefly.
Retiree seeking new opportunities
https://resumegenius.com/blog/resume-help/resume-for-older-workers#samples
This resume example is for retired professionals seeking part-time or consulting opportunities. It showcases qualifications, skills, and strengths persuasively to sell the experience to potential employers or clients.
Get professional help with your profilr
At ResumePerk, we prepare modern-looking, tailored bios for older workers returning to work. Our expert will work one-on-one with you to emphasize your rich experience and achievements concisely and attract the attention of younger hiring managers. Chat with us to learn more and get your special welcome discount!
Browse more career articles and writing tips from our experts:
Author: Editorial Team at ResumePerk.com
Reviewed by: Certified Career Expert
Last updated: December 2025
