Resume Dos And Don’ts For Workers Over 50
Stand out from the crowd with these helpful hints.
Are you over 50? Learn how to highlight your skills — instead of your age — to help you land a job in demand.
Playing up your skills instead of the number of years you’ve been working is one strategy for getting noticed, according to experts. This is especially important for workers over 50, who may be perceived as lacking technical skills by younger hiring managers.
To help you put your best foot forward, AARP Foundation is drawing on more than six decades of helping older workers expand their job options to offer the best tips for updating your resume.
Do Use a Functional Resume Format
Chronological resumes have their time and place, but these days, hiring managers want to see you have what it takes to do the job at hand. A functional resume puts the spotlight on your skill sets and areas of expertise.
Functional resumes do not include a career objective section. Instead, they have a professional summary tailored to the role you’re applying for. For example, if the role calls for excellent problem-solving and project management skills, include these exact phrases or keywords in your summary. (See the example in the Functional Resume Template shown.)
The beauty of the functional resume is that it allows you to highlight your ability to do what the job requires. You’ll want to list your accomplishments related to your on-the-job skills. Be as specific as possible, as in these examples:
- Proven record of increasing monthly sales by 15%
- Regularly communicate with customers, managers and team members via phone, email and in-person
- Managed social media communications across Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.
Functional Resume Format
YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME
Email: youremail@gmail.com | Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXX
Address: XXX Street, Apt. X City/Town, State ZIP Code
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/yourprofile
Professional Summary
Skilled [industry] professional seeking to leverage my expertise in [relevant skills] to fill your [position name] position. An intuitive worker aiming to help achieve [Company’s Name]’s goals and take on more responsibility as quickly as possible.
Relevant Skills
[First Skill]
- Include a bulleted list of accomplishments related to this skill
- Make sure you quantify (add numbers to) these bullet points
[Second Skill]
- List any accomplishments or responsibilities that demonstrate this skill
- Be as specific as possible — include actual names of software or tools you’ve used.
Last 10 Years of Work History
Most Recent Job Title
Employer Name / Location / Start Year – End Year
Earlier Job Title
Employer Name / Location / Start Year – End Year
Education
Degree Name / Major
University, Location
Training
Class, Workshop, or Certificate Program Name, Location | Date
Don’t List Every Job You’ve Had
As tempting as it may be to include all of your work experience, hiring managers are only interested in the last 10 years or so. The exception to this rule? If you held a job similar to the one you’re applying for more than 10 years ago, include it to show your relevant experience.
Do Go for a Modern Look
Having a resume that appears up-to-date sends a message that you are too. Look for a resume template that uses easier-to-read fonts like Arial or Garamond. (Times New Roman is considered outdated.) And of course, hyperlink to your LinkedIn profile.
Don’t Highlight Your Graduation Year
The year you graduated from college can give away your age, even if you only include your last 10 years of work experience. An easy fix is to simply list your college and degree without your graduation date.
Do Play Up Your Tech Skills
Emphasize that your skills are up to date with current trends, and you are comfortable learning new technology as needed. Show the hiring manager you’re qualified for the job by listing names of the software programs you already use, such as:
- Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel)
- Cloud collaboration tools (Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Dropbox)
- Remote communication platforms (Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, Slack)
Don’t Use an “Old” Email Address
If you’re still using AOL, Hotmail, Yahoo, or your service provider’s email address, you’ll appear old-fashioned. Consider getting a Gmail account just for job hunting so you come across as current.
And while you’ll need to provide a cell phone number in your contact information section, don’t call it out as such. Just list your cell number as your phone number. Listing (cell) or an alternate landline would be another sign you’re older and may be out of touch with current trends.
Do Give Your Resume File a Name
Before uploading your resume document, make sure you give it a professional name such as firstname.lastname.resume.date. Nothing screams you don’t know technology than submitting a document whose file name is a random set of numbers.
Don’t Go It Alone
Share your resume with a friend or relative for a quick proofread before you send it. And if you’re still feeling uneasy about what to include, there’s plenty of free advice online. Search for resume tips for older workers.
Or better yet, connect with AARP Foundation job search coaches who can help you get your resume in tip-top shape. We offer free programs specifically designed to help people over 50 who didn’t expect to be out of work at this point in their lives. We’ve been helping older workers “get back to work” for more than 60 years, and we can help you, too.
Get More Help With Your Job Search
AARP Foundation has all sorts of programs to set you up for success in the job market. Sign up to learn more about free skills training, freelancing how-tos, and job search coaching.