7 Signs Your Resume is Making You Look Old

Your resume should showcase your expertise, not your age.

Is your resume reflecting your experience, or does it reveal your age?

Your resume is your first impression with recruiters, and it should represent the skilled professional that you are.

However, it may be inadvertently conveying a message that could cause employers to view you as outdated.

Even if you’re staying up-to-date with the latest technologies, certain resume mistakes may give recruiters the wrong impression about your abilities, such as inflexibility, outdated skills, or not fitting into the modern workplace.

As we advance in our careers, we tend to stick to what we know. However, in a fiercely competitive job market, it’s essential to modernize your resume to overcome age discrimination.

If you don’t want to lose out to less experienced candidates, you need to revisit your resume and make it your first line of defense.

It’s comforting to know that you have the power to change how you present yourself on your resume.

A few subtle resume tweaks can make a world of difference in disproving a recruiter’s assumptions about your skills and mindset.

To make sure that your resume is highlighting your value rather than your age, start by avoiding common mistakes that people over 50 tend to make.

Find out: Breaking Down the Components of Award Winning Resumes: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Your Resume is the Length of a Short Novel

It’s important to keep your resume concise and to the point. While you may feel tempted to include every job and accomplishment you’ve ever had, keep in mind that recruiters are sifting through countless resumes for each position.

In fact, if your resume runs longer than two pages, it could suggest to hiring managers that you’re not up-to-date on the latest resume best practices.

With so much competition out there, it’s essential to grab recruiters’ attention quickly.

They often only spend a few seconds scanning each application, so you want to make sure that your resume is well-organized and highlights your most relevant experience.

If you’re struggling to strike the right balance between brevity and detail, consider enlisting the help of a professional resume writer.

A good resume writer can help you identify the most important skills and achievements to feature on your resume, while also making sure that your application doesn’t get bogged down in unnecessary details.

They can also help you reframe your experience in a way that emphasizes your strengths and potential contributions to a new company.

Don’t let an overly long or outdated resume hold you back from landing your dream job. With the right guidance, you can create a resume that truly shines.

Find out: How to Make Your Resume Stand Out: Real Examples

2. You’re Still Using an AOL Email Account

In the era of email and instant messaging, AOL’s iconic “You’ve Got Mail” message may evoke nostalgia, but it’s time to bid farewell to old, outdated email accounts like AOL, Hotmail, and Comcast.

Instead, opt for a modern, professional-looking Gmail address that includes your name, such as John.Smith@gmail.com.

By creating a dedicated email account solely for your job search and refraining from sharing it with family and friends, you can ensure that all the messages you receive there are solely for employer communication.

So say goodbye to the past and hello to a more streamlined job search with a sleek Gmail address.

3. The Phone Number on Your Resume is for Your Landline

When it comes to sharing your contact information on a resume, it’s important to remember to include only one phone number, and that should be your cell phone.

Nowadays, with the rise of technology and the decline of landlines, listing a landline number can make you seem outdated.

The beauty of smartphones lies in their ability to serve multiple functions, rendering the need to list both a landline and a mobile number unnecessary.

Plus, imagine missing an important call from a potential employer because you didn’t have your cell phone number listed.

Don’t let that happen to you, keep it simple and stick to one number!

Find out: The 30 Funniest Resumes and Job Applications We’ve Ever Seen

4. You’re Still Including Your Entry-level Job from 30 Years Ago

It’s understandable that you’ve had a prosperous and lengthy career, but remember that employers don’t want to sift through an exhaustive list of every job you’ve had, task you’ve completed, or seminar you’ve attended.

Rather, they prefer concise resumes that span no more than two pages and exclusively highlight the most pertinent details.

As your experience grows, it becomes increasingly crucial to be discerning about what you disclose to potential employers.

Carefully tailor your resume to align with the job duties and qualifications outlined in the job posting.

5. It’s Clear You Learned to Type on a Typewriter

Let us remind you: Avoid using two spaces after each period. If you do, you may unintentionally disclose your age, and consequently leave yourself vulnerable to age discrimination.

We understand that if you were taught this practice during your high school typing lessons, it may be difficult to break the habit.

However, this practice was developed for monospaced typewriters to distinguish between the end of a sentence and the start of a new one.

With modern computers and proportionally spaced fonts, this rule has become irrelevant.

The current trend is to use only one space after all end punctuation. According to Jennifer Gonzalez, a former teacher and creator of Cult of Pedagogy, “Using two spaces after a period is a clear indication of someone’s age, and can suggest they are over 40.

Find out: How to Write An ATS Resume- Full Guide (+6 Samples Included)

6. Your Resume Includes an Objective Statement

In recent years, the practice of including an objective statement in one’s resume has lost its relevance.

The reason behind it is that objective statements are often ambiguous, lack solid evidence, and focus on the job seeker rather than the employer’s needs.

Today’s savvy job seekers opt for a professional summary to make a lasting impression on recruiters.

This powerful tool allows candidates to highlight their accomplishments, skills, and qualifications while tailoring their career goals to the immediate needs of the organization.

By leveraging a professional summary, job seekers can demonstrate their value proposition and enhance their chances of landing their dream job.

7. You didn’t Include Your LinkedIn Profile

Are you still job hunting like it’s the 90s?

Nowadays, social media platforms, particularly LinkedIn, have become crucial in the job market, providing companies with a way to post job opportunities, scout potential candidates, and verify their suitability.

Including your LinkedIn profile URL alongside your contact details on your resume is a smart way to stand out from the crowd of ‘John Smiths’ and ensure that hiring managers can easily find you.

If you’re not already on LinkedIn, it’s high time to create a profile. According to a recent survey by Jobvite, LinkedIn remains the go-to platform for recruiters, with 77% of talent acquisition professionals utilizing it to find top candidates.

Neglecting this vital tool in today’s competitive job market is simply not an option.

Final Thoughts

Crafting an effective resume is more than just listing your work experience and education. Every element, from the words you choose to the format you use, can convey valuable information about you as a candidate.

Ignoring these nuances can lead to a frustrating job search, as you struggle to get noticed by potential employers.

If you haven’t updated your resume in years, it’s time to bring it into the modern job market. With the right tweaks and adjustments, your resume can become a powerful tool that catches the attention of recruiters and hiring managers.

Don’t let outdated content and formatting hold you back from achieving your career goals.

For professional and effective resume writing services, turn to CEOMichaelHR. Our team of experienced writers knows how to craft resumes that highlight your strengths, showcase your achievements, and make a strong impression on potential employers.

Trust us to help you unleash the power of your fresh new resume and land your dream job.