Baby Boomers, Beware! Don't Let Your Resume Date You! by Deborah Walker~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Baby Boomers, Beware! Don't Let Your Resume Date You!
If you're a job seeker of the Baby Boom generation, you may be feeling a little
left out by the job market. You're certainly not ready to retire, but the young recruiters
you send resumes to don't seem to respond to your skills and experience. If you’re
feeling symptoms of age discrimination, you should know that your resume could be the culprit, categorizing you as out of date and over the hill.
There are three ways your resume can put you in the over the hill category. Your
resume is due for an update if it contains:
1. Outdated technology skills
2. Outdated industry or occupational terminology
3. Outdated resume trends
Don’t despair if your resume is out of date. You can perform an extreme resume
makeover by using the tips below.
1. Make sure you are up to date on your industry’s technology.
Check multiple job descriptions within your industry to see what technologies
employers really want. Determine which technologies are missing from your
resume. Then decide what you need to learn or do in order to fill that technology
gap. Consider adult education classes, college classes, or even online learning.
You should be aware that technology terms are often used as keywords to filter the
best resumes from electronic databases. If your resume doesn’t have them, it may
never be seen. Make sure your technology skills aren’t leaving you behind.
2. Make sure your resume is using current terminology.
If you have just been adding to the same old resume over the years, then your early
entries may be using outdated terms. One way to bring your resume up to date is
through publications from your industry's professional associations. If you don't
belong to any professional associations, you might be missing out on the latest
industry-speak.
Another good resource is job descriptions. Search job descriptions in your field
for recurring terms. Learn to use the current terminology for your industry correctly
and effectively.
3. Make sure your resume reflects today’s trends in resume format and style.
Ten or fifteen years ago, the old-fashioned reverse-chronological format may
have worked for you. But now that you have more experience, it may not be the
best choice. The more advanced hybrid format may be much better at promoting
your skills and expertise, providing you with a more professional presentation.
With the hybrid resume, potential employers will form an impression of you
based on your best accomplishments, not just your most recent job description.
You should also realize that some of the old resume rules just don't apply any
more.
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