My Fleep:
Career & Employment
Career & Employment
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the culprit, categorizing you as out of date and over the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 Outdated technology skills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 Outdated industry or occupational terminology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 Outdated resume trends
Don't despair if your resume is out of date.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the years, then your early entries may be using outdated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. For example:
* "Limit your resume to one page." This is a really old
idea that limits your ability to show all of your skills
and expertise.
* "End your resume with References Available Upon Request."
You don't need to say that; it's assumed.
* "You should show every job you have ever held and give
each equal importance." Your employment history should
only go back as far as it related to your current
employment objectives. Think of your resume as a marketing
piece that highlights the best parts rather than as a
tell-all.
* "Your resume should go back no more than ten years."
Don't use an arbitrary number to determine how much to
include on your resume. Use the rule of relevancy to
decide how many of your jobs to include.
* "One resume should handle everything." Not anymore! In
addition to tailoring your resume to different fields or
industries, you'll also need to tailor the way that you
save it.
You'll want to have (1) a standard Word format (for
printouts and as email attachments), and (2) a Plain Text
version for online forms. This will save you a lot of time
in repairing lost formatting, which often occurs when
cutting and pasting a Word document into a text-only form.
Let your experience work for you rather than against you.
Using these tips to update your resume can make a
noticeable difference in interest from employers. And your
new resume will be a better reflection of your hard-earned
skills, talents, and expertise.
----------------------------------------------------
Deborah Walker, Resume Coach, and former executive
recruiter understands from an insider’s view the resume
errors that can spell disaster for “post-50” job seekers.
Her resume advice has helped many continue to reach their
career objectives regardless of their age. Visit Deb at
http://www.AlphaAdvantage.com
or email Deb@AlphaAdvantage.com
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. For example:
* "Limit your resume to one page." This is a really old
idea that limits your ability to show all of your skills
and expertise.
* "End your resume with References Available Upon Request."
You don't need to say that; it's assumed.
* "You should show every job you have ever held and give
each equal importance." Your employment history should
only go back as far as it related to your current
employment objectives. Think of your resume as a marketing
piece that highlights the best parts rather than as a
tell-all.
* "Your resume should go back no more than ten years."
Don't use an arbitrary number to determine how much to
include on your resume. Use the rule of relevancy to
decide how many of your jobs to include.
* "One resume should handle everything." Not anymore! In
addition to tailoring your resume to different fields or
industries, you'll also need to tailor the way that you
save it.
You'll want to have (1) a standard Word format (for
printouts and as email attachments), and (2) a Plain Text
version for online forms. This will save you a lot of time
in repairing lost formatting, which often occurs when
cutting and pasting a Word document into a text-only form.
Let your experience work for you rather than against you.
Using these tips to update your resume can make a
noticeable difference in interest from employers. And your
new resume will be a better reflection of your hard-earned
skills, talents, and expertise.
----------------------------------------------------
Deborah Walker, Resume Coach, and former executive
recruiter understands from an insider’s view the resume
errors that can spell disaster for “post-50” job seekers.
Her resume advice has helped many continue to reach their
career objectives regardless of their age. Visit Deb at
http://www.AlphaAdvantage.com
or email Deb@AlphaAdvantage.com