The Obvious Way Age 40+ Job Seekers Appear Obsolete To Employers

Want to appear as an obsolete candidate to employers when you're 40, 50 or 60+?

How about giving the impression of being technically non-current?

Feed into the bias of older candidates being out of touch, unable to learn new skills/processes, only being comfortable with doing things the way they always did them?

Or give the perception that you're as current as Kinko's (they haven't been around for 20 years)?

If you think any of those impressions will help your job search, then send cover letters.

Because cover letters are an obsolete tradition of a pre-internet world.

Once upon a time, they made sense when you had to take your resume to a print shop to get a box of 250 resumes. Since all 250 were exactly the same, the only way to customize your resume to an individual employer's needs was through a separate cover letter.

Then came the internet, employer expectations of digital resumes (that could be customized), job boards that flooded employers with candidates, and Applicant Tracking Systems to manage/pre-screen all those applicants and resumes. That was about 30 years ago.

Today, cover letters add no value to an employer's hiring process, when resumes are digital and can easily be customized. They make no sense in 2024.

That's why recruiters have long used a saying "If it's not on your resume, it doesn't exist", when talking about what candidates include?on cover letters.

According to recent studies, approximately 97% of employers say they don't value cover letters. These employers add that cover letters?hurt your chances of getting an interview by distracting readers (who make their interview decisions in an average 15 seconds, not enough time to read 2 documents).

Because a few hiring managers might want to see cover letters, HR may set up standard processes requiring all applicants to include cover letters, or boilerplate job posting language requesting cover letters. This makes the review process more efficient for HR/recruiters, while asking you to waste your time and hurt your own chances.

It's a bad idea for you to play into this situation.

And it's even worse when you're an age 40+ job seeker, trying to avoid/overcome age bias.

Good thing there's a more effective way to deal with cover letter requirements/requests, that will avoid creating an obsolete impression or triggering employer age discrimination.

I'll teach you how age 40+ job seekers can (and should) avoid cover letters, and what to do when they are requested or required. You'll still show you've followed instructions, but avoid the negative aspects of distraction and technology non-current impressions cover letters bring.

And I'll teach you for free, along with other more effective strategies to overcome job search age bias, when you're 40, 50, or 60+.

I help people solve the most difficult job search problems, including job search acceleration, getting past ATSs, ageism, remote positions, product/job function/career/industry/ geographic change, unemployment, "bouncy" recent career path, job search turnaround, seeking raise/promotion, industry in decline/consolidation, long term gaps, family leave, or other of the most challenging job search issues.

Join me for my next free Resume Webinar (enroll at https://x.resumewebinar.com/Registration for no charge) and learn how to accelerate your job search, so you can find your next job faster in 2024.

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#jobs #resume #career #ageism