Three Non-Age Related Resume Mistakes That Turn Up Employer Ageism

Some of the things on your resume that turn up employer ageism have absolutely nothing to do with your age.

Employers expect more from age 40+ job seekers.

And why shouldn't they? You expect more compensation from employers as you gain more seniority and experience.

So you've got to do more to avoid employer ageism in your job search than others who have 5 or 10 years less experience than you:

Here are 3 non-age related resume mistakes that can trigger employer ageism:

1. Not Enough Resume Customization: The average time candidates spend an average 15 minutes customizing each resume they send to employers - It's not enough to get past pre-screening. And if you're sending the same resume to different jobs (including when you apply with a LinkedIn profile, with a resume saved on a job board, or via mobile apps), you appear that you're not trying to human and automated pre-screening - even when you send a cover letter. I recommend spending much more time customizing each resume to the hiring manager's current needs (rarely on the job description). You'll send fewer resumes, but it will result in more interviews, more advances, and far better chances of landing the job.
2. Confusing First Impression: Most resumes give a confusing first impression of "I've got all this stuff - do you need any of it?" that undersells job seekers. When you make a crystal-clear first impression that "I have what you need", you'll get more interviews as employers will quickly and clearly see you as a fit for their individual needs more often.
3. Settling For Qualified: Most career resources and resume writers present their clients as being qualified, because that's what these professionals have been trained to do. But when employers expect many qualified competitors (as they do today), then being qualified isn't enough to even get interviews. You need to do more and show employers that you understand (and have already solved) their current key problems, prove that you have a strong track record of improving performance of teams/departments/companies, and that they can trust you.

If you're over 40 and struggling with job search ageism, ask yourself ... how many of these non-age related mistakes have crept into your resume and interviews?

The good news is that you can fix these issues ... when you learn how.

During my next free Resume Webinar, Beating Job Search Ageism, I'll show you different resume/interview/job search strategies that will help you sell yourself more effectively. I'll teach you how to make age your superpower and employers will clearly see that you're worth higher compensation than younger candidates. No matter what your compensation requirements, I'll show you how to prove to employers that you're a steal, compared to the impact you can deliver.

When we're done with that, I'll teach you other ways to overcome age bias, so you can accelerate your job search so much, you can find your next job faster, easier and more successfully in 2025 when you're 40/50/60+.

Join me Thursday morning 2/27/25 at 11:00am ET/8:00am PT or Friday morning 2/28/25 at 11:00am ET/8:00am PT for my free Resume Webinar - Beating Job Search Ageism (enroll at https://x.resumewebinar.com/Registration at no charge) to learn how to overcome job search ageism and find your next job faster in 2025.

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