Three Tips on How to Handle the Age Factor on Your Resume

Three Tips on How to Handle the Age Factor on Your ResumeIts no secret that ageism is rampant in the hiring process, and there are plenty of reasons why employers sometimes prefer younger candidates. From the companys point of view, these include More experience often translates to a higher starting salary The misconception that older workers are not in tune with the current technology Fear that an older candidate will be retiring soon Concerns about an older employee being unwilling and/or unable to work with younger people and learn new processes and skillsIve spoken with so many job seekers in their 40s, 50s, and 60s who are well aware of these concerns and uncertain of how to demonstrate on their resumes and in interviews that they are passionate about their work, excited to take on new challenges, and have a desire to stay on the job for a significant period of time. They often ask me how to handle the age factor on their resumes.1.) Career ChronologyYour age should not be obvious from your resume. This might seem odd since a resume has always been a summary of the career history, so how can it avoid revealing older dates? Well, with current best practices a resume typically wouldnt go back further than 10-12 years (or 10-15 years for executives) so as to focus on the most recent and relevant experience. There are exceptions, but for the most part, if your resume is still detailing old roles from the early 2000s (or even the 90s), you can feel free to chop that portion off entirely, or reduce it to a brief career notenzeichen that would be placed at the end of the Professional Experience section and typically read like thisPreviously excelled as Operations Manager for XYZ Corporation including cutting client shipping costs 50% through fixture redesign in collaboration with manufacturer.With this statement, you get the benefit of showing the achievement and the company name, without showing the older date.2.) Career SummaryAnother space where I often see people dating themselves is the first sentence of the career summary. Starting off with a sentence like this is extremely commonSeasoned professional with 20+ years in the healthcare industry leading high-impact teams.From the job seeker perspective, all of those years of experience are important they helped to hone the candidates skills and knowledge of the industry and field. But from an employers perspective, think of it this way Have you ever seen a job posting that called for 20 years of experience?Instead of taking credit for all of those years, and immediately raising the concerns mentioned above about hiring an older candidate, consider cutting down on the total and mentioning only 15+ years of experienceor even foregoing that somewhat stale sentence entirely Think instead about a personal branding statement, which might read like thisRegional Operations Manager steers culture of respect, communication, and ongoing improvement.Global Finance Executive eliminates in efficiencies and strengthens brand value.Steadfast CIO and practicing physician drives superior patient care and healthcare processes by leveraging innovative IT solutions.3.) EducationAnother section of the resume where people often show their age unnecessarily is the Education section. There is absolutely no reason to include the date of graduation unless it welches quite recent (within 5-7 years). Simply including the degree, university, and location is perfectly standard.AvoidBachelor of Arts in English, George Washington University, 1979UseBachelor of Arts in English, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.Once these areas are taken care of, you can also focus on the cover letter as an excellent space to emphasize your commitment to taking on a new long-term opportunity with the company you are interested in. I would also be sure to speak to why you are passionate about joining the specific organization, to help show that you will be a dedicated employee.With this approa ch, the reader will be able to focus on your value proposition rather than your age, and with an optimized resume they will be so impressed by your achievements and contributions that the first impression will carry you through to the interview and beyond

Performance Review Tips for your Annual Review

Performance Review Tips for your Annual Review How to Ace Your Next Performance ReviewYour wertmiger zuwachs review only comes around once a year. Make it count.Have you ever considered quitting your job after a particularly disappointing performance review?Youre elendlage alone.Annual performance reviews, when conducted properly, can be a valuable feedback loop and a key driver for ones professional growth. However, when a performance evaluation is poorly handled by either the manager or the employee, it can result in damaged professional relationships, decreased productivity, and low morale in the workplace.Dont let this happen to you. Below are eight tips to help you prepare for your next performance review and make the most of this important conversation with your boss.Document your goals.Begin by understanding what is expected of you. Most positions have formal job descriptions, which are a great place to start. Having a goal-focused conversation with your teamberater or manager can help as well. Make every goal time-sensitive and measurable.Regularly check in with your boss.Most professionals set their annual goals, then place the document in their desk drawer. There it sits all but ignored for a year. Then, a couple of weeks before performance review time, they scramble to dig it out from under a pile of urgent priorities, just to discover that life overcame their formal goals.If you want to step out of that loop, make the time to speak with your supervisor about your progress towards formal goals at least quarterly. This will allow you to course-correct while there is still timeIn addition, use every opportunity to have regular check-ins with your supervisor throughout the year. Real-time feedback allows you to correct your course and generate positive results well before the official year-end review. Better yet, when you regularly ask your boss for feedback on your performance, youre less likely to be surprised with the results of your formal performan ce review.Track your work accomplishments.We tend to get diligent about tracking our wins when its time to ask for a raise. Unfortunately, few professionals take a disciplined approach to writing down their accomplishments throughout the year. Start a list a Word document, a notepad or Evernote will work equally well and jot down things that you do well right as they happen. Be specific Did you successfully pitch to a prospect, deliver an important analysis three days before the deadline, offer a helping hand when a co-worker was swamped, or lead a new employee orientation? Write it down now, so that you dont have to scramble later when its time for your performance review. RelatedHow to Successfully Track Your Work Wins Throughout the Year Understand the ways in which you add value.This point goes beyond your formal job description. Your actions and attitudes must support your companys mission and objectives in order to be seen as valuable. Focus on what adds value to every repor ting relationship you have, and be sure to do those things consistently. This makes you a team member that is tough to lose or replaceLook for opportunities to augment your impact.Along the lines of Paretos 80/20 rule, 20 percent of your actions typically generate 80 percent of your impact at work. Think about the parts of your job that have the greatest potential to positively impact your companys bottom line, and then consider how you could optimize the time you spend working. For some people, spending a few minutes with their manager every morning brings focus and momentum to the rest of their day. Others might find that coming in 30 minutes earlier allows them uninterrupted time to catch up and meet deadlines with less stress.Ask for support.Sure, your goal sheet belongs to you. That does not mean that you must accomplish all those goals on your own We all grow and develop in contact with (and with the help of) other professionals, so speak up when you need support. The right me ntor or coach can help you shorten the learning curve or find a different way to approach a tough puzzle. This is particularly important if you find that your daily tasks bear no resemblance to the formal performance review goals you chose at the start of the year. Set yourself up for success by getting realigned sooner rather than later. RelatedHow to Get the Most out of a Mentor at Work Become a model for constructive feedback.Some of us have the benefit of working with supervisors and managers who are great at providing timely and actionable feedback with a pretty bow on top. Others must deal with feedback delivery that is less than optimal. Regardless, it is within your power to step up and model the way. Begin by asking your boss simple questions during your performance review. What is working? What is not working? What can be done? Then, step back and listen.Thank your boss for providing feedback positive or negative.An immediate emotional reaction to a critical piece of feed back is perfectly normal, but expressing it may not serve you. The next time someone offers you feedback, resist the temptation to explain yourself or get defensive simply say thank you for the input instead. This is not as easy as it sounds, but it has the potential to change your professional life. Every piece if feedback is valuable. Some pieces just take longer to process.Professional growth does not just happen in the annual performance review. Sure, the meeting is a great checkpoint and opportunity to measure progress, but the best way to ace your performance review is to ask for and receive feedback frequently.Finally, dont let your supervisor get away with some lazy take on Just keep doing what you are doing or vague feedback. You should never have to guess what your supervisor thinks about your work performance. Insist on clarity because that is the only path to consistent professional growth.Make sure your resume is in line with your performance. Take advantage of our fre e resume review todayRecommended ReadingThe One Thing Successful People Do to Get AheadHow to Ask for a Raise And Get ItWhat to Do If Your Boss Is Making Your Life MiserableRelated Articles