Age should never be a barrier to career progression. But unconscious bias, rapid changes in technology and evolving hiring trends have unfortunately made it increasingly challenging for mature professionals, particularly those over 50, to be considered for new roles.

Thankfully, all is not lost. Rather than admitting defeat, you can overcome these potential obstructions to the next step in your career by leveraging your CV. Regardless of the industry or sector, experience matters and there are ways to make this simple document effectively communicate your value, skills and knowledge, without letting your age become the primary focus.

So whether you’re making your first draft or modernising an existing document, here are some useful updates you can make to start age-proofing your CV.
 

Remove hints to your age

In the UK, you are not required to disclose your age on your CV when applying for a role and often it is discouraged. But many mature professionals make the mistake of including information, often unknowingly, that gives away how old they are. This can unfortunately increase the likelihood of age bias taking place and them being overlooked.

So your first port of call should be to remove any age-revealing hints from your CV. While excluding your date of birth is obvious, here are some other examples of common indicators on your CV that could be working against you:

• Graduation dates from school, college and university
• Start and end dates of previous roles
• Qualifications for certain skills or technology that may be outdated or no longer used.

You should also be reconsidering the use of certain phrases, such as “over 30 years of experience” or “long-term experience” in your CV. While these phrases are intended to highlight your extensive career experience, they can unintentionally signal your age.

Instead you should emphasize your achievements, skills and results which can create

While intended to highlight your extensive background, these expressions can unintentionally signal your age, which may lead to unconscious bias in the hiring process. Instead, focus on emphasizing your specific achievements, skills, and outcomes, which provide a clearer and more compelling picture of your qualifications without drawing attention to the number of years you’ve been in the workforce. Framing your experience in terms of relevance and results rather than duration can help maintain a more age-neutral and strategic presentation of your professional background.

Focus on the Last 10–15 Years

While it might be tempting to list every single qualification, skill and experience you’ve gained during your long and interesting career, it’s vital that you keep your CV brief. Ideally, it should be no more than two A4 pages. This will not only make it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to read, but also helps you keep your CV more concise and focused.

Instead of detailing your entire career history, prioritise your most recent and relevant experience from the past 10-15 years. Use the job description for the role you want to apply for to help you narrow down which of your skills and qualifications to include from this time period.

Any relevant experience you might have that goes beyond 15 years can be grouped together and summarised in a single paragraph, with the header “Earlier Experience”.  Remember to not include dates. If your skills and experience from this time period are unrelated to your current career goals, don’t include them.

Rethink your language

The language you use in your CV is vitally important because using outdated terminology and jargon can be a clear indicator that you are a more mature candidate. So do your research and find out which keywords are being currently being used within your industry. One of the easiest ways to do this is by looking at job adverts to see what terminology and jargon organisations are using and try to include these within your CV.  

You also shouldn’t include basic skills, such as Microsoft Word or Outlook. The only reason you would need to include these is if these particular skills are required or expected within your industry at an advanced level.

Another way that your language can give you away is by using it retrospectively. Describing yourself as a “seasoned executive with over 30 years of experience…” indicates that you’re looking backwards, instead of positioning yourself as forward thinking. Instead, try something like “Strategic executive, recognised for spearheading transformations and leading high-performing teams in digitally driven markets.”

Showcase Your Adaptability

One of the biggest stereotypes about mature professionals is that they are resistant to change. Updating and modernising your CV provides you with an opportunity to prove this idea wrong.

Highlight your professional achievements and give examples of how you’ve adapted to new changes or handled unforeseen challenges in the workplace. You could even share examples of positive outcomes that have come from you adapting to a new technology or process.

You can include information about current technology or remote collaboration tools you’ve mastered or highlight any transferable skills you have that might demonstrate your versatility in different contexts, such as problem solving or project management. Another option is to mention times where you’ve led or championed transformation initiatives.

Finally, if you’ve been trying to upskill, remember to include this on your CV too. Whether you’re attending a course, working towards a certification, receiving mentoring or getting on-the-job training, you can include this information in a short personal development section.

Don’t forget about your hobbies and interests

Including a hobbies and interests’ section on your CV might not seem like it should be a priority. But in fact, showcasing what you are passionate about can work in your favour, particularly if they are current and relevant to the role you’re applying for.

Firstly, it can help to highlight some of the transferable skills you possess that will enable you to excel in potential roles. Most hobbies require soft skills, such as leadership, problem-solving, communication, creativity, as well as hard skills such as programming, writing, language and planning. Your hobbies and interests can also showcase your values and personality traits, which can make it easier to envision you within a company culture and team.

A good rule of thumb is to consider hobbies as the things you do for fun, whereas interests are topics that you’d like to learn more about. Position this section at the very bottom of your CV and keep it short and concise. Also, refrain from listing anything that might be considered outdated, such as CD or coin collecting, as naturally this can signal that you’re part of an older age group.

Even though mature professionals face unique challenges when searching for new roles, their age shouldn’t be one of them. Your experience, knowledge and skillsets are an asset, and you still hold a lot of value in the modern workplace. Age-proofing your CV is just a way of reflecting your strengths, skills and potential, without making your age the focal point.

By following our advice and investing time in refreshing your CV, you will be well-positioned to continue confidently taking the next step in your career, what ever that may look like.

For additional support in your job search, you can read our age bias guide here or get in touch with the team for further guidance.