Jobseekers in their 30s and 40s have begun slimming down their resumes to reflect only the past 10 years of experience and limiting their public work history on LinkedIn and professional websites, according to Business Insider.
Online resume advice gurus are also encouraging middle-aged jobseekers to hide clues that could give away their age. It can be tricky when many companies require applicants to share their college graduation year, but it has become a survival tactic for mid-career employees trying to avoid appearing too inexperienced or too experienced.
Even the AARP recommends “age-proofing” your resume. They also suggest focusing on the past 10 years of your career and getting rid of signs that inadvertently reveal one’s age like an @aol.com or @yahoo.com email addresses.
About 90% of workers over 40 say they’ve experienced ageism, according to a 2024 survey by Resume Now. Research shows that AI can exacerbate discrimination on the basis of race and gender in the hiring process, and hiring platform Workday is being sued for its screening technology that allegedly discriminates against candidates by age. The company has repeatedly denied the allegations.
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