Most age discrimination happens before you ever get a phone call. A hiring manager sees a resume with 30 years of experience and makes a decision in seconds. The good news: you can reshape what they see before that snap judgment forms.
Start with your resume. List only your last 15 years of experience. Remove graduation years and early-career jobs from before 2010. Replace an email address ending in AOL or Hotmail with a Gmail account. These are not dishonest edits. They are noise reduction. You want hiring managers focused on your results, not your decade.
On LinkedIn, your profile photo matters more than most people realize. A clear, current headshot taken in good light sends the signal that you are active, engaged, and present. Profiles without photos, or with photos that look dated, get skipped at a higher rate. While you are at it, set your “Career Break” or most recent role end date and add a current headline that says what you do, not “Open to Work.”
Finally, target companies that have signed the AARP Employer Pledge. These organizations have publicly committed to fair hiring practices regardless of age. You can search the full list at aarp.org/work/employer-pledge. It is not a guarantee, but it tilts the odds toward a fairer process. Start your search where the welcome mat is already out.
Stay Connected with Empower Over 50:
- Free Resources: https://bit.ly/free_tools_resources
- Explore over 20 free PDF guides and a free self-assessment tool.
- The Reinvention Guide: https://bit.ly/free_tools_resources
- Join the Community: bit.ly/e50-community
- Our message board is a place to get involved, share what you are navigating, and learn from others doing the same.
- Our Free Tools & Resources: https://bit.ly/free_tools_resources
- Follow us on LinkedIn: bit.ly/e50-linkedin
- Subscribe to our Newsletter: bit.ly/e50-news