Is ageism undermining your job search? Here's how to age-proof your CV

According to a YouGov poll of more than 1,100 employees over the age of 50 commissioned by the Centre for Ageing Better, 14% of those surveyed believe they have been turned down for a job due to their age, and nearly one in five (18%) have chosen not to disclose their age in job applications, or at least considered doing so. In addition, nearly half (46%) think their age would put them at a disadvantage when competing with younger employees for work.

While provisions in the Equality Act 2010 make it illegal to discriminate against a candidate based on their age, the reality is that ageism in the workplace is rife in the UK. Although I can't offer a magic solution to change the population's negative attitudes towards ageing, I can offer some tips to help you "age proof" your CV and remain competitive in today's job market.

Streamline your CV to a proper page length

While there are some exceptions, a two-page CV is the ideal length for most professionals – even those with a decade or more of experience. After all, when you have mere seconds for your CV to impress employers, there's no point in writing a lengthy document with loads of detail. To achieve this two-page CV length, reduce jobs older than 15 years or so to the bare essentials: your job title, the organisation's name and its location. You don't need to include your dates of employment. If a role falls outside of the 15-year window and is not compelling, you can remove it completely, even if it's relevant.

Reframe your CV with your current goals in mind

Think of your CV as a marketing document, curated to highlight the most relevant and recent parts of your employment history to show employers you're qualified to do the job they're hiring for. There is no need to document your entire work history within your CV. Instead, re-evaluate your CV with your current job goals in mind. Identify which bits of your employment history, training and professional development activities are most relevant and should take centre stage, and which are no longer important and should be reduced or eliminated from the document altogether. If you're unsure what to cut or showcase in your CV, don't be afraid to ask for help.

Become better acquainted with LinkedIn

If you've resisted the urge to use LinkedIn in the past, now is the time to reconsider your position. A study by Jobvite found that over 90% of recruiters use LinkedIn as part of their recruitment process. If you don't have a robust profile on LinkedIn, you're missing out on loads of job listings and valuable networking opportunities. Click on the following link to learn how to write the perfect LinkedIn profile for your job search.

Have your CV reviewed by a professional

From using an antiquated CV format to failing to incorporate the right keywords, there are many ways your CV could unintentionally be undermining your job-search efforts. If you're unsure of what belongs on your CV, or you don't have the time to write it yourself, consider outsourcing the task to a trained professional. Specialists such as TopCV offer everything from free reviews to professional CV writing services.

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