Your Resume and Age: Five Tips From Ask Margaret

Do employers ever discriminate based on age? Since it's illegal to discriminat based on age and gender and race and religion, I would love to tell you "No, employers never do this." But I would be lying. And if you had a chance to read my last post, you know that I believe that telling the truth is important.

What if your 29th birthday is nothing but a tiny little dot in the rear view mirror?

Here are five quick tips:

• You really only need to include the last ten years on your resume.
• If you have been with your current company for more than ten years and you are making a switch, you can reference your last ten years of experience at the company. Of course you can include more if it makes for a more natural progression.
• You do not have to list the year you received your degree on your resume. It is enough to show where you went to school and include your degree.
• The same holds true for professional designations or certifications, you want to tell WHAT they are, but you do not have to tell WHEN you earned them.
• Do not include your high school on your resume.

The truth is that no matter how old or young you are, you do not need to show ALL of your experience. The purpose of your resume is to illustrate why you are the right candidate for the current position. If your resume is too long, it WILL be tossed aside.

During the course of a phone interview, you may be asked questions which seem to be geared toward finding out your age. I am not a lawyer so I am putting the legal implications of this aside. You have a decision to make. You can evade the questions, ask the interviewer why they want to know or simply provide an answer. Think about it, if you become upset and confrontional with them, you are really unlikely to move forward in the interview process. If they are not going to hire you because of your age (again remember I am not issuing legal advice) it is best to just move on.

When you meet in person dress appropriately for the position and for your age. I mean - please do not try to dress like you are 29, it only makes it obvious that you are not. What about hair color, botox etc.? These are all personal decisions. A little bit does go a long way. If you opt to color your gray, consider having it done professionally or by a trusted friend with a good eye. Try not to do anything too radical just before your interview. If you feel uncomfortable with your new hair or new forehead or new lips, your discomfort will become apparent.

When I hired contract project managers for my team, I liked to hire people who had experience and plenty of it. I did not select based on age, but rather based on what a person could contribute and how I thought they would fit in. I frequently hired people well OVER 29.

Your age and experience are not always a liability. Be smart and do not give anyone the opportunity to discriminate.

Maybe next time we should talk about what to do when you are worried that being UNDER 29 is being held against you. That happens too, you know.

Until then, wishing you peace at work and remember you may send your questions to Ask@MargaretMeloni.com. If you prefer to remain anonymous that's OK. I will not publish your name (although that might be a shame, because I think others will appreciate your question).