877.258.3517 laura@anexpertresume.com
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • RSS
Executive Resume Writers: Executive Resume Writing Services | Top Executive Resume Writer
  • Home
  • Why Hire Laura?
  • Samples
    • CEO Resume (TORI Award Winner)
    • Healthcare CIO Resume
    • Global CEO Resume (TORI Award Winner)
    • CEO & M&A Executive Resume
    • VP Business Development Resume
    • LinkedIn Profile Example
    • Private Equity CFO Resume
    • CMO Resume (TORI Award Winner)
    • CTO Resume
    • CFO Resume (TORI Award Winner)
    • Global CFO Resume
    • Sample CEO Biography
    • Healthcare CEO & COO Resume
    • Board of Directors Resume
    • Networking Resume
    • IT Director Resume (TORI Award Winner)
    • CRO Resume (TORI Award Winner)
    • VP Medical Affairs Resume
    • Tech Sales Resume (TORI Award Winner)
    • Banking CEO Resume (TORI Winner)
    • Corporate HQ CFO Resume
    • Chief Medical Officer Resume (TORI Winner)
  • Services & Pricing
  • Media
  • Resume & LinkedIn Advice
  • Contact
Select Page

5 Tips for Preventing Age Bias in Your Executive Resume & LinkedIn Profile

by Laura Smith-Proulx | age discrimination, executive resume writing

avoid age bias in resume
‹ Previous
Should You Hire an Executive Resume Writer?
Next ›
Has LinkedIn Thrown a Wrench in Your Executive Job Search?

In the job market for an executive role? You may have encountered (or wondered about) potential age discrimination when putting yourself “out there” for an executive job search.

how to overcome age discrimination in your resumeYet, it’s possible that you’re actually CALLING attention to your age – more so that your leadership qualifications!

Focusing on your executive brand will make the biggest difference to employers.

This is particularly true if your career contains skills valued in today’s market, such as cost control, team leadership, fiscal stewardship, contract negotiations, and technology expertise.

Consider these 5 ways to get a better reception from employers – and create an “age-proof” executive resume and LinkedIn Profile:

 

1 – Use the summarization technique to display your past leadership roles.

Most executives have held increasingly challenging roles at Director, VP, or SVP levels in the past, with career histories extending past the 20-year (or 30-year) mark.

While the career progression itself is important, here’s what employers really want to know: How often have you been promoted? What type of team, country, or P&L authority did you hold? What results did you achieve – and how did these results magnify over time?

In this example of an international CEO and President resume, the main focus is on profit. With several infographics and charts, this executive’s personal brand message reflected strong cost and revenue improvements in every position.

At the end of the resume, however, earlier positions were shown with no dates—even though specific achievements were listed for these past roles. As a result, the candidate’s age is inferred, but not made obvious from the resume.

2 – Add earlier experience under the last job in your LinkedIn Profile.

While you may have taken steps to craft an executive resume that reflects your currency in the job market, how about your LinkedIn Profile?

The same way your leadership resume benefits from an age-positive strategy, you’ll need similar techniques on LinkedIn.

For example, your last job entry can contain several extra lines that spell out early-career work history:

** Additional Experience includes: Captain, U.S. Air Force: Promoted to high-ranking officer, based on ability to inspire leadership qualities, handle critical missions, and develop junior staff.

This technique allows you to benefit from the keyword hits on the previous positions (such as military experience, which is valued at many employers), without listing dates.

3 – Show your progression (important if your career was spent at a single employer).

Even if you’ve come through the ranks at a single employer for the past 20 to 30 years, hiring authorities are mostly interested in fresh, relevant experience.

Therefore, your last 3-5 positions at a VP, Director, or C-suite level should be highlighted as much as possible in your leadership resume – removing the focus from earlier roles.

This example of a CEO resume shows how to tell a story of progressive responsibility, even when 20+ years of experience are tied into a single employer.

Note that earlier, non-leadership roles are only evident from the overall date range, without details that would detract from the executive branding message.

4 – Be age-aware in crafting your Executive Summary.

A Professional Profile or Summary (on either your resume or LinkedIn Profile) must convey much more important details than years of experience.

Yet, many resumes tout “more than 20 years of experience” as a qualifier. DON’T resort to this technique!

Write your Summary with branded and power-packed language specific to the job you seek, rather than calling out your longevity, as in this example for a COO:

“Strategic & operational executive offering land development, real estate investment, master planning, and turnaround expertise. Negotiator and advisor to developments of significant environmental, community, and financial impact; accustomed to addressing Boards and stakeholders.”

5 – Maintain your focus on relevant facts, such as degrees (but not dates).

Even on your LinkedIn Profile, dates are not required for degree programs. (When entering your degree into LinkedIn, just skip the prompt to add dates of your attendance.)

In some fields such as engineering, degrees can be used to eliminate leadership candidates from consideration because the training is considered outdated.

If you’re unsure whether the graduation year on your resume and Profile is prompting age bias, try removing it – and note any differences in responses from employers.

 

Remember – employers are mostly focused on the need for adept leaders who can solve their business problems and maintain current knowledge.

For best results in your executive job search, showcase your ability to deliver results in times of mergers, industry changes, and cost-cutting (with less emphasis on the timing of your career milestones).


 
executive resume writer

Need a competitive edge in your job search? As an award-winning executive resume writer, I create branded, powerful resumes and LinkedIn Profiles that position you as the #1 candidate.


My clients win Board, leadership, and executive interviews at Fortune 500 firms including Citibank, Google, Disney, and Pfizer, plus niche companies, start-ups, and emerging industry leaders.

Get in touch with me to experience the outstanding results I can bring to your transition.

Was this helpful to your job search? Leave me a comment! Cancel reply

Among the World’s Top Credentialed Resume & LinkedIn Experts

executive resume writing

More Job Search Insights

  • 3 Easy Ways to Overcome the Challenge of Resume Writing
  • Give employers what they WANT on an executive resume
  • What Recruiters Really Think About Your Missing LinkedIn Photo
  • How to Make Your IT Director Resume Really Pop
  • Is Your Executive Resume Too Wordy?
  • Executive Resume Trends That Help You Stand Out

Featured in Global Media

executive resume writing

Globally Known Resume Writer Dedicated to Your Success

Laura Smith-Proulx

Get hired faster for an executive or Board seat.

I guarantee you'll benefit from the competitive edge I create in your job hunt. I specialize in RESULTS!


Laura Smith-Proulx

CCMC, CPRW, CPBA, TCCS, COPNS, CIC, CTTCC, NCOPE


Schedule a Strategy Call With Me

Join 12,759 other subscribers

A Top 100 Career Advice Website

Top Career Advice Websites
Forbes Coaches Council Member Laura Smith-Proulx
“I hired Laura after an exhaustive search to find the best resume writer… I could not have been happier with Laura’s attention to detail and the quality of her work.

She took the time to understand who I am, my accomplishments and what I contribute to an organization before beginning to write my resume.

Anyone can write down your work history, but Laura identifies who you are and your accomplishments in a unique way that truly gets attention.“

– Rob H., VP Global Business Services

Read Rob’s review on my LinkedIn Profile

 

ExecutiveResumeWritingClients
top executive resume writing services

About Me

Laura Smith-Proulx is a multiple award-winning, 11-time Certified Executive Resume Writer, Job Search Columnist, Author, LinkedIn expert, and former recruiter.

Contact

An Expert Resume
Denver, Colorado
720.507.3885
Laura@AnExpertResume.com

Menu

Home
Meet Laura
Resume Samples
Services & Pricing
Awards & Media
FAQs
Resume & LinkedIn Advice
Contact Laura

© 2021 An Expert Resume | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.