The statistics about the numbers of Americans who are aging and approaching retirement are no secret – we have been reading about them for years now. The latest government survey tells us that by the year 2030, 20% of the population in this country will be over 65 years of age – which accounts for a whopping 72 million Americans!
Some sobering statistics about all these folks:
- By the year 2030, 20% of the population in this country will be over 65 years of age
- Approximately 75% of Americans approaching retirement age in 2012 had only $30,000 in a retirement account
- .According to a study by Fidelity, a 65-year-old couple needs $220,000 to pay for health care costs in retirement
In order to survive financially, more Americans than ever before are working and seeking employment at more advanced ages. While the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) forbids discrimination against people who are 40 or older, it’s difficult to know, for example, if your resume was tossed aside without even giving you the chance at an interview because you were perceived as “too old.”
There are some suggestions that employment experts have for structuring your resume in a way that might give you a better chance of at least landing an interview. Here are some of the tips we like:
- Even if you have 40 or 45 years of work experience, try to focus on the most recent (or relevant) 15-20 years.
- Experts disagree over whether or not to reveal the age that you graduated from college – those in favor of fudging the dates say that a graduation date from 40 years ago is a turn-off to some employers, while those in favor of being forthright believe that being perceived as deceitful is too much of a negative to risk.
- Your resume is not an opportunity to tell your life story, so keep it relevant, to the point and focus on your major strengths and achievements that you believe will add to the company’s growth or bottom line.
Let’s face it – your age is going to be revealed at some point in the process – you just want to be sure to get a fair shot at the position.
If you truly believe that you have been discriminated against solely because of your age, you may indeed have the law on your side, so it is worth a consultation with a lawyer.
