5 tips for adjusting your resume to fight ageism in the workplace

Published

2 years ago

September 29, 2023

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A recent study released by the Society for HR Management (SHRM) revealed research detailing the prevalence of age discrimination in the workplace and its impact on the U.S. workforce.

The research noted that 30% of U.S. workers say they have felt unfairly treated due to their age at some point in their career.

Of these workers, 72 percent say it even made them feel like quitting their job, the study results reveal.

The survey found that 26% of U.S. workers age 50 and older report theyve been a target of age-related remarks in the workplace, and among U.S. workers age 50 and older, one in 10 say theyve at some point felt less valuable at work compared to younger workers.

To combat age discrimination when applying for jobs, experts say it makes sense to review your resume so it doesnt typecast you as an applicant of a certain age, or a stereotyped skill set.

Human resource experts and job recruiters shared insights into items on your resume that could be showing your age which could, in turn, lead to age discrimination.

Here’s what to know.

For most jobs, you should only include your past 15 years of experience, noted Marc Cenedella, founder, Leet Resumes (leet.co) in New York.

“If you include anything beyond that, you put yourself at higher risk of age discrimination,” Cenedella told FOX Business.

He noted, “The hiring manager doesnt need to hear about your part-time fry cook job from when you were in high school.”

He also said, “If youre applying for jobs today, you should have enough skills and accomplishments to highlight during the past 15 years to impress the hiring manager.”

If youre using a Hotmail or AOL email address, Cenedella said youre telling the hiring manager you havent bothered to keep up with trends for two decades.

“Switch to a Gmail account or an email account connected to your own branded website,” he recommended.

If youre still using two spaces after a period, its time to say goodbye to that old typewriter-based convention, he said.

“While it may seem like a small thing to have an extra space, its like circling your age with a big red marker. It serves as a glaring indication that you havent kept up with writing and formatting expectations,” Cenedella told FOX Business.

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Graduation dates, especially from early education, can quickly allow for age calculations, said executive coach Jessica Hill Holm of Hill Holm Coaching & Consulting (hillholm.se).

She’s based in Sweden and works with clients across the U.S.

“The fix is to prioritize higher educational qualifications and achievements. Leave out the graduation dates, focusing instead on the institution and course of study,” she said.

If your resume is missing recent technology or tools, this may make you seem out of touch, said Holm.

“Emphasize your adeptness with current software, tools and programs. This showcases your readiness to tackle modern challenges head-on,” Holm told FOX Business.

Age is but a number, said Holm.

What truly counts as an applicant is the ability to deliver, adapt and grow.

“By refining your resume with these strategies, you’ll ensure that prospective employers witness your brilliance, unclouded by age-related biases,” she continued.

“Remember, your resume’s ultimate goal is to open doors to discussions so that your authenticity and competence can truly show.”

Politics

Why Boris’s best mate is off to Reform

Published

2 hours ago

July 10, 2025

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👉Listen to Politics at Sam and Anne’s on your podcast app👈       

Former Conservative chairman and friend of Boris Johnson – Sir Jake Berry – is defecting to Reform UK, causing more problems for Tory leader Kemi Badenoch.

On today’s episode, Sky News’ Sam Coates and Politico’s Anne McElvoy discuss if his defection will divide parts of Reform policy.

Elsewhere, the Anglo-French summit gets under way, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hoping to announce a migration deal with French President Emmanuel Macron to deter small boat crossings.

Plus, chatter around Whitehall that No10 are considering a pre-summer reshuffle, but will it have any value?

US

Donald Trump praises Liberian president’s English – the country’s official language

Published

2 hours ago

July 10, 2025

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Donald Trump praises Liberian president's English - the country's official language

Donald Trump has praised the Liberian president’s command of English – the West African country’s official language.

The US president reacted with visible surprise to Joseph Boakai’s English-speaking skills during a White House meeting with leaders from the region on Wednesday.

After the Liberian president finished his brief remarks, Mr Trump told him he speaks “such good English” and asked: “Where did you learn to speak so beautifully?”

Mr Trump seemed surprised when Mr Boakai laughed and responded he learned in Liberia.

The US president said: “It’s beautiful English.

“I have people at this table who can’t speak nearly as well.”

Mr Boakai did not tell Mr Trump that English is the official language of Liberia.

The country was founded in 1822 with the aim of relocating freed African slaves and freeborn black citizens from the US.

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Mr Trump promised the leaders of Liberia, Senegal, Gabon, Mauritania and Guinea-Bissau a pivot from aid to trade at the surprise meeting.

He described the countries as “all very vibrant places with very valuable land, great minerals, and great oil deposits, and wonderful people”.

Later asked by a reporter if he’ll visit the continent, Mr Trump said, “At some point, I would like to go to Africa.”

But he added that he’d “have to see what the schedule looks like”.

Trump’s predecessor, President Joe Biden, promised to go to Africa in 2023, but only fulfilled the commitment by visiting Angola in December 2024, just weeks before he left office.

US

Gaza permanent ceasefire ‘questionable’, says Israeli government

Published

2 hours ago

July 10, 2025

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Gaza permanent ceasefire 'questionable', says Israeli government

The Israeli government believes the chances of achieving a permanent ceasefire in Gaza are “questionable”.

The pessimistic assessment, in a top-level Israeli government briefing given to Sky News, comes as the Israeli Prime Minister prepares to leave Washington DC after a four-day visit which had begun with the expectation of a ceasefire announcement.

Benjamin Netanyahu will leave the US later today with the prospect of even a temporary 60-day ceasefire looking extremely unlikely this week.

Within “a week, two weeks – not a day” is how it was framed in the background briefing late on Wednesday.

Crucially, though, on the chances of the ceasefire lasting beyond 60 days, the framing from the briefing was even less optimistic: “We will begin negotiations on a permanent settlement. But we achieve it? It’s questionable, but Hamas will not be there.”

Sky News has spoken to several Israeli officials at the top level of the government. None will be drawn on any of the details of the negotiations over concerns that public disclosure could jeopardise their chances of success.

But I have been given a very clear understanding of Mr Netanyahu’s thinking.

The Israeli position is that a permanent ceasefire (beyond the initial 60 days, which itself is yet to be agreed) is only possible if Hamas lays down its arms. “If they don’t, we’ll proceed [with the war],” said a source.

The major sticking point in the talks between Hamas and Israel is the status of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) inside Gaza during the 60-day ceasefire and beyond, should it last longer.

The latest Israeli proposal, passed to Hamas last week, included a map showing the proposed IDF presence inside Gaza during the ceasefire.

This was rejected by Hamas and by Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, who reportedly told the Israelis that the redeployment map “looks like a Smotrich plan”, a reference to the extreme-right Israeli finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich.

My briefing of Mr Netanyahu’s position is that he has not shifted in terms of Israel’s central stated war aims. The return of the hostages and eliminating Hamas are the key objectives.

But in a hint of how hard it will be to reconcile the differences, it was clear from my briefing that no permanent ceasefire is possible in the Israeli government’s view without the complete removal of Hamas as a political and military entity.

Hamas is not likely to negotiate its way to oblivion.

On the status of the Israeli military inside Gaza, a senior Israeli official told Sky News: “We would want IDF in every square metre of Gaza, and then hand it over to someone.”

It was clear to me that Mr Netanyahu wants his stated position to be that his government has no territorial ambition for Gaza.

One quote to come from my briefing, which I am only able to attribute to a senior Israeli official, says: “[We] don’t want to govern Gaza… don’t want to govern, but the first thing is, you have to defeat Hamas.”

Another clear indication of Mr Netanyahu’s position – a quote from the briefing, attributable only to a senior Israeli official: “You cannot have victory if you don’t clear out all the fighting forces.

“You have to go into every square inch unless you are not serious about victory. I am. We are going to defeat them. Those who do not disarm will die. Those who disarm will have a life.”

On the future of Gaza, it’s clear from my briefings that Mr Netanyahu continues to rule out the possibility of a two-state solution “for the foreseeable future”.

The Israeli government assessment is that the Palestinians are not going to have a state “as long as they cling to that idea of destroying our state”.

On the most controversial aspect of the Gaza conflict – the movement of the population – the briefing revealed that Mr Netanyahu’s view is that 60% of Palestinians would “choose to leave” but that Israel would allow them to return once Hamas had been eliminated.

“It’s not forcible eviction, it’s not permanent eviction,” a senior Israeli official said.

Critics of Israel’s war in Gaza say that any removal of Palestinians from Gaza, even if given the appearance of being “voluntary”, is in fact anything but, because the strip has been so comprehensively flattened.

Reacting to Israeli Defence Minister Katz’s recent statement revealing a plan to move Palestinians into a “humanitarian city” in southern Gaza, and not let them out of that area, the official wouldn’t be drawn, except to say: “As a permanent arrangement? Of course not.”