Resumes for an Ageing Job Market

People aged 50 years and over in Australia are the fastest growing demographic. The Australian Bureau of Statistics indicates that between 2011 and 2020 the number of persons aged over 50 years will increase by 22%. By 2050 this number will have increased by 80% in comparison with just 35% for people aged 18 to 49. This trend in the demographic presents significant challenges for the job market as the population ages and moves with it the available skills and knowledge. Many industries currently face a skill shortage as opposed to labour shortage.

Possessing the right skills does not guarantee individual employment. Many of the jobseekers that fit within this demographic have held positions for long periods of time, being constantly engaged through word-of-mouth opportunities and may never have written a resume. In a report commissioned by the National Centre for Ageing Project, mature job seekers faced two major challenges. This included negative stereotypes towards mature workers and the perception that a mature worker is more likely to retire or quit. There are a number of strategies that mature aged jobseekers can present in a resume that will maximise opportunities for success and clearly place themselves as candidates for employment.

Skills Based Resume: Any job seeker at any age should put forward their skills that match the position or career they are targeting. This is more important for mature aged workers where extensive experience and skill will make them more competitive. Incorporating a transferable or skills summary at the beginning of a resume that highlights key areas of experience and capability is the first thing an employer reads. This will create a lasting impression for a potential employer and reinforce the potential benefits of employing an individual with extensive experience and capability.

Personal Indicators: Many mature aged jobseekers have been employed within a period where a job was for life. Ironically this level of commitment is not matched with a volatile financial and business market. Many mature aged jobseekers are currently seeking employment as a direct result of redundancies from long-term positions. However, this level of commitment and proven reliability can be an advantage for potential employers. Jobseekers can highlight a proven reliability and commitment over a long period of time. Maintaining this employment also indicates that an employee possesses both the professional and technical qualities important to an employer.

Selected Professional Development: Long and complicated lists of competencies achieved or professional development undertaken over 30 years of employment can significantly increase the size of a resume. Consider the important professional development undertaken relevant to the position applied for and include a selected list. This list may change depending on the position applied for and should be adjusted on a regular basis.

Focus on the last five years: An employer is most interested in the last five years of employment. Mature aged jobseekers often have a career history spanning more than 30 years. In this situation it is important to clearly explain the most recent positions in more detail. However, career progression can be demonstrated by including lists of positions undertaken from initial employment often in skilled or trade related positions through to current supervisory or management roles.

Case Study: A recent client was seeking to prepare a resume after being made redundant with more than 30 years experience with the one employer. In this situation the job seeker had an extensive employment history and long list of professional development. Employment was being sought within the retail trade area as a supervisor. This was a significant shift from the original career pathway within a Government owned entity. In this situation it was important to:

Reduce the number of courses presentedHighlight recent employment that matched the position applied forCarefully select duties and responsibilities that indicated technical capability yet reflected transferable skillsPrepare a skills summary at the beginning of the resume matched to career directionDevelop a cover letter that drew out the benefits of this career for a new employer

This process created a strong link between the existing career and transferable skills to a new employer. Through this process potential employers develop an understanding of the potential skills and capability available through the job seeker.

With an aging population and a growing skill shortage the importance of mature aged workers within industry is essential. The development of a skills base is the focus of an employer along with an important component to building a new generation of skilled workers. Creating and maintaining a professional and focused resume places a job seeker in a position to become a valuable member of this process.

John Matthews from The Writing Wizards has more than 10 years experience in providing direct assistance, coaching and preparation of professional material for jobseekers. This includes a comprehensive approach to preparing professional resumes, Government applications and interview coaching. With a background in Government and a successful record in achieving results for clients, John Matthews continues to demonstrate an intimate knowledge of the job market and processes.

You can download a full list of tips and get other useful information from The Writing Wizards page http://www.writingwizards.com.au/