Lots of experience and not sure where to start? Strategy key to competing in today’s job market

Dear Sam: I am a 53 year-old graphic designer, recently laid-off from a printing company for which I had worked many years. The company is experiencing serious financial decline and I do not expect to be called back. I saw the "writing on the wall" and began my job search several months ago. I have applied for a number of jobs which I was very well qualified for, but was not called for interviews. I suspect that my age is an issue in a market that loves young designers. Now I find myself facing two dilemmas which I am unsure how to address to prospective employers: my laid-off status and my age.

What is the appropriate way to address the issue of being laid-off? My résumé will reflect an end to my position and I feel the need to explain this in my letter. I don't want to come off as desperate, and therefore willing to accept a lower salary, and I also don't want employers to assume that I was fired or quit. And with regard to the age issue, I have been advised by others to simply leave dates off the résumé, or to eliminate job listings from early in my career which date me. I do not feel comfortable doing this, and think it only sends a "cover-up" message to an employer.

Sam, what advice can you give on both of these issues? I read your column regularly and appreciate your comments. Any advice would be most welcome. - Patricia

Dear Patricia: I’m sorry to hear that, from looking at your résumé I can see you spent the past 17 years with that employer, so I know this is a strange and unfamiliar territory you are now entering.

You do not need to mention your layoff, but if you are wedded to doing so, place a note in the cover letter and not on the résumé. As you worked for a printing company, the assumption is actually going to be that you were laid off simply due to the migration from print to online. Don’t focus on this; instead focus your efforts on differentiating your candidacy by highlighting the areas in which you have contributed value, driven by your experience, exposure to the industry, and ongoing development in the field.

There are also a multitude of options you can exercise to avoid aging your candidacy. By following these guidelines you are not sending a “cover up” message as you feared, instead presenting the information a hiring manger wants to know without disqualifying yourself along the way. It is not a good idea to omit all dates on your résumé, most of the time this presents a picture worse than reality and presents an unpolished image to the reader. It is a good idea however to omit earlier experiences that do little to add value, and instead serve to detract from your candidacy because they age your experience. Let me cover some general information that will help you position yourself as a competitive player.

Include only the relevant amount of experience: When reviewing your career, remember hiring managers are much more interested in what you have done recently, so including experience back to 1977 (30 years ago) will likely do more harm than good. Be sure to focus on the last 10-15 or so years of your career, particularly if you are applying for a position that does not necessitate more experience. What I would prefer to see on your résumé is the past 17 years of experience much more fully developed. You have zero accomplishments highlighted and instead focus on daily responsibilities. How is it possible the last 17 years of your career can be summarized in less than 100 words? I am certain you provided much more value than what 95 words can communicate. Fully develop this section, making sure you are presenting your accomplishments prominently. A hiring manger wants to hire someone who can add value to their organization, someone who does more than just their job, so communicating you are proven to do just this will go a long way in differentiating your candidacy from a younger competitor.

Don't date your education if it ages you: You received your degree in 1976 which allows the hiring manager to figure out your age, not a good thing when you have already noted you are competing in a market that loves young designers. As a side note, I work with a lot of clients that do not have a degree and make the mistake of placing high school information or partially completed degree programs on their résumé. Typically this information does nothing but detract from someone's candidacy while reinforcing the lack of a degree. If the degree program you pursued but didn't complete enhances your candidacy, meaning that it is in line with your current pursuits and a required qualification for most of the positions to which you are applying, then including the program despite not completing it is likely going to enhance your candidacy. If this is not the case however, omit the education section entirely so as to not focus on this area.

Include training and current skills: Another vitally important component of a résumé for a seasoned professional is a training section. This tells the reader that despite being in the workforce and possibly the same type of position for 20+ years, you have continued to develop yourself professionally. For you, it is imperative you pay particular attention to communicating you have current technical skills. To do this, be sure to note the versions of all the graphics and page layout applications with which you are familiar, as long as they are the most current versions.

Update jargon and outdated job titles: You will also want to make sure the jargon used within your résumé is up-to-date with today's vernacular. Antiquated terms and job titles can serve to immediately age a candidate. Be sure your résumé speaks the language of today's hiring manager, eliminating terms that have become obsolete. Review your job titles to be sure they are not detracting from your candidacy, modifying if necessary. I have worked with clients who list titles such as "Secretary" which is more commonly referred to as "Administrative Assistant" in today’s market.

Communicate your compensation requirements: Another problem for senior professionals is that hiring managers often assume you are going to be seeking higher compensation than less seasoned professionals. If this is not the case you may want to address this in your cover letter to attempt to curtail this thought.

I hope this helps shed some light on what you need to do to present a competitive image to today’s hiring managers. To be effective, a résumé cannot solely be a narrative of your career, instead it has to be created as a strategic marketing tool targeting the desired audience and packaging the product (you!) competitively.

Samantha Nolan is a certified professional résumé writer and owner of Ladybug Design, a full-service résumé writing firm.

Reach Samantha at dearsam@ladybug-design.com, www.ladybug-design.com, or 1-888-9-LADYBUG (1-888-952-3928).