Ageless Resume | Negative Stereotypes
You have 35 years of work experience?
That is priceless. I am sure you are proud of your achievements and your impressive work experience. It is perfectly OK to be proud, but when you are writing a resume you should not stress this. You must be wondering why you should intentionally omit something so impressive and potentially beneficial to employers. I admit, it is confusingly illogical.
The problem with work experience, or with age is a “negative” stereotype that you are expensive to hire. I know that reality is a little different. You do not have to worry about schooling your kids and you already have a place you call home. Youth is overrated today. But I guess it is the result of market laws transfered to our social shpere. Youth is less available to us. Once it is gone nobody can bring it back. I am talking too much. My point is that not many people are young, there are more people like you.
Still, there are couple of stereotypes you need to face.
The first stereotype: you are expensive. Your resume is a ticket to a job interview. Employers will not call you if they feel a bit intimidated with your overwhelming work experience. Once you are in, you can handle it. If you are indeed expensive, show them you are worth every cent.
The second stereotype: you are not technology savvy. If that is true, by all means get into some programme, learn everything, work day and night. There is just no excuse for not knowing your software. If you are into computers, study some specific software, something less common, to stand out among your competitors.
The third stereotype: you lack enthusiasm and energy, you are not hungry for money or success. I know, this is ridiculous, but that is true for every stereotype. No generalization has ever been known to bring anything but misery.
Stay tuned. In the next episode we will beat the forces of evil stereotypes.
