Job hunting is tough right now for even the youngest, most ambitious job seeker. But it’s particularly tricky for seniors. Ian Fraser of Seniors at Work shares his tips for making senior CVs stand out.
The unemployment rate is up and so is the cost of living. As a result, more people are on the hunt for work, including more mature workers who may be keen to get their mortgage paid off, or just need to top up the coffers for everyday living expenses.
The unemployment rate for those aged 55 plus has increased to 2.8 percent in the June quarter this year, from 1.9 percent a year earlier. That equates to a total of 20,300 over 55s unemployed, an increase of 6,400.
Seniors at Work founder Ian Fraser started the job site five years ago after struggling to find work himself as a mature job seeker.
He says it’s worth investing in getting your CV right, particularly in this environment.
“We’ve had 25 to 30 percent more people contacting me in the last six to nine months than would traditionally be the case. So it’s been a quantum leap in people struggling to find work and just wanting some advice and assistance.”
He says mature job seekers need to position themselves well to overcome any potential age bias and having a strong CV is part of this.
“Whether we like to admit it or not, it is harder for an older person. It simply is. I don’t think there is as much bias and discrimination as there used to be, but there is an unconscious bias – or can be.”
He suggests CVs and cover letters need to be “crisp, modern, up-to-date and look good” and recommends making a list of the transferable skills you’ve amassed over your career, things like communication skills or resolving conflict, that can be useful in many different workplaces. Use these where applicable in your CV and have them at your fingertips at interviews.
“Then just be in a positive frame of mind. And remind yourself of the skills you have got.”
Ian Fraser’s tips for creating a strong CV
- Find a good CV template to use, one that is in a modern format. CVs typically need to be uploaded or emailed, so you need a good digital format. The Careers website and Auckland Chamber of Commerce offer free templates.
- Keep it concise. Limit your work history to your most recent 10-12 years of experience.
- Use language that a young recruiter will relate to ie. talk about ‘formatting’ rather than ‘typed’.
- Keep your cover letter to one page – use bullet points to help get information like key attributes across in a concise way. The Careers website can help you draft this too.
- Tailor your cover letter (and CV if necessary) to each specific role.
- Use a positive tone and consider using a ‘functional CV’ style, which highlights your experience, knowledge, and key transferable skills, rather than just listing your experience in date order. You can find out more about functional CVs online.
- Don’t feel obligated to put in every date on things like your education history that may have taken place some time ago.
- If using a photo, make it recent, professional, and one that makes you look personable and energetic.
- Get someone younger to cast their eye over your CV and make suggestions before you finalise it.
- Email your CV to yourself or someone else to check that your CV formatting remains intact when you submit it.
Ian advises making sure you prepare fully for any interviews – including researching the employer and organisation. Have two or three pertinent questions up your sleeve to ask them. This could be about their diversity policy, retraining opportunities, or what flexibility of hours they would consider.
