By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
👉 10 Mistakes Making You Look “Too Old” to Hire
Let’s get the obvious out of the way: age discrimination exists. Employers sometimes judge candidates unfairly based on stereotypes about older workers—too slow, too expensive, too stuck in their ways. But here’s the tough truth: many job seekers over 40 (and certainly over 50) make unforced errors that reinforce those stereotypes.
You can’t control bias completely, but you can control how you present yourself. If you’re not getting hired, it may not just be ageism—it may be because you’re doing these 10 things wrong.
10 Common Mistakes Older Job Seekers Make
- Using an Outdated Resume Format
If your resume looks like it’s from 1998—with objectives, multiple pages of jobs, or no white space—you’re making yourself look dated before anyone reads your experience. - Listing Every Job You’ve Ever Had
No one needs to know about your first job in the Reagan administration. Stick to the past 15–20 years. - Highlighting Irrelevant Tech
Including COBOL, Lotus Notes, or outdated software makes you look stuck in time. Show current tools and platforms. - Weak LinkedIn Presence
An incomplete, inactive LinkedIn profile screams “not current.” Employers check it before they ever call you. - No Online Presence at All
If they Google you and find nothing, you look invisible—or worse, like you have something to hide. - Relying on Job Boards Alone
Endlessly applying online won’t cut it. Networking is where most jobs get filled—especially at higher levels. - Talking About “Back in My Day”
Stories about “how we used to do things” won’t land well. Focus on current challenges and how you solve them. - Downplaying Tech Skills
If you avoid learning new tools (AI, collaboration platforms, CRM systems), you reinforce the stereotype of being behind. - Applying Without Tailoring
Shotgunning resumes without customizing for each role wastes your time—and signals laziness to recruiters. - Projecting Desperation
Employers pick up on it. Confidence sells; desperation repels.
The Bottom Line
Yes, bias is real. But blaming everything on age discrimination is an excuse that won’t get you hired. Clean up your resume, modernize your approach, sharpen your LinkedIn presence, and prove you’re current. Then you’ll find that the “age issue” isn’t nearly as big a barrier as you thought.
Ⓒ The Big Game Hunter, Inc., Asheville, NC 2025
What Recruiters Know That You Don’t: They Aren’t Watching All Those Screening Videos
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
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Should I Connect With People on LinkedIn Who Rejected Me for a Job?
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