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Quiz: Do You Know How to Age-Proof Your Resume?

Learn from hiring experts how to avoid exposing yourself to age bias

Kenneth Terrell,

AARP

En español

Published February 10, 2021

7 Questions

618a5e57-62e2-49e5-a64a-18d03253e7f1

Quiz: Do You Know How to Age-Proof Your Resume?

[ {
 "question" : "When writing your resume or filling out an application, you should:\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "List every job you’ve ever had. Experience matters!",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "List only your current and previous job. Anything before those isn’t relevant.",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Stick to what you did in the past 10–15 years. That shows enough of what you can do now",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "While you may have decades of experience, employers want to know what you’ve been doing recently and how you can help their business achieve its goals. They’re probably not too interested in what you accomplished more than 15 years ago.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "You should leave the graduation dates off your degrees, certificates and diplomas.\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "No. It’s information recruiters need so they can verify you graduated.",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Yes. All that’s matters is you have a degree, not when you got it.",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "Maybe. It depends on whether it’s high school, college, or a graduate degree.",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "Graduation dates are one of the main tip-offs to how old you might be, so you should keep that information off your resume and applications.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "How many pages should you limit your resume to?\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "One",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Two",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "Three",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "As many as it takes to show off your experience",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "Your experience probably can’t be contained to just one page, but two should be enough to let employers know what you have done without making them wonder exactly how old you might be. Focus on your recent experience and why it matches what the employer needs.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "You should include your personal cellphone number on your resume or application.\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "Yes. The employer wants to be able to reach you as soon as they are interested.",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "No. A landline phone number shows you are a serious professional.",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Maybe. You should just provide whichever number is the best way to catch you.",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "The older a person is, the less likely they are to use a mobile phone, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. That means if your resume or application doesn’t include a cellphone number, employers might suspect that you’re older. Make sure your cellphone number is part of your contact information.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "True or false: Your email account could be a giveaway to how old you are.\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "True",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "False",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "If you have an email account from America Online or another older service, you should consider setting up a free Gmail account to use for your applications and resumes. Recruiters are trained to notice details, and an older email address will make them think about your age.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "You should customize your resume and application for each specific job opening.\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "Yes. You want to show why you’re the best fit for that particular job.",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "No. Changing your resume for each application is dishonest.",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Maybe. You should do it only if you’re making a career switch.",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "Small tweaks can make a big difference. Before you submit an online application, reevaluate your resume based on the job posting. Then customize your resume so it clearly shows your qualifications for this specific role.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
 "question" : "The best social media network for connecting with recruiters and employers is:\n",
 "answers" : [ {
 "answer" : "Facebook",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "Twitter",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 }, {
 "answer" : "LinkedIn",
 "correctAnswer" : true
 }, {
 "answer" : "Instagram",
 "correctAnswer" : false
 } ],
 "multiSelect" : false,
 "explanation" : "While you can find out about job openings on each of these sites, LinkedIn is the place where recruiters go to find candidates they might want to hire. Make sure you have a profile there and that it is up-to-date.\n",
 "hint" : "",
 "hintLink" : "",
 "questionImgCaption" : "",
 "questionImgCredit" : ""
} ]

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Kenneth Terrell covers employment, age discrimination, work and jobs, careers, and the federal government for AARP. He previously worked for the Education Writers Association and U.S. News & World Report, where he reported on government and politics, business, education, science and technology, and lifestyle news.