Should You Put Your Age on Your Resume? Age and Resume Best Practices
The short answer: No, you should not put your age on your resume in the United States. Age is personal information that serves no legitimate purpose in evaluating job qualifications and can enable discrimination—whether you’re 22 or 62.
But the conversation doesn’t end there. Age can “leak” through various resume elements, and job seekers at different career stages face distinct challenges. This guide covers not just whether to include your age, but how to navigate age-related concerns throughout your job search.
The Standard Practice: Don’t Include Your Age
American resume conventions exclude certain personal information that’s common elsewhere. Age falls firmly in this category.
Why Age Doesn’t Belong on Resumes
No legitimate purpose: Your ability to perform a job depends on your skills, experience, and qualifications—not the number of years you’ve been alive.
Potential for discrimination: While age discrimination is illegal, unconscious bias is difficult to prevent when age is visible.
Not expected or requested: Employers don’t expect to see age on resumes, and including it may seem unusual or unprofessional.
No benefit to you: There’s no scenario where including your age improves your candidacy—it can only create potential problems.
What Not to Include
Don’t include:
- Date of birth (DOB: 05/15/1980)
- Your actual age (Age: 44)
- Year of birth
Be cautious with:
- High school graduation year (reveals age)
- College graduation years (if long ago)
- Early career dates that aren’t relevant
- References to dated technology or experiences
Legal Context
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) protects workers 40 and older from employment discrimination. However:
- Employers can still engage in unconscious bias
- Proving discrimination is difficult
- Prevention is better than legal recourse
- Younger workers aren’t protected by ADEA
By not including age, you remove one potential avenue for bias—conscious or unconscious.
How Age “Leaks” Through Your Resume
Even without stating your age, other resume elements can reveal it.
Graduation Dates
High school graduation: A 2000 high school graduation reveals you’re likely in your early 40s. Since high school education rarely matters for professional roles, omit it entirely or list without the year.
College graduation:
- Recent graduates typically include graduation year
- Mid-career professionals may include or omit
- Seasoned professionals often omit dates on older degrees
Handling graduation dates: If your degree is more than 15-20 years old, consider omitting the year:
- ❌ Bachelor of Science in Marketing, State University, 1995
- ✅ Bachelor of Science in Marketing, State University
Work History Length
Extensive work history reveals career duration:
Problem: Listing every job since 1985 makes your experience level (and approximate age) obvious.
Solution: Focus on the most recent and relevant 10-15 years of experience. Earlier roles can be summarized or omitted.
Technology and Terminology
Dated references reveal generational context:
- References to obsolete technologies
- Outdated terminology or business practices
- “Responsible for” style writing (more common in older resume conventions)
- Formatting styles that seem dated
Modernize your resume language and focus on current, relevant skills.
Email Addresses
Email addresses sometimes reveal age:
- Dated providers: @aol.com or @hotmail.com can signal older generations
- Birth years: [email protected] reveals birth year
- Graduation years: [email protected]
Create a professional email without age indicators: [email protected]
Ageism: The Reality Job Seekers Face
Understanding ageism helps you navigate it strategically.
Ageism Against Older Workers
Older job seekers often encounter concerns about:
- Technology skills: Assumptions about comfort with modern tools
- Salary expectations: Concerns they’ll want higher compensation
- Overqualification: Worry they won’t stay or won’t take direction
- Energy and adaptability: Stereotypes about flexibility and learning
- Health and longevity: (Illegal to consider, but may lurk beneath surface)
Ageism Against Younger Workers
Younger job seekers face different assumptions:
- Lack of experience: Concern about ability despite credentials
- Job hopping: Stereotypes about generational loyalty
- Professionalism: Questions about workplace maturity
- Value alignment: Assumptions about work ethic or priorities
Both Directions
Regardless of age, the goal is to be evaluated on qualifications rather than assumptions based on birth year.
Strategies for Older Job Seekers
If you’re concerned about age-related bias, these strategies help.
Focus on Recent Experience
Limit work history: Show the last 10-15 years in detail. Summarize or omit earlier roles.
Example summary for earlier experience: “Earlier career includes progressive roles in marketing at Fortune 500 companies including [Company Name] and [Company Name].”
Modernize Your Resume
Update formatting: Use contemporary resume design—clean, modern, ATS-friendly.
Update language: Replace dated phrases with current terminology. Avoid “duties included” or “responsible for.”
Highlight current skills: Emphasize modern technologies, methodologies, and industry knowledge.
Demonstrate Current Relevance
Recent certifications: Show ongoing learning through recent training and certifications.
Current technology skills: List modern tools and platforms you’re proficient with.
Industry engagement: Show current involvement through conferences, publications, or professional activities.
Remove Age Indicators
Graduation dates: Omit dates for degrees more than 15 years old.
Old jobs: Remove positions from more than 15 years ago unless specifically relevant.
Outdated references: Remove obsolete technologies, defunct companies, or dated terminology.
Address Potential Concerns Proactively
Energy and engagement: Show current professional activity, enthusiasm, and drive.
Adaptability: Highlight examples of learning new skills or adapting to change.
Technology comfort: Demonstrate proficiency with current tools and platforms.
Cultural fit: Research company culture and show alignment in your materials.
Build a Strong Online Presence
Your digital footprint can either support or undermine your candidacy. Use professional platforms and resources like 0portfolio.com to create modern, compelling online presence that showcases your current skills and accomplishments regardless of career length.
Strategies for Younger Job Seekers
Early-career candidates face different challenges around experience and credibility.
Maximize What You Have
Include graduation year: For recent graduates, graduation dates are expected and appropriate.
Expand experience definitions: Include internships, projects, volunteer work, and relevant academic experiences.
Highlight achievements: Focus on accomplishments rather than just responsibilities.
Build Credibility
Certifications and training: Additional credentials strengthen thin work histories.
Skills sections: Highlight technical and professional skills prominently.
Portfolio and samples: Show what you can do through work samples.
Address Experience Gaps
Transferable skills: Connect any experience to job requirements.
Potential over experience: Emphasize learning ability, enthusiasm, and growth trajectory.
Professional presentation: Polished materials signal professionalism regardless of age.
Position Youth as an Asset
Fresh perspective: Highlight innovative thinking and new approaches.
Technology native: Comfort with modern tools can be an advantage.
Energy and enthusiasm: Show genuine interest and drive.
Handling Age Questions in Applications
Sometimes applications or employers ask about age directly.
”Are you over 18?”
Why they ask: Legal requirement to verify work eligibility. How to answer: Yes (if true). This is legal and appropriate.
”What year did you graduate?”
Why they ask: May be gathering information for verification. How to handle: You can provide the information, but focus interviews on qualifications rather than timeline.
”How many years of experience?”
Why they ask: Assessing qualification level. How to answer: Focus on relevant experience for the role.
Example: Rather than “I have 30 years of experience,” try “I have extensive experience in [specific area], most recently [recent relevant experience].”
Illegal Questions
Some questions are illegal to ask:
- How old are you?
- What year were you born?
- When do you plan to retire?
- Do you have health issues?
If asked illegal questions:
- You can decline to answer
- You can redirect to your qualifications
- Consider whether you want to work for employers who ask illegal questions
International Considerations
Resume conventions differ globally, particularly regarding age.
Countries Where Age Is Expected
In some countries, resumes (CVs) typically include:
- Date of birth
- Age
- Photo
- Marital status
- Other personal details
If applying internationally, research local conventions.
Adjusting for Different Markets
When converting your resume for international applications:
- Research specific country requirements
- Follow local conventions even if different from U.S. standards
- Understand cultural context around age and experience
U.S. Applications From International Candidates
If you’re accustomed to including age on CVs and now applying in the U.S.:
- Remove date of birth and age
- Remove photos
- Remove marital status and family information
- Follow American resume conventions
Resume Examples: Age-Neutral Presentation
See how to present experience without revealing age.
Before (Age-Revealing):
JOHN SMITH [email protected]
Education: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration State University, Class of 1992
Work Experience:
Sales Manager | ABC Company | 1992-1998
- Managed regional sales team
- Responsible for developing client relationships
Senior Sales Manager | DEF Corporation | 1998-2010
- Oversaw multi-state territory
- Duties included budget management and reporting
Sales Director | GHI Industries | 2010-Present
- Direct national sales organization
- Responsible for $50M revenue target
After (Age-Neutral):
JOHN SMITH [email protected] | linkedin.com/in/johnsmith
Professional Summary: Results-driven sales leader with extensive experience building and leading high-performing sales teams. Track record of exceeding revenue targets and developing strategic client partnerships.
Education: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration | State University
Professional Experience:
Sales Director | GHI Industries | 2010-Present
- Lead national sales organization of 35 representatives across four regions
- Exceeded $50M revenue target by 15% through strategic account development
- Implemented CRM optimization that improved pipeline visibility by 40%
- Developed training program that reduced new hire ramp time by 30%
Senior Sales Manager | DEF Corporation | 2005-2010
- Managed multi-state territory generating $25M annual revenue
- Built and led team of 12 sales professionals
- Achieved 120% of quota for five consecutive years
Earlier Career: Progressive sales leadership roles with ABC Company developing foundation in consultative selling and team management.
What Changed:
- Email updated to professional, age-neutral address
- Graduation year removed from education
- Older experience summarized rather than detailed
- Focus on recent, relevant accomplishments
- Modern formatting and language
- Quantified achievements emphasized
The Bottom Line on Age and Resumes
Do:
- Focus on qualifications, skills, and achievements
- Emphasize recent, relevant experience
- Use modern formatting and language
- Maintain current professional development
- Create professional online presence
Don’t:
- Include date of birth or age
- Include high school graduation dates
- List every job since the beginning of your career
- Use dated email providers or addresses with birth years
- Reference obsolete technologies or practices
Answering Common Questions
”Won’t they figure out my age anyway?”
They might, eventually. The goal isn’t to hide your age forever—it’s to ensure you’re evaluated on qualifications first, before assumptions based on age can influence perception.
”Isn’t it deceptive to omit graduation dates?”
No. Resume conventions support omitting dates for older degrees. You’re following standard practice, not being deceptive.
”What if they ask in the interview?”
Focus on your qualifications. If directly asked your age, you can choose whether to answer. The interview is about demonstrating you can do the job.
”Should younger people include graduation dates?”
Yes. For recent graduates, graduation dates are expected and help explain your experience level.
”What about LinkedIn?”
LinkedIn has fields for graduation dates and work history that may reveal career length. Consider what you include, but recognize LinkedIn serves different purposes than resume screening.
Conclusion
Your age is personal information that doesn’t belong on your resume. American conventions exclude it, and including it creates potential for bias without any benefit to your candidacy.
Focus your resume on what actually matters: your qualifications, achievements, and ability to contribute to the employer’s success. Present your experience in ways that emphasize relevance and current capability rather than career timeline.
Whether you’re concerned about being seen as too young or too old, the solution is the same: demonstrate through your qualifications that you’re the right person for the job. Let your skills, achievements, and professionalism speak—not your birth year.
Your resume should earn you interviews based on what you can do. Keep age out of the conversation, and let your qualifications make the case for your candidacy.
