Crafting the ideal resume for retired persons: tips for a successful job hunt

Crafting your post-retirement career resume

As a retiree, you may wonder what you have to offer to employers in today’s market. After a long and exciting career, you have gained a great deal of experience and competency that entry-level employees just don’t possess. Crafting your post-retirement resume should be all about leveraging that deep knowledge to land the job you want.

Emphasizing your experience and skills without mentioning your age or focusing on your time away from the workforce can lead to success in this regard. Accomplishing this goal requires both selecting the most relevant experience to highlight and choosing the right resume format. 

Identifying relevant experience

The relevant experience section can be important for any resume. For retired persons looking to reenter the job market, it’s especially crucial. 

Most entry-level candidates are trying to compensate for the fact that they may not have as much experience. However, you should put your experience front and center in both your resume and cover letter. Doing so will show the recruiter or hiring manager exactly how you can add value to the team.

When identifying which experience to include, prioritize roles where you have achieved the most. As you write bullet points about your work history, emphasize your accomplishments instead of focusing on job duties. 

Additionally, you should curate these accomplishments so that they align well with the expectations listed in the job description. This helps illustrate your suitability for the role you’re applying for.

Structuring your resume

The best format for a resume for retired persons will depend on how long you’ve been away from the workforce and your future career goals. 

For example, if you are a recent retiree who wishes to return to work after a few months or a year, a reverse chronological resume format will suit you just fine. This type of resume allows you to list your work experience in order, starting with your most recent position. 

However, perhaps you have had a longer gap in employment or wish to make a career pivot. In that case, you’ll want to choose a different format that highlights your valuable skill set and de-emphasizes the time you have been away from the workforce. 

When you find yourself in this situation, a functional or combination resume can do the trick. These formats push your skills to the forefront and use your job experience to support that information.

Emphasizing recent employment and skills

When they look at resumes from retirees, recruiters and hiring managers want to know that you’re able to work with modern tools and processes. Citing information and accomplishments from recent roles can help them see that you’ve actively participated in the workforce in recent years and will be able to adapt quickly once hired.

Additionally, tweaking resume and cover letter examples to emphasize recent employment and new skills will show how enthusiastic you are about keeping up with current industry trends and best practices. Hiring managers will appreciate deep knowledge and experience coupled with a mindset that values continuous learning.

The essentials of a retiree's resume

Contact information and professional summary

In your contact information section, simply list your full name, phone number, and city and state of residence. You should also include your email address. 

When doing the latter, ensure that you have a professional email address that doesn’t contain your year of birth. Additionally, make sure that you can readily access it so that you’re able to provide prompt responses to potential employers. You can also include an updated LinkedIn profile, as this shows your commitment to maintaining relevant skills.

Skill highlights for today's job market

Today’s world moves at the speed of technology. For this reason, it’s important that you demonstrate technological proficiency on your resume to demonstrate that you are up to date with the latest advancements and can adapt to the current workplace environment. 

Maybe you have taken on hobbies, classes, or volunteer experiences that have helped you develop new technical or soft skills (or enhance the ones you already have). If so, you should include them on your resume as well. 

This will be especially important if you have taken on leadership roles. It shows that you have continued to actively pursue personal and professional development outside of job requirements.

The education section with a twist

The education section of your resume highlights the foundational training you received for your career. When crafting a resume for retired persons, it’s important that you modify this section by excluding your graduation dates. 

Sixty-four percent of adults aged 50 and above believe that older employees face age discrimination in today’s workplaces. As such, minimizing age-related bias has become especially crucial. (1)

Additionally, you’ll want to make sure you include any unpaid roles, courses, caregiving roles, or personal projects you have worked on during retirement. This demonstrates your continued commitment to engaging in activities, growing in knowledge, and developing critical skills in both your personal life and the workplace.

Modernizing your resume aesthetics

Retirees who are looking to jump back into the job market should put their best foot forward when it comes to the look of their resume. It’s important to balance professionalism and modern aesthetics in resume design. 

If you’re not a graphic designer, this can be hard to achieve, but using a professional resume template can certainly help. Modern resume and cover letter templates showcase you as a person who fits well within a modern workplace.

Fortunately, these retiree resume examples and templates are easy to obtain. Websites like Jobseeker offer a variety of professional and contemporary options, so you’re sure to find one that suits you well.

Addressing the gap: turning retirement into an asset

Employment gaps are normal for retirees. It’s how you handle them that helps you stand out in the hiring process. However, it’s important that you address any gaps head-on in your cover letters. 

Use a few lines to briefly explain what you have done during that period, framing your time away from work as something positive. Make sure to highlight how you have developed skills that make you the best candidate for the job you’re applying for. 

You should also be ready to discuss any gaps in your retiree resume during the job interview. Be honest about the gap, but don’t hesitate to highlight how it can actually add value to the team.

When identifying which experience to include, prioritize roles where you have achieved the most. As you write bullet points about your work history, emphasize your accomplishments instead of focusing on job duties.

Additional resources for retired job seekers

Many retired employees wonder how they can develop skills and find employment they love after a long and storied career. The federal government and non-profit organizations are great places to start your search for resources dedicated to this purpose. 

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Senior Community Service Program offers training and employment assistance to low-income retirees. (2) The AARP’s Veterans Career Advantage Course helps retired veterans translate military experience into civilian employment skills. (3)

Additionally, you can try visiting job boards specifically designed for retirees. Some options include Workforce50.com, Seniors4Hire.org, Retired Brains, and AARP's BACK TO WORK 50+ program.

Showcase deep experience and new skills to create the perfect resume for retirees

Crafting a great resume for retired persons should be a matter of highlighting extensive knowledge and experience while de-emphasizing age and career gaps. You should leave your graduation date off your resume. However, it’s equally important to use the right format and showcase how you’ve continued to develop your skills in retirement.

If you’re looking for resume templates and resources to help you get started, Jobseeker has you covered. From helpful resume articles to professional and modern templates, you’ll find what you need to craft the perfect resume and restart a great career. 

Sources:

(1) AARP: Age Discrimination Among Workers Age 50-Plus

(2) U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration: Senior Community Service Employment Program

(3) AARP: Veterans Career Advantage