<p>My question is - how closely do you look at resumes posted on college recruiting websites?</p>
<p>No nefarious reasons for the question. As some of you know, I am a non trad (old) student who returned to school in my 50s to do an accounting degree (when my kids flew the nest). I used to work as an accountant in England (in a corporation, not an accounting firm) way back when - in those days in Britain you did not need a degree to be a accountant, but worked and studied and took the exams while you were working. Foolishly I did not complete the exams when we were transferred overseas. And then we had kids. Never thought I would return to studying again but have loved it.</p>
<p>I graduate in May, a semester late because my husbands cancer battle this last year saw us traveling every other week to M D Anderson in Houston and actually living there for several weeks. Anyway, I had always assumed, that given my age (I will turn 60 the month I graduate), it would be hard/impossible to find a job other than perhaps temping despite having a 4.0 GPA. I was surprised to receive a email from a recruiter for a large Oil Company saying she had seen my resume at the school web site and was I interested in pursuing an accounting position with them. My initial reaction was surprised delight (a few years working for a large corporation with matching 401k plan is the dream scenario but is way more than I have been realistically hoping for) and surprise. This was quickly followed by a more realistic/pessimistic reaction - did they actually read the whole resume. My date of birth is there of course, and my last work experience (1984!!!).</p>
<p>So recruiters and HR people - how close do you look at resumes? Would you miss someones age? Should I be hopeful, or is it kind of like the trash bags full of college mailings our kids got in their HS senior year and doesn’t really mean anything?</p>
<p>I have no idea but I am hoping for you! I’m 51 and looking for a full time job. Lots of experience and great references but it isn’t easy. I keep telling my friends “nobody likes an old lady.”</p>
<p>swimcatsmom, some company will be very lucky to have you. Too bad you can’t link a CV to the financial aid thread, to show them how astute you are. I know it’s not accounting, but still. </p>
<p>Is there a particular reason you put your birthdate on your resume? I review student resumes for my state’s CPA Society, and birthdates are not the norm.</p>
<p>Feel free to PM me - if you’re local to me, I know a company that’s always looking for competent accounting staff, and they like older people.</p>
<p>If you made it that obvious, then the most likely explanation is that they noticed it and it did not matter to that particular company. Age discrimination may be common, but it does not mean that every company practices it.</p>
<p>Actually, you are right. I was assuming the birth date was on there (it is a while since I updated it - I was about to apply for a part time job with a tax accountant my tax prof told me about, then my husband was taken ill and the last year job hunting has not been a possibility). It is not on there. However my very ancient work experience in accounting with 2 oil companies in the UK is there, dates and all. Would be pretty hard to miss.</p>
<p>Look at it from a recruiter’s standpoint, you can pick a 20 something kid who’s work experience comes from McDonalds for an entry level job or a 50 something recent college grad with a lot of life experience and MATURITY…and pay them the same wage…which one would you pick :D.</p>
<p>They almost certainly would have noticed the dates of your previous employment since this is a key item on a resume. </p>
<p>Most companies aren’t looking for lifelong employees - they’re not hiring with the thought that the individual will be working there for the next 45 years. They’re usually looking more to fill a current open position with someone who can do the specific duties. If they hire you, even at 60 y/o, there’s no reason why from their perspective it wouldn’t be a good investment and choice (depending on your cost). All they really care about is getting a competent accountant and preferably someone with a good work ethic.</p>
<p>I think you should assume they have a rough ballpark of your age from the dates you included on the resume and are interested in you regardless.</p>
<p>There’s a lot of age discrimination in my field (software engineering), so I would rather have something on my resume that gives some indication of my age, otherwise it just wastes a lot of my time and energy to talk to a company at which I will have no chance getting hired solely because of my age.</p>
<p>Yes, it’s illegal, but it happens all the time. I just went through a job search and had one company actually tell me they were “concerned I would have the energy to work in that type of environment”. I was shocked they would actually say that.</p>
<p>
The recruiter might also looking at who will work 60+ hour weeks and/or weekends without complaining, who doesn’t mind traveling, who isn’t going to cause their health insurance to go up, etc. And that 20-something will also be a college grad and likely have an internship or two.</p>
<p>So I feel like it is better to have these companies weed themselves out.</p>
<p>Wasn’t sure whether to resurrect this thread or start a new one. </p>
<p>My resume on the school website had my graduation date as December (I had never thought to update it after my date was delayed after my husband got so sick). The oil company said for me to contact them closer to my actual graduation date of May.</p>
<p>But in the meantime - drumroll please… I was offered a paid internship with a local CPA firm. It was quite out of the blue - one of their CPAs contacted a professor I had last semester and asked if she knew of any likely candidates and she recommended me. They met with me, so they know I’m not a spring chicken. Should be interesting working almost full time this semester and finishing up my last few classes. I’m excited and a little terrified.</p>
<p>Notrichenough, I JUST lost a contract opportunity last week (independent IT consultant) when the client said they weren’t sure I had “enough energy” in the phone interview I did. My kid about fell over laughing when I mentioned it to her, as she says I have more energy than pretty much anyone she knows. I just turned 50 a couple of months ago. Maybe I need to shorten up my resume a bit, or take out of some of the date ranges. :(</p>