October 1 has been designated International Day of Older Persons by the United Nations, who states "Longer lives are one of humanity's greatest achievements. However, we don't just want to add years to our lives. We also want to enjoy good health and well-being in later life." https://www.un.org/en/observances/older-persons-day.
Many retirees enjoy well-being by working in retirement and sharing their knowledge, experience, skills and perspective, with employers who recognize and value their contribution.
You Need a Stand Out Resume for Working in Retirement
How long has it been since you updated your resume? If your goals include working in retirement, you may need to market yourself with an informative, catchy, and relevant resume. Larger organizations often have Applicant Tracking Systems, which only require you to provide specific information on-line. Smaller employers, however, may still require applicants to send resumes.
Chances are, those of you who worked for the same employer for many years have never needed an up to date resume! Writing a resume may sound intimidating for some of you, but, if you follow these steps you can develop and present your resume so it immediately captures the interest of potential employers and you will soon be working in retirement, doing what you enjoy.
Follow These Steps for Working in Retirement
In step one identify what working in retirement looks like, for you. There are a variety of options, including paid, voluntary, full/part time, seasonal, or project work.
In step two make a list of the unique qualifications and skills you have to offer future employers, to help you reach your goal of working in retirement. Hard skills are those that relate directly to the job, and can be developed; soft skills indicate your personality type and how much of a match you will be with others and the culture of the business. Completing this quiz may help you to identify both types of skills.
In step three search platforms such as Zip Recruiters and LinkedIn to get an idea of the jobs employers are recruiting for, if you're not sure what working in retirement looks like for you.
In step four match what you have to offer, to what employers need. This is the fun and powerful part; this is where you decide if the job is what will satisfy your working in retirement goals.
In step five, put it all together, in a unique, informative and professional way, while focusing on your skills and qualifications. Download and use On Your Own Time's resume template, so you'll soon be working in retirement.
Tips for Making Your Resume Stand Out So You Are Successful at Working in Retirement
Be Cautious with Dates
There are pros and cons to including work, education and development dates in your resume. While it's more powerful to include the years you worked in higher level roles, you want to avoid being over-looked because of your age. One suggestion is to use a Functional Resume. Sometimes referred to as a skills-based resume, this type focuses on your professional skills, rather than each job you held. It's helpful for emphasizing skills and qualifications, and avoiding ageism, which is discrimination based on age. Using a functional resume will work in your favor for another strong reason; more employers are doing skills-based hiring, which simply means hiring on the basis of skills, as opposed to experience and education.
Focus on Outcomes and Impacts
Show a clear link between your skills and how they impacted your past employers' success. Don't be shy!
Example: As Manager Customer Service, I used my communication skills to lead and encourage regular two-way discussions with employees to find out what motivated them. As a result we were able to retain employees with strong skills, as there was a significant reduction in employee turnover.
Be Specific and Selective
Match your skills and qualifications to what specific employers are looking for. This helps you stand out, and makes it easier and faster for employers to identify what you have to offer them.
Example: Administrative Assistant required to ensure the office is operating in an effective and efficient manner.
Sample response: Used my strong team building, delegation, time management and planning skills to manage a department that was consistently recognized for providing a high level of service to all clients.
Customize
Don't use a generic resume; customize each resume, with the specific skills you offer, for each job to which you apply. Yes, it's time time consuming, but by putting the effort in up front, you'll be working in retirement faster.
Be Succinct
Using a Functional Resume helps you to eliminate tasks and activities, while highlighting your most significant and recent skills, high level responsibilities, and outcomes, in a brief and direct manner. This makes it easier and faster for the person reviewing your resume to quickly identify that you're a strong candidate.
Include a Cover Letter
Although you've put a lot of effort into developing an informative and compelling resume, it only tells potential employers what you've done. A cover letter helps you to explain to those potential employers why you want to work for them and how you can positively impact their business. As with your resume, customize each cover letter to the job applied for. Use a positive, friendly tone in the letter and don't be afraid to "blow your own horn" to reach that goal of working in retirement. Here's more information about cover letters.
Proof Read
Use spell-check to ensure there are no typos or grammatical errors in your resume and cover letter. Some of you may have the Grammarly app, which helps to proofread and correct grammar in documents, however the app is not free.
Post Your Profile
When you're satisfied that your resume and cover letter truly represent you, complete an On Your Own Time profile. Employers who are interested in learning more about you will ask for a copy of your resume as the next step towards working in retirement.
On Your Own Time is Here to Help You
If you're still uncomfortable about updating your resume, call us at 604-727-2726 or email us at onyourowntime2023@gmail.com - we'd be happy to help you!
Get the Word Out
In our next blog we'll talk about using your resume to help you meet your working in retirement goals.
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