Resume help for workers 50 and over
Long experience is a strength. The goal is a resume that looks current, gets to the point, and shows what you can do for an employer now.
1. Go into detail on the last 10 to 15 years
Describe recent jobs fully. Older roles can go under a short heading like Earlier Experience, with the job title and employer and no dates, or with just a line each. Nothing is hidden. You're simply putting the most relevant work first, and you can always talk about the rest in an interview.
2. Graduation dates are optional
You can list your degree, diploma or trade school without the year. That's common practice and perfectly honest. If you finished something recently, such as a certificate or course, do include that year, because it shows up-to-date learning.
3. Lead with what you do, not how long you've done it
Instead of "30 years of experience in...", try "Accounts payable specialist who keeps vendor payments accurate and on time." Then let the work history show the depth.
4. Show current skills and tools
Employers often wonder whether experienced candidates keep up with technology, so answer that on the page. List the software, systems and equipment you actually use today, such as Microsoft 365, Google Docs, QuickBooks, a scheduling system, or video calls. Leave out tools nobody uses anymore unless the job asks for them.
5. Modernize the small details
- Use a plain, professional email address. A free one with your name is ideal.
- List one phone number and your city and state. A full street address isn't necessary.
- Drop "References available on request". Employers assume it.
- Swap an "Objective" for a short summary (see tip 3).
- Use one simple column and a readable font. Many employers use applicant tracking software, which can scramble tables, text boxes and graphics.
6. Handle gaps in one honest line
Caring for a family member, recovering from an illness, or a layoff are all common. A single line such as "Family caregiver, 2022–2024" is enough. You don't owe anyone details on the resume.
7. Two pages is fine
With a long career, two pages is normal. Three is usually too many. Cut the oldest and least relevant material first.
8. Show results with numbers
Experience shows best through results: "Trained 40+ new employees", "Kept a $250,000 budget on track for 6 years", "Cut late shipments by half". Rough numbers are fine as long as they're honest.
What we do for experienced workers
Send us your current resume, even if it's from years ago or on paper. We'll modernize the layout, lead with your recent work, update the wording, and send you a draft. We never change your dates or invent details. If you'd rather keep something in, it stays in.
Prices
Flat prices with no add-ons or upsells. You always get a Word file you can edit and a PDF, at no extra charge.
| What you get | Price | Ready in |
|---|---|---|
| Resume refresh We rewrite and reformat your resume for the kind of job you want. Up to 2 rounds of changes. | $59 | 2 business days |
| Resume + cover letter The resume refresh, plus one cover letter for a specific job. | $79 | 2 business days |
| Cover letter only One letter for one job posting. Send us the posting and your resume. | $25 | 1 business day |
We'll email you a draft; pay only after you approve it. If it isn't right, tell us what to change. You owe nothing until you approve it.
An honest note: we use AI to help
We use AI writing tools to help draft and format your resume. A real person reads, checks and edits every page before it reaches you.
- We never make anything up: no invented jobs, dates, degrees, licenses or skills. If something is unclear, we ask you.
- We take out your phone number, email and street address before using any AI tool and put them back at the end.
- You can ask us to delete your files at any time. We delete them anyway 60 days after the work is finished.
What we won't do
- We will never ask for passwords, PINs, bank or card numbers, or your Social Security number. Please don't send them. Anyone who asks you for these is not us.
- We don't log into job websites or accounts for you.
- We don't give legal, medical, or financial advice, and we don't make those decisions for you.
- We can't promise you'll get a job or an interview. Nobody honestly can.
Want us to do it for you?
Email orders@scantoolmatch.com with your old resume (or a phone photo of it) and the kind of job you want. Rough notes are fine. We'll email you a draft within 2 business days; pay only after you approve it.