Age on your CV

Your age on your CV is one of the more discussed issues by recruitment experts and career coaches alike. While eventually an employer will know your age, should you indicate clearly what age you are or try to avoid any potential judgment and focus on your skills? What ages are least likely to be hired at certain positions? And is a date of birth a legal requirement on a CV? We will answer all these questions for you and offer advice on the subject via this article as part of our guide to writing your CV.

Should I put my date of birth on my CV?

Many people believe the date of birth to be obligatory in a CV, yet there are no actual fixed legal rules on the subject. Employers are required to abide by age discrimination laws which means that they are not allowed to immediately rule you out based on age at the start of the application process. Nevertheless it does play an important role as it gauges at what stage of your career you are at and whether you are a good fit for the level of the job.

When should you put your age on your CV?

If you think your age is a positive attribute enough for them to consider you for an interview, then go ahead. Recent graduates applying to graduate jobs may think that showing their age is a positive sign as the younger they are as graduates the more likely they are seen to have more years of potential in them by an employer. It also allows the employer to take into account their lack of experience. Usually youth sells easier than seniority in the case of unemployment.

Additionally, the employer may indicate clearly that they are looking for a certain more experienced profile then your seniority can be an advantage in relation to the job applied to. In this case indicate your age.

If you have no choice, then you will also have to put your age. This applies to internships and government-funded opportunities that concern certain age groups by law. A lot of online forms, which are now increasingly replacing the CV, ask for your age as companies acquire data about their applicants this way.

When should you NOT put your age on your CV?

Whenever you feel you might be discriminated against because of your age, you are in your legal rights to not disclose your age. As stated, companies should not really be allowed to ask the age of their employees, and often those that do only want it for data analysis of their applicants to see what age groups tend to apply to their jobs.

Nevertheless, always remember to adapt your CV to the country where the job you are applying for is based. As such, sometimes you will be asked for your date of birth as is per custom in certain countries. It is always advisable to check your rights in front of the law if you feel you are being discriminated against because of your age or something else on your CV pertaining to your identity.

Where to put your age in your CV?

Its time to find out where to put your date of birth if you need to display it on your CV.

Usually your date of birth is situated next to your other personal details such as your name, surname, nationality and other relevant information. Your personal details appear at the first or second part of your CV, depending on whether you write a personal statement or not.

However, make sure your birthday doesn’t take up too much space and is situated at the end of your personal details (Name, city and telephone number). You can write it all numeric format to save space (e.g 11/08/1995).

What age groups tend to be targeted?

Depending on the protracted employer, and the post you are applying to, it is possible that your age range can be discriminated against in both a positive and negative fashion. This is why we are adamant on telling you about which age groups are most in demand by recruiters and whether or not you have to indicate your age.

There are two big age groups in the current labour market : under-30s and over-45s. With under 30s, this age can be a real plus if the employer is looking for a young profile to develop professionally within the company culture. Although it is more rare this days to stay in one company for so long as one did in the past, companies sometimes want a long term plan for their potential employee and with that they value their ability to be able to mould a graduate into their own company culture.

What does a 16 year old put on a CV?

When 16-18 year olds want to enter the labour market they may wonder if they should express their age in a professional context yet. The answer is yes : not only do labour laws apply in some countries prohibiting their employment, including salary brackets for apprenticeships. Usually an employer will also want to know how to accomodate a particular age bracket.

So if you’re 16 and starting to write a CV, don’t hesitate to put your date of birth on your CV. The likelihood is that, if you legally qualify for a position, your youth will likely be seen as an asset.

Still undecided?

It is possible that, despite everything above, you are still not sure whether to include your age on your CV. Just keep in mind that the employer will likely guess what your age is based on your experience. Or, if included, your photo. As such, don’t complicate your life too much. Just take in our recommendations above, making the decision you feel most comfortable with.

Once decided you can then download one of our CV templates to have a CV that stands out. You can then also deduct from the CVs and their intended targets which sector or profession accepts the age on the CV and which does not.