Have you ever met someone who owns the room the minute they walk into it? This person has the unique ability to draw people in and have others carefully listen to every word they say. Presence is useful for building personal connections and business successes. It is often cited as the difference between landing a…

Language, and all of its nuances, is important. It’s how we communicate big ideas and concepts, describe ourselves and our goals, and connect with each other — sometimes, even through a simple sheet of paper, the resume. Anyone who has ever created or read a resume knows there’s limited space to make your case, so every word matters. In some ways, the resume is to a poem what the interview is to a novel. It’s not a place to expound, but rather, to choose your words carefully; remember, sometimes what you don’t say is just as important as what you do. Using specific language (or lack thereof!), can enhance the perception of your expertise and, in turn, broaden your job search. 

When you hear about age discrimination, it usually pertains to an older job candidate not being selected due to their age. The truth is, ageism can potentially affect all ages and points in an employee’s life cycle. As I write this article, I’m reminded that I’m now older than the average employee age in my organization. As I get closer to being in the “older workers” category, this topic hits home for me and my generation, but also, I realize just how much stereotypes on age affect our daily lives. While the law prohibits discrimination in any aspect of employment — “hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, layoff, training, benefits, and any other term or condition of employment,” ageism undoubtedly still occurs.