Not too long ago, I received a message from someone I’ll call "D":

“I’ve applied for over 100 jobs but only landed one interview. Most of my applications are being rejected during the preliminary screening. I get some calls from recruiting agencies, but they never follow up.”

He went on to explain:

“In my resume, I only include relevant experience. I say I have 20+ years because HR or hiring managers don’t care about anything beyond 10 years. But in my last interview, a panel of five pointed out that I’ve had 36 years of experience since I graduated and said I shouldn’t list 20+. I clarified that I only listed relevant experience for the job, but they didn’t seem convinced.”

Then, D asked:

“What should my approach be, and how should I list my years of experience on my resume? If I write 30+ years, I might not get shortlisted for jobs.”

Let’s address the elephant in the room.

First, I want to acknowledge D for reaching out and sharing his frustration. This is something many of the people I coach are up against, and I know it can seriously knock your confidence.

Now, let’s talk about D’s age.

Here’s the thing: his age is NOT the problem.

I get it—it seems like his “30+ years of experience” is holding him back, but that’s not the real issue here. Yes, age can sometimes be a factor, but it’s not the main reason why hiring managers and recruiters are skipping over his applications.

Trust me on this: right now, there are hundreds of thousands of twenty-something graduates facing the exact same frustration and rejection. They think it’s because they lack experience or because of their age, but the truth is, no one ever taught them how to apply for jobs the right way.

I can see what D’s real problem is.

(And you might have spotted it too.)

Here’s the deal:

Landing a job—getting the interview, acing it, and negotiating a killer salary—comes down to three simple steps:

Step #1:
Uncover your strengths, motivations, personality traits, and core values. Get crystal clear on what you uniquely bring to the table.

Step #2:
Find out what the hiring manager or recruiter is looking for in their ideal candidate. Understand the problems they need to solve in their company.

Step #3:
Match your strengths to what they’re looking for, and prepare specific examples from your past experience that show you’re the person they need.

This is exactly what I walk people through in the Interview Success Formula program. Each step requires careful thought, and there are lots of important details to get right.

But here’s what many people don’t realize: these three steps don’t just apply to interviews. You need to use them when preparing your resume and throughout your entire job search.

Most candidates skip this.

Why? Because it takes extra work and some serious self-reflection. But if you don’t take the time to do it, you end up looking like a “generic” candidate, and hiring managers or recruiters are left with no choice but to treat you like one.

Your true value? It gets lost in the shuffle.

Let’s not let that happen, okay?

So, back to D’s situation—can you see the real issue?

He applied to more than 100 jobs. And while he’s clearly working hard, I’d bet that he’s not going through these three steps properly. As a result, he’s presenting himself as just another “commodity” candidate.

THAT is the real issue—not his age.

In fact, if D took the time to go through these steps and do them right, his 30+ years of experience could actually be a powerful advantage. After all, he’s likely solved many problems over his career and probably has some impressive stories to share.

He just needs to bring those stories to light and frame them in a way that shows the value he can bring to his next employer.

So, if you’re feeling stuck, like D, remember: the key is to know your strengths, understand the employer’s needs, and present yourself as the perfect solution to their problems.

When you do that, age—and years of experience—becomes an asset, not a roadblock.