Emma Normally we are inclined to think that inserting the date of birth on the resume we prepare to apply for a job is necessary, and we do not in the least think that it could not be so. In reality, the date of birth on the CV is not a fundamental element to be included on the curriculum vitae and today things are changing so that more and more people omit this data. In this guide we review the reasons why it is good to specify your date of birth on the CV and the reasons why it is better not to do it, or it is not necessary.
The date of birth on the CV it is never mandatory
The CV must always be thought of as a document with which one must feel at ease and which, in addition to being useful, must include only data that are fundamental and the data we want to share. Name, surname, telephone number and email address, as well as professional experience and training, are the only ingredients for the perfect resume. The date of birth, one’s marital status and also the presence or absence of children are not fundamental data and therefore it is not mandatory to enter them on the CV. In Italy there is a tendency to include the birthday on the curriculum.
Being discriminated against because of age
With the same experience and training, it is no surprise that older candidates usually discarded in favor of younger candidates, this also happens when more experienced and older candidates are sidelined in favor of inexperienced but younger candidates. Specifying your age on the CV puts you in front of a potential preventive discrimination which, alas, the candidate will never be aware of.
The Italian law against age discrimination
Despite the Legislative Decree 216/03 which establishes the prohibition of treating people differently on the basis of their age, to date employment discrimination by age still exists. Article 10 of Legislative Decree 276/03 establishes the only possibility to “discriminate” between subjects on the basis of age in relation to “characteristics that affect the way in which the work is carried out or that constitute an essential and decisive requirement for the purpose of carrying out the working activity “.
In principle, therefore, also the words “candidates up to 40 years, 45 years and so on” found under job postings is not necessarily legal. Therefore, not adding this information on the CV can open more avenues and, even if it does not guarantee the obtaining of a job, it can allow you to pass the first initial phase.
Is it really worth hiding the age?
In a hyper-connected world like ours, finding information about someone is not so difficult: for example, it is enough to check a person’s profile in social networks. This also applies to age, which is also often used for non-work related sites and services. Is it really that smart or essential to hide your age from your CV for fear of discrimination?
The advantages of adding age to your CV
It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wrong or incorrect a priori do not enter the age on your CV, indeed there are cases in which it seems almost more appropriate to do so. These are all those situations in which specifying the age you have puts you in a position to be positively evaluated based on the experiences you have.
Let’s take some examples:
- If you are 28 years old, you have always worked during your university years and today you are applying for a Senior position in your sector, specifying the age on the CV is important to demonstrate your fast career and your desire to learn continuously;
- If you are 40 years old, a brilliant career behind you, awards and recognitions you must necessarily specify your age, also specifying a what age you have received awards, recognition or even promotions;
- If you are 20 years old and have a lot of experience, you are applying for a position in a company in a sector other than that in which you are used to operating, age will put you in a very good light since you will show how enterprising and dynamic you are.
How to insert the date of birth on the CV
If you have opted for the insertion of the date of birth on the curriculum, you must also choose the format of the itself so that it doesn’t clash with the rest of the CV and is easy to understand. You can choose between different formats:
- Full date of birth: for example “23 July 1985
Indicating the complete date of birth is the most classic way to enter this information on the CV.
- Dry age: for example “35 years”
The quick and easy way to avoid calculations and be transparent.
- Year of birth: for example “Born in 1985”
Another quick and easy way to indicate this element.
In summary
- The date of birth is not a data that must be included on the curriculum;
- In Italy there is a law against age discrimination, but it is not necessarily always followed to the letter;
- If you have particular experiences related to your age, emphasizing this data on the CV is essential;
- The date of birth is easy to find online and not inserting it on the CV does not necessarily protect from research by the employer.