"Digital native" isn't a job requirement

You open a posting that looks right. Director of operations, an industry you know, a company that's growing. Then you hit the line: "We're looking for a digital-native go-getter who's a strong culture fit." And you close the tab.

You're not the only one. In July, Ipsos surveyed 1,842 Americans for the nonprofit CWI Works, and the results came out in September. 69% of workers 55 and older said they're less likely to apply to a role described as "recent college graduate." "Digital native" or "digital-first" turns away 41% of adults over 55. "Culture fit," "go-getter" and "high potential" all read to a big share of older workers as a sign the job is meant for someone else.

Sometimes that read is right. Often it's a hiring manager reusing last year's ad.

The assumption is out of date

The same survey checked the belief behind those words. 76% of adults say people assume older workers are less comfortable with new technology. But among adults 55 and over who've used AI at work, 87% are at least somewhat comfortable with it. And Gen X has used generative AI about as much as Millennials, 71% against 74%.

So the assumption is stale. The trouble is that a resume can quietly confirm it.

Read the requirements, not the adjectives

What systems does the job use? What scope does it own? What problems is it there to solve? If you can do that work, "digital native" is decoration. Apply.

Make your resume answer the assumption

Then make your resume answer it before anyone makes it:

• Name the tools you use now, inside the bullet where you used them. "Built the weekly forecast in Power BI" says more than a skills list ever will.
• Lead with recent results. Something from the last two or three years carries more weight than the turnaround you led in 2009.
• If you use AI at work, say what for, plainly. "Use ChatGPT to draft first-pass vendor scorecards, then review and finalize them" is specific and believable. "AI enthusiast" isn't.

Don't hide your experience to look younger. Experience is what they're paying for. The goal is making sure it reads as current.

The part a resume can't fix

One more number from that survey: 36% of adults 55 and over aren't confident they could find a job paying as much within a year. Across all adults it's 26%. That worry is real, and a resume won't fix the market. But skipping the posting guarantees the outcome.

Try this this week

Pull up the last three postings you skipped or almost skipped. Cross out every adjective and buzzword. Read what's left: the systems, the scope, the problems. If you could do that work and the posting is still open, apply.

If you're not sure how your experience reads right now, the free AI Career Score takes about five minutes. You'll see your strongest area and biggest gap on screen, then get a short written report by email that ends with three next steps.