Should you put your date of birth on your CV?

If you’re wondering whether you should put your date of birth on your CV, well – the short answer is no! You could argue that there are advantages to including your age – for example, it shows the extensive experience you’ve accumulated, it shows you’re young and keen, it shows whether you’d fit in with the rest of the team – but you're second-guessing the reader's opinion and, technically, a hiring manager should ignore this information.

Age discrimination

Employers are only allowed to hire on the basis of your ability to do the job - and your date of birth doesn’t give a good indication of that. In fact, they could be accused of age discrimination if they take your age into account at all.

There are certain protected characteristics that a hiring manager must not consider when making hiring decisions, according to the Equality Act. Job applicants are protected from discrimination due to age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership status, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. None of these are relevant to how well you’re able to perform in a role - and therefore they have no place on your CV.

Instead, your CV should focus on your skills, expertise, achievements and qualifications. That’s the information that will convince the reader to progress your application.

Current best practice

Were you taught to include your date of birth on your CV? Many people were, but that advice is considered outdated now. By not including your date of birth, you’re avoiding the recruiter making assumptions, rightly or wrongly, about your ability to do the job. You also avoid looking out of touch with current workplace norms.

Confidentiality

Don’t forget that, when you’re uploading your CV to a job site or emailing it off into cyberspace, people you’ve never met will be accessing it. So, the less personal information you include, the less chance there is of your details being used for identity theft. Adding a date of birth on a CV gives the scammers personal information that they just shouldn't have. You can be sure they won't be using it to send you a birthday card!

Clues to your date of birth

Of course, your CV will give a general impression of your age - there's no getting around it. Your employment dates and qualifications will likely give the recruiter some idea, but there's no need to be specific. Let's face it, your date of birth doesn't add any value. The job of a CV is to show the reader that you're suitable for their vacant position, and your birthday doesn't help to achieve that aim.

If you're worried about age discrimination in your job search, there's more you can do beyond simply removing your date of birth from the CV. Check out this blog post for more ideas!

Is there any reason to put your date of birth on your CV?

Of course, the Equality Act only applies if you’re job hunting in Britain. Other countries have different laws and expectations. Adding a date of birth seems to be less common in Europe than it used to be, but places such as the Middle East and India are still keen to know lots of personal details that would be considered unnecessary and potentially discriminatory in Britain. If you’re looking for work abroad, it’s best to check the current advice with a reliable local source.

More CV advice?

If you’re still worried about diving into the murky waters of CV writing and are unsure of current best practice, why not  ask a professional to write the CV for you? Word Dragon would be happy to help! There are services for every budget, so you'll be able to apply with a modern, high-impact CV when that dream role pops up.