When it comes to resumes, some Canadians are taking a cue from cosmetic procedures: they’re applying “resume botox.” According to new research from Employment Hero, a global AI-powered employment platform, 28% of Canadian workers and job seekers admit to downplaying work experience on resumes, LinkedIn profiles, or in interviews to avoid appearing overqualified.
The trend—trimming older roles, removing graduation dates, or downplaying seniority—is a strategic effort to manage perceptions and navigate a hiring system where experience can sometimes be viewed as a liability rather than an asset.
Age Matters in Resume Decisions
The Employment Hero data reveals stark generational differences:
- 67% of Canadians aged 18–34 would include graduation dates on their resume
- 45% of those 35–54
- Only 33% of workers 55+
Among those editing their professional histories, 41% do so to avoid the perception of being overqualified, and another 41% aim to highlight recent achievements.
Underlying these choices is a broader concern about age bias. Among workers 55 and older, 77% feel their age makes them a less attractive candidate, with nearly half strongly agreeing. For those aged 35–54, 41% say age works against them, while 29% of 18–34-year-olds feel the same.
Real-World Challenges
Bayla Greenberg-Consitt, a CPA from Mississauga, Ontario, experienced this firsthand. After 26 years at a manufacturing company, she was forced to re-enter the workforce in her mid-fifties. Following advice from a recruitment coach, she removed graduation dates and trimmed a decade or more of her work history to better align with target roles.
“Despite my experience, employers struggled to look past my age and recognize the value I could bring,” Greenberg-Consitt said. While “resume botox” helped her secure interviews, it didn’t land job offers; a personal connection ultimately led to her new position, where her depth of experience was fully appreciated.
Lessons for Employers
KJ Lee, CEO of Employment Hero Canada, emphasizes that the trend highlights a systemic problem in hiring practices.
“When talented people feel the need to ‘botox’ their resume just to get a fair shot, it tells you something about the system,” said Lee. “Experience shouldn’t be treated like a liability. Businesses benefit enormously from people who’ve solved complex problems and navigated challenging work cycles.”
Lee advises employers to focus on current capabilities and potential impact rather than filtering candidates based on perceived overqualification or years of experience.
“The best hiring decisions come from evaluating what someone can do today,” he said. “Ignoring candidates because their experience looks ‘too long’ risks overlooking some of the most capable professionals in the workforce.”
As “resume botox” becomes a growing coping strategy, the findings serve as both a warning and a call to action for companies to reassess how they evaluate experience in hiring.
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