I'm pushing 40 and I can already feel a gap between myself and the 20-somethings. I don't get all of their jokes, I don't know the popular bars or bands, and I don't like doing anything that involves thumb-typing. I think a lot of employment is just done by "smell" -- does this person smell like one of "us" or is he an outsider. And I know that at my age, I'm already starting to stink.

So not to pick on the author too much, but he makes the claim, "Actually, I am very much with it. Every year, I read the equivalent of a university semester's worth of books and attend seminars to keep up with the industry and its latest trends." If I were him there are some things I would do to freshen up.

1) I'd consider going with a modern template for my company site. He has his own company that he runs consulting projects through, but it looks very dated. Simple WordPress instance with a generic theme would be better. Seems like he'd have the skillset required to set that up.

* Avidaid · Project Management · Web Development & Software Design · IT Education || http://www.avidaid.ca/index.php

2) I'd prune content off my LinkedIn and resume. He mentioned 20 years, I don't think there's any reason for anyone to list more than 10 years of work history.

* David Wimsett | LinkedIn || https://www.linkedin.com/in/dwimsett/

3) I'd try and re-write the content for a specific job. I wouldn't go broad, I'd go targeted. He seems keen on being a PM, so I'd limit all work to just PM work. Tell a story, make it a good one. If there's a boring part, or part that isn't relevant to your next job, just leave it out. It's OK to have gaps.

Change this:

> My background is wide and varied. Most of my career has been spent in IT as a developer, business analyst and project manager for different industries. But, I have practiced professionally in many areas to include photography, film making, journalism, blogger, columnist, graphic design, educator, consultant and security expert to name a few. I am also a published author of short stories and novels. This expansive set of experiences gives me a wealth of knowledge to cross reference and draw upon when I solve problems.

To something like:

> Experienced cross-functional team lead with experience managing web, IT, government, and aerospace engineering projects.

I'd also cut lines that are dated. Things that may have been hard in the past, but are no longer relevant. Including a few here:

> Installed a Novel network with word processing, spreadsheet and record keeping capability.

I'd cut all references to projects that didn't look modern. Again, OK to have gaps.

* Look FANTASTIC on social media with professional video movies || http://www.yourstory2video.com/

4) Seems odd that a senior PM would have under 200 contacts on LinkedIn. I get that maybe it wasn't his focus, but I probably add 200 contacts a year... MeetUps, mentoring, new hires, and clients... it only seems hard to put yourself out there, until you do it. LinkedIn and GitHub are the only social networks I use. Networking is always going to be the best way for anyone to find a new job, having a large network helps.

5) Lastly, I feel like age discrimination is real, and rejection sucks, but it's hard to get a sense of confidence from this guy after reading his post. Can someone from Netflix get this guy on the new Queer Eye? Not having confidence is going to really hurt him when it comes to applying for jobs. I don't know how to fix this, but likely seeing a shrink and hitting up the gym a bit would boost his self-esteem. I don't know, I've never been 64, but feel like that's probably good advice for anyone.

Hey, David... if you're reading this, I reached out on LinkedIn. I run the delivery team for a branch of a global agency. I interview a lot of PM candidates. Happy to set up a mock interview and give feedback. Cheers!