What skills to list on a resume in 2026? We cover the 5 most in-demand hard and soft skills (like AI and leadership) and show how to prove them.

The 5 Best Skills to List on a Resume (for 2026)

What skills to list on a resume in 2026? We cover the 5 most in-demand hard and soft skills (like AI and leadership) and show you how to prove them.

When you write age-inclusive job descriptions, you open your company to a wider, more skilled pool of candidates and strengthen your reputation as an employer of choice. Ageist language can limit your reach, expose you to legal challenges and convey that your culture does not value every generation, even when unintentional.

Today&rsquo;s workforce comprises multiple age groups that contribute unique strengths. You cannot afford to let biased wording hold you back. It is essential to recognize exclusionary phrases and replace them with skills-focused, inclusive language that highlights what a person can do, not how old they are.
<h2 style="margin-top: 18pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">The Impact of Ageist Language in Hiring</h2>
Age bias in job descriptions usually hides behind phrases that sound harmless but carry big consequences, like &ldquo;recent graduate,&rdquo; &ldquo;high energy&rdquo; or &ldquo;digital native.&rdquo; These terms suggest you are only interested in younger candidates and discourage experienced professionals from applying.

A survey revealed that <a href="https://www.myperfectresume.com/career-center/careers/basics/workplace-age-bias" style="text-decoration: none;">99% of U.S. workers</a> over 40 said there is some level of ageism in the workplace, which shows how deeply this problem runs. When your job postings reinforce bias, you limit your talent pool and cut off the innovation that comes from blending different generations. You also risk damaging your business&rsquo;s reputation, since age-exclusive language makes you appear outdated and unwelcoming.
<h2 style="margin-top: 18pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">Phrases to Avoid in Job Descriptions</h2>
Many job descriptions unintentionally include phrases signaling age preferences, even when that is not the goal. By recognizing and replacing these terms, you can create postings that attract talent of every generation.
<h3 style="text-indent: -18pt; margin-top: 16pt; margin-bottom: 4pt; padding-left: 18pt;">&ldquo;Digital Native&rdquo; or &ldquo;Tech-Savvy Young Professional&rdquo;</h3>
Using phrases like &ldquo;digital native&rdquo; or &ldquo;tech-savvy young professional&rdquo; sends a message that only younger candidates are welcome. These words suggest that age is tied to ability, reinforcing harmful stereotypes that older professionals <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK588538/" style="text-decoration: none;">are friendly but less responsible</a>, intelligent, or ambitious than their younger peers. That perception discourages highly qualified applicants from applying and undermines your credibility as an inclusive employer.

Focusing on specific capabilities instead of age-coded terms makes your posting clearer and more inviting. For example, instead of saying &ldquo;digital native,&rdquo; write &ldquo;proficient in [specific tools/technologies].&rdquo; It tells candidates exactly what is required and attracts applicants of all ages who can confidently demonstrate the required skills.
<h3 style="text-indent: -18pt; margin-top: 16pt; margin-bottom: 4pt; padding-left: 18pt;">&ldquo;High Energy&rdquo; or &ldquo;Work Hard, Play Hard&rdquo;</h3>
Describing a role as needing &ldquo;high energy&rdquo; or promoting a work-hard-play-hard culture risks alienating experienced professionals who may not resonate with that lifestyle but are equally capable of excelling in the position. These phrases often come across as coded language for youth, which makes older candidates feel like they will not belong, even if they have the skills and motivation to succeed.

Instead of leaning on language that hints at age or personality type, focus on qualities that drive performance. Say you are looking for a &ldquo;collaborative and motivated team player,&rdquo; which shows you value mindset and contribution over age-coded energy levels. This way, you attract people who share your values and are ready to work without making it sound like you only want recent graduates pulling all-nighters.
<h3 style="text-indent: -18pt; margin-top: 16pt; margin-bottom: 4pt; padding-left: 18pt;">&ldquo;Recent Graduate&rdquo; Without Flexibility</h3>
Asking for a &ldquo;recent graduate&rdquo; or limiting your requirements to 0 to 2 years of experience might seem like a way to define an entry-level role. Still, it clearly signals that you are only interested in younger candidates. This phrasing can discourage mid-career professionals making a transition or parents returning to the workforce who can thrive in the role with the right transferable skills.

A better approach is to write &ldquo;entry-level role, open to candidates with transferable skills or equivalent experience,&rdquo; which welcomes a broader audience without lowering expectations. In fact, <a href="https://www.watermarkinsights.com/resources/blog/technical-school-career-readiness-measurement/" style="text-decoration: none;">73% of employers adopted skills-based hiring</a> in 2023, proving that companies increasingly value demonstrated ability over arbitrary milestones like graduation dates. Aligning with that trend shows your candidates that your organization values what they can do, not when they finished school.
<h3 style="text-indent: -18pt; margin-top: 16pt; margin-bottom: 4pt; padding-left: 18pt;">Capping Experience Requirements</h3>
Putting a cap on experience in your job descriptions &mdash; such as writing &ldquo;4 to 8 years of experience&rdquo; &mdash; suggests you are not open to candidates with more expertise. It can also turn away older professionals who exceed that range. This kind of language unfairly signals that too much experience is a drawback, even though those applicants could bring valuable knowledge, leadership and perspective to your team.

A smarter way to write it is &ldquo;4+ years of experience,&rdquo; which clearly sets the minimum requirement without penalizing people who have more. Considering it costs <a href="https://designerly.com/reliable-employees/" style="text-decoration: none;">an average of $5,000</a> to hire a new employee, you cannot afford to miss out on highly skilled candidates because of narrow phrasing. This simple shift broadens your pool and makes it clear that you welcome talent with deep experience as much as those just meeting the baseline.
<h2 style="margin-top: 18pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">Benefits of Age-Inclusive Hiring Language</h2>
Using age-inclusive job descriptions attracts candidates across experience levels. It gives your enterprise access to a broader talent pool. This approach drives innovation because people from different generations bring unique problem-solving approaches, perspectives, and skills that fuel creativity and stronger decision-making.

You also protect your organization from legal risk. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act <a href="https://www.eeoc.gov/age-discrimination" style="text-decoration: none;">forbids discrimination against people 40</a> or older, and a single biased phrase in a job posting can raise red flags. Beyond compliance, inclusive language positions you as fair, welcoming and future-ready. It strengthens your brand and helps you compete for top talent in a workforce that values equity and inclusion.
<h2 style="margin-top: 18pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">Building a Workforce That Welcomes Every Generation</h2>
As a business leader, you should audit your job descriptions regularly to catch and remove hidden age bias. Replacing exclusionary language with skills-focused wording opens the door to a broader range of qualified candidates. Those that adopt inclusive hiring practices build stronger teams and position themselves as forward-thinking employers.
&nbsp;
Written by Content Contributor:&nbsp;
This blog was authored by a guest contributor or third party. The views expressed are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of CareerCircle. CareerCircle does not endorse any products, services, or claims mentioned. This content is for informational purposes only.
Eleanor Hecks is a business writer and researcher with a passion for bringing awareness to neurodiversity inclusion in the workplace. You can find her work as Editor-in-Chief of&nbsp;<a data-ogsc="" title="https://designerly.com/" data-linkindex="1" href="https://designerly.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable">Designerly Magazine</a>&nbsp;or as a staff writer at sites such as HR.com and Clutch.co.
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/0rYccrT6aiPXF9A1vAEG" alt="undefined">

Write age-inclusive job descriptions to attract talent, reduce bias, and strengthen your reputation as an employer of choice.

Age-Inclusive Job Descriptions: Attract Top Talent

Age-Inclusive Job Descriptions: Phrases to Avoid and What to Use Instead

The skills you have matter more than where you got them. This simple truth drives CareerCircle's commitment to the STARs movement&mdash;a growing coalition of organizations working to transform how America thinks about talent and opportunity.&nbsp;
STARs, or workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes, are a group of <a href="https://www.tearthepaperceiling.org/stars" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">over 70+ million</a><a href="https://www.tearthepaperceiling.org/stars" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank"> Americans</a> who have developed valuable capabilities through pathways other than a traditional bachelor&rsquo;s degree. These workers&mdash;including veterans, individuals with disabilities, and graduates of workforce programs&mdash;possess the skills employers desperately need but face an invisible barrier at every turn: the paper ceiling.&nbsp;
As a proud member of the Tear the Paper Ceiling Coalition, we are committed to working alongside more than 80 other leading organizations to remove barriers that block STARs from achieving higher wage work, and to support the national awareness campaign led by Opportunity@Work and the Ad Council. CareerCircle connects over 200,000 candidates with employers ready to prioritize skills over credentials. Our partnership with the Tear the Paper Ceiling campaign represents more than just advocacy for STARs&mdash;it's a fundamental shift in how we identify, value, and connect talent in today's economy.&nbsp;
<h2>The paper ceiling affects half of America's workforce&nbsp;</h2>
STARs aren't a small segment of the labor market&mdash;they represent over 50% of all U.S. workers, a talent pool larger than the populations of California and Texas combined. Despite their skills and experience gained through military service, community colleges, certificate programs, apprenticeships, or on-the-job training, these workers face systematic exclusion from opportunities.&nbsp;
The paper ceiling manifests in multiple ways: <a href="https://www.cengagegroup.com/news/press-releases/2022/2022-employability-survey-pt-2/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">62% of employers require college degrees</a> even for entry-level positions, while automated screening systems filter out qualified candidates before human eyes ever see their applications. Between 2000 and 2020, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/14/business/middle-class-jobs-study.html" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">STARs lost access to 7.4 million middle- and high-wage jobs</a>, even as employers report persistent talent shortages. The wage gap between STARs and degree holders has doubled over the past 40 years, with STARs now earning less on average than they did in 1976 when adjusted for inflation.
Research from Opportunity@Work reveals that <a href="https://www.opportunityatwork.org/take-action/ttpc" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">30 million STARs have the skills to earn at least 70% more than their current wages</a>, yet for many, unnecessary bachelor&rsquo;s degree requirements block their advancement. This represents not just individual tragedy but massive economic inefficiency&mdash;talent wasted while positions go unfilled.&nbsp;
<h2>CareerCircle's partnership amplifies proven talent pathways&nbsp;</h2>
Through our collaboration with <a href="https://www.opportunityatwork.org/take-action/ttpc" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Opportunity@Work</a> and participation in the Tear the Paper Ceiling campaign, CareerCircle advances a skills-first approach that benefits both workers and employers.&nbsp;
The campaign's core message&mdash;"if you can do the job, you should get the job"&mdash;aligns perfectly with CareerCircle's mission of connecting skilled talent with opportunities. Our platform already demonstrates that skills-based matching works: veterans transitioning their military expertise to civilian roles, individuals with disabilities bringing unique problem-solving perspectives, and workforce program graduates applying newly acquired capabilities all represent STARs&rsquo; talent in action.&nbsp;
By joining the Coalition, CareerCircle stands alongside companies like Accenture, IBM, Google, and Microsoft in publicly committing to remove unnecessary degree requirements and implement skills-first hiring practices within our own company. The Coalition has already driven measurable change: <a href="https://www.tearthepaperceiling.org/year-one-campaign-highlights" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">60% of coalition partners' job postings are now open to STARs, up from 47% just one year ago.&nbsp;</a>
<h2>Skills-based hiring delivers exceptional business results&nbsp;</h2>
Research consistently shows that skills-based hiring delivers superior outcomes across every key metric employers care about.&nbsp;
Companies implementing skills-based practices report 89% better employee retention rates compared to traditional credential-based hiring. This improved retention stems from better job-fit matching&mdash;when you hire based on actual capabilities, employees perform better and stay longer. <a href="https://www.testgorilla.com/blog/business-benefits-of-skills-based-hiring/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Organizations also see a 74-78% reduction</a> in cost-to-hire and an 82% decrease in time-to-hire by expanding their talent pools and using more effective screening methods.
Quality improvements prove equally compelling. Skills-based hiring is five times more predictive of job performance than education level and twice as predictive as experience alone. <a href="https://www.testgorilla.com/skills-based-hiring/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Companies report a 90% reduction in mis-hires</a> when they assess candidates based on demonstrated abilities rather than degrees. For a typical $60,000 salary position, reducing mis-hires can save between <a href="https://www.testgorilla.com/skills-based-hiring/state-of-skills-based-hiring-2024/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">$7,800 and $22,500 per role.&nbsp;</a>
<h2>Implementation starts with simple but powerful changes&nbsp;</h2>
Organizations ready to hire STARs can begin with straightforward steps that yield immediate results.&nbsp;
First, review job postings to identify and remove unnecessary degree requirements. Research shows that the skills required for many positions overlap significantly across wage levels&mdash;customer service capabilities that excel in entry-level roles often translate directly to account management positions, yet arbitrary credentialism blocks this natural progression.&nbsp;
Second, implement skills-based assessments in your screening process. Rather than filtering resumes by education credentials, evaluate candidates through work samples, skills tests, or structured interviews that reveal actual capabilities. CareerCircle's platform facilitates this approach by connecting employers with certified candidates from trusted community partners.&nbsp;
Third, develop clear skills-based career pathways within your organization. When STARs see opportunities for advancement based on performance rather than credentials, retention improves and word-of-mouth attracts more qualified talent.&nbsp;
Finally, track and celebrate your STARs hiring success. Organizations that measure outcomes consistently find that STARs workers match or exceed the performance of degree-holding peers while bringing diverse perspectives that drive innovation. Share these success stories internally and externally to shift cultural attitudes about talent and capability.&nbsp;
<h2>The movement gains momentum through collective action&nbsp;</h2>
Thirty states have enacted executive orders or legislation reducing degree requirements for public sector jobs, recognizing that government should model inclusive hiring practices. Major employers report transformative results: STARs now represent 20% of IBM's workforce, while <a href="https://www.tearthepaperceiling.org/meet-our-partners" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Accenture fills 20% of entry-level positions</a> through apprenticeships that offer an onramp for STARs.&nbsp;
CareerCircle's role in this movement extends beyond connecting individual skilled candidates with opportunities. By demonstrating that inclusive talent strategies work at scale, we help shift the broader narrative about workforce development and economic mobility. Every successful placement proves that talent exists everywhere&mdash;in veteran communities, among individuals with disabilities, within workforce development programs, and throughout the community of millions of STARs ready to contribute their skills.&nbsp;
As baby boomers retire and technological change accelerates, employers cannot afford to overlook this section of the workforce. The organizations that embrace skills-first hiring today gain competitive advantage through access to motivated, capable talent that others miss.
<h2>STAR talent, Excellent results&nbsp;</h2>
The paper ceiling represents one of the most solvable inefficiencies in our economy&mdash;qualified talent blocked from opportunities they could excel in by outdated credentialism. Through our partnership with Opportunity@Work and commitment to the Tear the Paper Ceiling campaign, CareerCircle works daily to connect STARs with employers ready to prioritize capabilities over credentials.&nbsp;
The data proves what we see in practice: when you evaluate talent based on skills rather than degrees, everyone wins. Employers access broader talent pools, reduce costs, and improve retention. Workers gain opportunities for economic mobility and career growth.&nbsp;
For employers ready to tap into the STARs talent pool, CareerCircle provides the platform, partnerships, and proven pathways to success. Our network of over 200,000 candidates from community partners represents skilled workers ready to contribute from day one. By tearing the paper ceiling together, we build a labor market where skills matter more &mdash;and where everyone who can do the job gets the chance to prove it.

CareerCircle champions STARs by tearing the paper ceiling—connecting skilled workers to employers through a skills-first hiring approach.

Tear the Paper Ceiling with CareerCircle

The skills you have matter more than where you got them. This simple truth drives CareerCircle's commitment to the STARs movement—a growing coalition of organizations working to transform how America thinks about talent and opportunity.

Tearing the Paper Ceiling: Why CareerCircle Champions STARs

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144 Articles

The 5 Best Skills to List on a Resume (for 2026)

Age-Inclusive Job Descriptions: Phrases to Avoid and What to Use Instead

Tearing the Paper Ceiling: Why CareerCircle Champions STARs

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