I retired a few years ago and want to go back to work. How should my resume look?

Write a normal, focused resume for the role you want now, and treat retirement like any other break. Many people return after retirement for part-time, consulting or new roles.

Tips:

• Pick a clear target, such as part-time advisory work or a different, less demanding role.
• Show your most relevant experience, often from the last 10 to 15 years, in detail.
• Shorten or summarise earlier roles.
• Add any recent activity, such as board roles, volunteering, mentoring or courses.
• Use a clean, modern template.

You can describe the break simply: "Retired from full-time work in 2023; now seeking part-time finance roles." You do not need to give your age or explain the decision.

Employers may wonder whether you will stay or how you feel about a smaller role, so prepare a short, honest answer about why you want to return, such as wanting to use your skills, enjoying a team or wanting a defined number of days a week.