FaleNetwork

Job application over 50: CV and cover letter examples

2 fully written cover letters, a ready CV with a placeholder portrait and practical tips – open the example and replace the details with yours.

Use this CV templateUse a cover letter

Cover letter examples

Each example is written for a different starting point. Borrow the structure, not the sentences – your own examples and numbers are what make a letter work.

1Accountant, 54, after a site closureExperienced

Gail Wright
80 Newport
Lincoln LN1 3DF
030 23125 575 · gail.wright@example.com

Hartley Construction Ltd
Hartley
5 Commerce Way
Lincoln LN6 3QR

DD Month YYYY

Application for the position of Accounts assistant / bookkeeper

Dear Mr Hartley,

after 22 years, my employer, a builders’ merchant, is closing its local branch at the end of the year. I ran the accounts there from purchase ledger to year end, latterly as the only qualified member of staff with one assistant.

At 54 I bring what an accounts department needs: calm at month end, a feel for when a number is wrong, and good relationships with external accountants and auditors. Last year I introduced electronic invoicing myself. I know construction from the supplier side and would quickly learn the contractor side.

Yours sincerely,

Gail Wright

Enclosures
CV
References

Use this cover letter
2Engineer, 58, making one more moveExperienced

Bill Shepherd
7 Mansfield Road
Nottingham NG5 2BQ
089 99998 053 · bill.shepherd@example.com

Precision Components Midlands
Kaur
Unit 14, Tollgate Park
Nottingham NG7 2PW

DD Month YYYY

Application for the position of Quality engineer

Dear Ms Kaur,

why would anyone change jobs at 58? In my case it is simple: my employer is moving production abroad, and I want to spend my remaining working years where parts are actually made.

I have thirty years in quality assurance in metalworking, fourteen of them leading a department of eight. I have taken two sites through certification and audited suppliers across Europe. What I can pass on is experience of mistakes you do not make twice.

I do not need a management role. I need my experience to be useful.

Yours sincerely,

Bill Shepherd

Enclosures
CV
References

Use this cover letter

All people, companies and contact details in the examples are fictional.

CV example

A complete CV for the role – with an illustrated placeholder instead of a photo.

Preview of the CV of Gail Wright in the Classic design
Read the CV as text

Gail Wright

Bookkeeper and accounts manager

80 Newport, Lincoln LN1 3DF · 030 23125 575 · gail.wright@example.com

Placeholder portrait: replace it with your photo in the editor, or remove it.

Work experience

  • 04/2004 – present
    Accounts manager
    Lincoln Building Supplies, Lincoln
    • Accounts to year end
    • Introduced e-invoicing
    • Contact for auditors
  • 1996 – 2004
    Bookkeeper
    Wolds Wine Merchants, Lincoln

Education

  • 2008 – 2010
    Professional accounting qualification (part time)
    Lincoln

Skills

Bookkeeping, Year-end accounts, E-invoicing, Spreadsheets

Languages

English (Native)

Interests

Walking, choir

Use this CV template

Good to know

Your application in three steps

  1. Add your own photo – or none

    The example uses an illustrated placeholder. Replace it under “Choose photo” in the editor, or remove it: in the UK, US and many other countries a CV photo is not expected.

  2. Replace the details

    Name, contact, jobs, skills: everything is filled in and can be overwritten field by field.

  3. Save as PDF

    The PDF is created in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, no account needed.

What employers look for

After 50 you often have more experience than the team you are joining. Use it selectively: the last ten to fifteen years in detail, everything earlier in a line or two. Show you use current tools and keep learning. You do not need to state your date of birth.

  • Relevant recent experience

  • Current skills and training

  • A clear reason for moving

  • Willingness to learn new systems

  • Reliability and calm

Tips for your application

Do

  • Detail the last 10–15 years, summarise the rest.
  • Mention recent training.
  • Explain the move factually.

Don’t

  • Justify your age.
  • List every job since school.
  • Talk down to younger teams.
Typical interview questions

Prepare a short, honest example from your own work for each one.

  1. Why are you moving now?
  2. How would you work with a younger manager?
  3. Which new tools have you learned recently?
  4. How long do you plan to keep working?

Salary expectations

If the advert asks for your salary expectations, give an annual gross figure or a range you have researched – through pay scales, salary surveys from public sources or people who do the job. If it does not ask, leave pay out of the letter; it will come up in the interview.

Frequently asked questions
Do I have to give my date of birth?

No. Leave it out and focus on the experience that matters for the role.

Should I put a photo on my CV?

It depends on the country. In the UK, Ireland and the US a photo is usually left out to avoid bias, and many employers prefer CVs without one. In Germany and some other countries it is common but optional. If you use one: recent, friendly, plain background, dressed as you would be on a good day at work.

Can I copy the example letters?

Yes, they are free to use. But recruiters read a lot of letters – one with your own examples, numbers and a real reason for choosing this employer will always do better. Use the examples as scaffolding and write the sentences yourself.

Is my data stored anywhere?

No. The CV and the letter are created in your browser. Nothing is stored unless you switch on “Save the draft” in the editor – and then only on your device.

Related jobs

Finish your application

Cover letter and CV as PDF, certificates added, all in one file – small enough for any job portal.