Career Surgery

As an employer I have my entire workforce comprising over 45's. Loyalty, reliability, attendance as well as experience combine to produce a trouble and stress free working environment. It will create problems later but everyone is fulfilled and not disposed to move. Those employers ignoring the (I suspect) large stock of experienced people with a strong work ethic are building problems for themselves with a workforce who are only looking for a short stay before moving on to new pastures with no thought for the Company who has helped them get there. I'm 67 and I think I'm as effective now as I have ever been.

Bob - November 30, 2006 12:54 PM

Charlie, The age discrimination act works both ways and it therefore also forbids employers to request age information on a CV or application form. I suggest that the CV should be taylored to go back mo more than 5 years and no daes be used which can be used to discriminate against you,

Steve - December 24, 2006 4:15 PM

While I agree that many do find it harder to get to an interview stage at a certain point in their lives, I would urge to continue knocking at doors. The company where I work (I'm in the internal recruitment team) has an average age of 42, so for every 25 year old here, there's another who's 59. There are plenty of companies who do look at the skills and experience rather than whether the person was born at a certain time.

Rebecca - January 5, 2007 11:22 AM

Being 49 years old in an HR admin role, it's true to say that some employers do have preduces in recruiting more reliable & experienced staff, but i am a true believer in combing skills & experience from all age groups, my advise to those who despair is try a new direction i am an ex builder, found some courses i was interested in & studied to gain an admin qualification i now work in local goverment within an organisation that views staff of all ages as assets & willing to sponsor training right up-to degree level, most of all age & experience is no barrier if the employer feels at the interview stage that you can bring something of value in to the company they wiil employ you &if there is anything you maybe lacking they are prepared to invest in trainingg whether it is internal or external plus they have an excellent pension scheme, so give a try.

Brian - January 27, 2007 4:01 PM

But would you like to tell us who they are?

I've been searching ever since I returned from Asia and stopped counting the applications after the 100 mark. Out of that lot I've had 2 interviews, both of which turned out to be for part time posts. Something is wrong.

flotsam - January 27, 2007 5:13 PM

I hope I can help, I have no idea if this will work for you but it may and as you have probably spent time energy and effort on C.Vs covering letters and posting them you may have the seach skills needed to use the net.

I have had to deal with all sort of crap over the years and my farther was in exactly the same position as you 17 years ago, he was made redundant from Thorn EMI a huge company at the time working in an executive sales position for there fire products dept. He was devistated, knocked him for 6, If the internet had been around then I feel sure with the skills he had and indeed still has he would have found something. I guess what I'm trying to say is you can reach far more companies or see new avenues through this device, use all the search engine's Yahoo, google, YELL.com, Amazon.com, Ask.com their are loads type in stuff like Over 40's employment companies etc... See where it take you I mean what have you got to loose, it's helped me enormously over the years. I really hope this helps you, as I know what it did to my dad and believe me I have never forgiven them for it .

CJ - January 31, 2007 9:29 PM