trying to get a job without success

[jianabane]

I am 43 years old, I am married with two children and for the last 4 - 5 years I have been trying to get back to work without any success. I have even gone on a Secretarial Diploma Course and I am still not having any success.
Am I being discriminated against because of my age?

Jiana

[WannaBe]

Sympathy. Am the same age as you and have been trying to get back to work for similar length of time. In my case I also have a disability which rules me out of many jobs so my market is limited.

Think at the moment it's not so much age but current experience which is a factor. Plus we now live in an employer's market, so e.g. In London where I am applying, the average administrator job has between 150/250 applicants. So they can literally skim the best off the top and discard the rest.

How many jobs are you applying for on average?

[mouldycheesefan]

What roles are you looking for? The are not many secretaries around these days! How about admin have you looked at your local univserities they have lots of administrators, also schools,estate agents, accounting firms, law firms, medical practices all need administrators I see lots advertised! Alternatively have you thought about retail, again lots of opportunities especially coming up to Xmas.

[SheldonsSpot]

It's more likely the fact that you've been out of work for a number of years that is the problem.

You could try and find some volunteering work, I used to do half a day a week admin for a local children's charity.

[mouldycheesefan]

Call centre as well. Some call centres have at home agents. Customer service centres.
How many jobs have you applied for?

[CocktailQueen]

Let's not leap straight to discrimination!

How many jobs have you applied for, and what kind? Do you interview well? Are you flexible re working hours? Have you had any feedback from jobs you didn't get? Is your CV well written with no typos or errors?

[flopsypopsymopsy]

There are loads of candidates and virtually no PA and admin jobs. Those that are left have much higher workloads. I would advise going down that route tbh.

Can you do something else?

[CVsEtc]

Joana, like others I'm wondering which roles you're applying for? Also, which stage are you generally getting to - are you getting past the application form / CV stage, have you had any interviews, and have you had any feedback from employers?

[CVsEtc]

Sorry - I typed Jiana, autocorrect changed it to Joana!

[H0m3made468]

I would suggest

CV no more than 2 pages

Ask some friends to review or rewrite your CV

You need to rewrite your CV slightly different for each job application, change it for the specific job

Have you tried temping or agency work

I would suggest applying for lots of local jobs, then widen the area

I agree it is a numbers game so keep applying for lots of jobs, even jobs that you would not have first considered like shops, cafes, xmas jobs
Some jobs will have 100s of applicants
Some jobs will have people applying from long distances

I agree that if you are not working voluntary or charity work for experience helps on a CV

I dont think that age is relevant
I think you are up against people with more experience or qualifications

Dont give up