Page 4 | To think job market for those 55 and over is dire

Bettyfordtoday · 2026-04-25T12:54:50+00:00

At 55, and recently made redundant from a highly paid corporate role I am struggling to get another role or even an interview. I'm wondering what others do at this age point, too young to retire but seemingly too old to interview ? Have a mortgage etc to pay and don't want to get in debt , redundancy pay will last if I am careful to the end of the year at most

Aposterhasnoname · 26/04/2026 11:26

MistressoftheDarkSide · 25/04/2026 14:35

Unfortunately, my only formal qualifications are O levels and an NCDT diploma in Stage Management, technical theatre and design 😆 the O levels are a dead giveaway!

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So leave them off, once you get to 50 school exams are irrelevant.

examworries2026 · 26/04/2026 11:23

StillAGoth · 26/04/2026 09:09

I suppose it boils down to different employers having different biases. It will also depend on the nature of the role, the level you're hiring at and previous experience.

I once went for a teaching interview. I was mid 30s. The interview was going really well. You know when an interview is going well. Then they told me staff in the school had to do a 4 night annual residential. Not every year, it was done on a rotation basis. They asked who would look after my children when it was my turn. When I said, "Oh, my husband," I felt the whole tone of the interview change and went from thinking I've got a good chance of getting this job to instantly knowing I definitely wasn't getting it. The rest of the interview was just going through the motions and I didn't get it.

Firstly, my husband would have done it willingly - I didn't have a any doubt; secondly, I instantly realised that if I'd said, "Oh, my mum," I'd likely have got it; thirdly, they wouldn't have asked a male candidate that question in the first place.

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Your post doesn’t make sense. Are you saying they didn’t employ you because you said your husband would look after your children while you were on the residential?

In any case they absolutely shouldn’t have asked you that question.

Idolovemydog · 26/04/2026 11:20

StillAGoth · 26/04/2026 09:58

I'm sure there must be other professions that require this but there's no way of hiding it in teaching.

You have to account for every day since leaving school at 18 for Safer Recruitment so all work history has to be included with dates and all exam certificates have to be provided at interview stage.

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Yep, same in social work/social care.
PS. I'm still a goth too.🖤

ButterYellowHair · 26/04/2026 11:04

Monolithique · 26/04/2026 11:03

It's difficult. I'm tempted to leave off my O levels, because that marks me out as at least 55.

I can put my A levels in, but with grade inflation my previously 'good' grades BBC, now don't look as good as they once did, what with so many getting straight As.

Nobody cares about the grades so long as it’s above a C anyway

ButterYellowHair · 26/04/2026 11:04

StillAGoth · 26/04/2026 10:35

It's because, in teaching, they have to be sure you've not been in prison.

Part time jobs alongside school/whilst at university don't need to be included, but we still have to include every job whether it's relevant to teaching or not from 30+ years ago with dates for each. You can't have any gaps which can't be easily explained or proven.

Along with GCSE, A Level, degree, teaching and other certificates.

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Surely a DBS check would be the easiest way to check that?

Monolithique · 26/04/2026 11:03

It's difficult. I'm tempted to leave off my O levels, because that marks me out as at least 55.

I can put my A levels in, but with grade inflation my previously 'good' grades BBC, now don't look as good as they once did, what with so many getting straight As.

ButterYellowHair · 26/04/2026 11:01

Zov · 25/04/2026 14:00

I would go as far as to say over 48 to be honest. I know several people in their late 40s who are struggling something awful to get a job, even a basic, unskilled labour job. Employers favour younger people ALWAYS. Whether they admit it or not.

Surely that’s just the market? Youngster’s are struggling too - why would being 48 (19 years from retirement) mean they’re being discriminated against?

If that’s the case when are people hired?
20s - not experienced enough
30s - no, women will want Mat leave
48+ too old.

Are you saying there’s only an 8 year sweet spot?

Darkside0fm00n · 26/04/2026 10:42

Depending on the type of job that a person is applying for. Some online CVs require every job going back to age 16 & you have to account for any times not in work, with accurate dates & what you were doing.

Plus provide all original qualification certificates

StillAGoth · 26/04/2026 10:35

InconsequentialFerret · 26/04/2026 10:14

It used to be like this in local government, too. However, I recently applied for a job that only asked for last three years, which suited me fine.

There was an education part where I put my BA and MA and that required dates otherwise the form wouldn't complete. So I just wrote my school qualifications in the personal statement part, not mentioning dates and just bundled them together as English, Maths, social and science subjects Grades A-C.

In my personal statement I referenced jobs from 2010 onwards. I've got an interview next week!

To be fair they don't care about age, just about relevant experience, so pointless listing a hospitality job from 1989.

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It's because, in teaching, they have to be sure you've not been in prison.

Part time jobs alongside school/whilst at university don't need to be included, but we still have to include every job whether it's relevant to teaching or not from 30+ years ago with dates for each. You can't have any gaps which can't be easily explained or proven.

Along with GCSE, A Level, degree, teaching and other certificates.

noworklifebalance · 26/04/2026 10:29

Surely after a certain age - not even that old, say 30y - no one cares about GCSEs and A-levels, especially if you have a degree. Even if you don’t, a decade of working history will demonstrate the level of skills, literacy, numeracy etc

InconsequentialFerret · 26/04/2026 10:14

StillAGoth · 26/04/2026 09:58

I'm sure there must be other professions that require this but there's no way of hiding it in teaching.

You have to account for every day since leaving school at 18 for Safer Recruitment so all work history has to be included with dates and all exam certificates have to be provided at interview stage.

Show quote history

It used to be like this in local government, too. However, I recently applied for a job that only asked for last three years, which suited me fine.

There was an education part where I put my BA and MA and that required dates otherwise the form wouldn't complete. So I just wrote my school qualifications in the personal statement part, not mentioning dates and just bundled them together as English, Maths, social and science subjects Grades A-C.

In my personal statement I referenced jobs from 2010 onwards. I've got an interview next week!

To be fair they don't care about age, just about relevant experience, so pointless listing a hospitality job from 1989.

StillAGoth · 26/04/2026 09:58

Ncisdouble · 25/04/2026 14:39

I use only last 10 years of working history. I am younger but skilled in hiding my immigrant arse on CV...
Nothing has locations or dates. Take dates off, do not use all work history (no one really cares what you did at 20 unless it was massively important.
It seemed to work last time i job hunted last year.
Nothing what can identofy your protected characteristocs essentially unless it was part of your job or similar.
Re qualifications, I put equivalent ones for uk and current time

Edited

I'm sure there must be other professions that require this but there's no way of hiding it in teaching.

You have to account for every day since leaving school at 18 for Safer Recruitment so all work history has to be included with dates and all exam certificates have to be provided at interview stage.

CatusFlatus · 26/04/2026 09:58

MistressoftheDarkSide · 25/04/2026 14:35

Unfortunately, my only formal qualifications are O levels and an NCDT diploma in Stage Management, technical theatre and design 😆 the O levels are a dead giveaway!

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You can use the phrase 'GCSE equivalent' instead of O levels. Not perfect but can help.

Maized · 26/04/2026 09:51

charactershoes · 26/04/2026 08:03

Yes, the two people in my office who are known to be very good with the tech side of things are both around 60. I think the idea of older people being rubbish with IT is just an outdated stereotype.

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In my workplace we are about to lose two highly skilled, highly experienced tech people due to retirement, and it will be a real loss. Tech people love tech, love keeping up with developments, and understand that tech as a career requires continual reskilling. In my experience if you have the opportunity to hire an older person whose whole career has been in tech you are onto a winner!

Maized · 26/04/2026 09:44

MyPinkKoala · 25/04/2026 16:12

I wouldn't employ an older applicant because in my experience they think they know more than you, have no ambition, want an easy life and coast to retirement. Not fair on the rest of the team who have to pick up their slack.

You've just described ageism, which is against the law. Your experience is limited - you have not met all people over the age of 50 - but you are using it to discriminate against people you don't know based on a protected characteristic under the Equality Act.

StillAGoth · 26/04/2026 09:37

RaininSummer · 25/04/2026 23:12

Agree the older person 'bad at IT' trope is tiresome. At 63, I am ahead of most of my colleagues with IT. I also got a job at 58 in the civil service. Also agree that this peri and menopause obsession is making things harder for women. I wasn't affected adversely at work by either and hadn't even heard of peri.

There is some good CV advice here. Unfortunately it's much harder to actually knock years off your age now like my Dad did in the eighties when job seeking in his late fifties.

I agree with all of that.

Especially the menopause thing now. I get really frustrated when I see every other women posting frustrations on MN about pretty much anything being told its her age, asked if she could be menopausal and told its because her tolerance has reduced due to lower oestrogen.

It's so dismissive. I posted about something under a different name and half the people who responded asked if I could be menopausal. ! As soon as people know you're 50+, that's the go to response. I probably am menopausal - I'm over 50 but I'm not consumed by rage, I don't find myself regularly having 'a little cry' and I haven't experienced any cognitive decline. I've never been tolerant of dickheads.

I'm actually in the safe zone. As I think I've already said, I have no children at home, there's zero chance of me taking maternity leave, I have no parents to become elderly and no health issues. I've just now committed the sin of being in my 50s.

littlepicklebum · 26/04/2026 09:18

Ncisdouble · 25/04/2026 14:39

I use only last 10 years of working history. I am younger but skilled in hiding my immigrant arse on CV...
Nothing has locations or dates. Take dates off, do not use all work history (no one really cares what you did at 20 unless it was massively important.
It seemed to work last time i job hunted last year.
Nothing what can identofy your protected characteristocs essentially unless it was part of your job or similar.
Re qualifications, I put equivalent ones for uk and current time

Edited

You asked a question op and here’s your answer.
Straight from the horses mouth

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 26/04/2026 09:14

aCatCalledFawkes · 26/04/2026 08:42

I have to say this sounds like a "you" problem not a "them" problem. You're basically complaining that they get paid more than you for having more experience than for which they were most probably recruited for.

As for tech in your late 40's/50s... We grew up with it to you know? I did my degree in AI over 20 years ago when it was actually a proper computer science subject rather than a bandwagon that everyone now thinks there an expert in because they did a course on linkedin.

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Yes - I started with a typewriter and used every iteration of word processors etc (anyone remember the orange or green display?) 😬

StillAGoth · 26/04/2026 09:09

lljkk · 26/04/2026 08:14

Employers favour younger people ALWAYS.

Not in my experience.
Which bias do ppl want to argue dominates:

Employers avoid hiring child-bearing age women bcz of maternity leave disruption.
/or/
Employers favour the experienced (older employees) so don't want employees (usually quite young, new graduates) without experience
/or/
Employers avoid post-menop women bcz we're all emotional disasters who need our own special sickness policies (per lots of recent propaganda)
/or/
Employers want to fire everyone before they are in post long enough to get expensive redundancy pay & unfair dismissal rights
/or/
Employers avoid new graduates bcz the new Grads only know how to use LLMs and lack basic skills, can't think for themselves...

I mean, make up your mind.

If anecdote is helpful, my boss openly admits he likes to hire nice people, the ones he finds easiest to work with. Niceness is not age dependent but he may think first of potential recruits who he knows well, which de facto makes them older adults like himself.

I suppose it boils down to different employers having different biases. It will also depend on the nature of the role, the level you're hiring at and previous experience.

I once went for a teaching interview. I was mid 30s. The interview was going really well. You know when an interview is going well. Then they told me staff in the school had to do a 4 night annual residential. Not every year, it was done on a rotation basis. They asked who would look after my children when it was my turn. When I said, "Oh, my husband," I felt the whole tone of the interview change and went from thinking I've got a good chance of getting this job to instantly knowing I definitely wasn't getting it. The rest of the interview was just going through the motions and I didn't get it.

Firstly, my husband would have done it willingly - I didn't have a any doubt; secondly, I instantly realised that if I'd said, "Oh, my mum," I'd likely have got it; thirdly, they wouldn't have asked a male candidate that question in the first place.

aCatCalledFawkes · 26/04/2026 08:42

MidnightMeltdown · 25/04/2026 20:26

I have to say, I can relate to this. I’ve worked with a few over 50s in my team, and as lovely as they are, they are hopeless with tech, and very slow to pick up new things, despite getting the same training etc. The annoying thing is that these people are often more senior than me and get paid more, simply because they are 15 years plus years older and have ‘more experience’. However, that experience doesn’t count for much when it isn’t up to date, and I end up spending a lot of time helping them and showing them how to do things.

It isn’t lack of effort or willingness to learn, it seems to me that learning just slows down after a certain age, which is problematic given the pace at which the world is changing. From that perspective, I can see why employers want to pay them less, but equally, it’s shit given how high retirement age is now

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I have to say this sounds like a "you" problem not a "them" problem. You're basically complaining that they get paid more than you for having more experience than for which they were most probably recruited for.

As for tech in your late 40's/50s... We grew up with it to you know? I did my degree in AI over 20 years ago when it was actually a proper computer science subject rather than a bandwagon that everyone now thinks there an expert in because they did a course on linkedin.

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 26/04/2026 08:40

Wolmando · 26/04/2026 07:01

It’s because they have probably only ever used an iPhone or iPad and haven’t a clue how to do anything else

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Possibly. But they have no idea how to work things out or look them up. They just expect it spoonfed

Hoppity80 · 26/04/2026 08:27

Bagwyllydiart · 26/04/2026 07:56

I am 67, self employed, and I am having to turn work down. It very much depends on what work you do.

What work you do could we ask? It would be really helpful to understand where there are opportunities for more mature workers x

Pickledonion1999 · 26/04/2026 08:16

Touty · 26/04/2026 00:20

How can a carer earn 4k a month?

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I would think the only way to do this would be to be a live in carer 24/7 !

lljkk · 26/04/2026 08:14

Employers favour younger people ALWAYS.

Not in my experience.
Which bias do ppl want to argue dominates:

Employers avoid hiring child-bearing age women bcz of maternity leave disruption.
/or/
Employers favour the experienced (older employees) so don't want employees (usually quite young, new graduates) without experience
/or/
Employers avoid post-menop women bcz we're all emotional disasters who need our own special sickness policies (per lots of recent propaganda)
/or/
Employers want to fire everyone before they are in post long enough to get expensive redundancy pay & unfair dismissal rights
/or/
Employers avoid new graduates bcz the new Grads only know how to use LLMs and lack basic skills, can't think for themselves...

I mean, make up your mind.

If anecdote is helpful, my boss openly admits he likes to hire nice people, the ones he finds easiest to work with. Niceness is not age dependent but he may think first of potential recruits who he knows well, which de facto makes them older adults like himself.

Speediegonzales · 26/04/2026 08:05

YouHaveAnArse · 26/04/2026 06:07

Through what, simply being female? Expected to be the primary carers for the children/elderly in their lives?

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Sadly yes. I’m not saying it’s right, but that’s how some potential employers see things. As an example, you have 4 people in team, 2 go on mat leave, that’s you instantly down 50%. Then when they come back they could potentially want to go part time or have flexible working. If granted, that puts pressure on the other team members and on it goes. With all the awareness around menopause etc (which can be a good thing) employers then see us as potentially emotional wrecks etc. Things do need change.