To think job market for those 55 and over is dire

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 I think the idea of older people being rubbish with IT is just an outdated stereotype.

Yes I agree too. All through my 30s I’ve felt employers think I may be unreliable because I have young children / may get pregnant again. Now approaching my 40s I’m worried they’ll think I’m unreliable because of all the menopause stuff which seems to be EVERYWHERE right now and makes it sound like women are all basket cases from 42-57…

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

You sound like someone promoted way beyond your capabilities. Let me guess - small family company and you are a relative of the boss.

I was made redundant at 50. My profession is extremely ageist and I could only get temporary work through agencies.

I did downsize as I also divorced at the same time and I lived off my redundancy payout and equity from the house that was sold.

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

What do you mean? Some people were still using manual typewriters. The 80s was a time, when credit cards details for shop payment weren’t digitised and entered manually from details lifted with carbon paper. And RSA typing was an option at school.

Edit - oops I think I misunderstood the post. Not had much sleep... I thought it meant people, who wee in their 50s in 1980s. Of course people now in their 50s know how to use tech. And I used computers back then.

And 57yo dh started a new job just under 6 months ago. He got a pay rise of about 15% on his basic and 25% more if he gets full bonus.

Trouble is posters on MN are constantly going on about being menopausal rage monsters and even perimenopausal (I’d never heard that phrase till MN) gets non stop mention. If bosses are reading those it’s not going to help. I’m in the same situation as others so certainly not without sympathy. I went from office based jobs all my working life to being a cleaner after redundancy in my late 50s. It’s played havoc with my joints but I literally could not get office work anymore.

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

This is the advice I've been given, but my previous role (which I was in for a long time) just doesn't translate into that.

I'm getting interviews in my sector but it's fairly niche and it would be good to have as many irons in the fire as possible!

If I am still able to do a good job and am enjoying it by the time I reach retirement age, I’m not retiring. Plus I don’t have a pension.

Actually the people I work with in their 20s and 30s have a lot less knowledge than I do. And yes I mean outside Word and Excel (although their abilities with that are pretty bad too).

They can’t work things out for themselves and ask things that I would never have asked when I was using the same systems.

Yes. This happened to my husband, he was 52. He did work in a very niche industry but had been at a high level for 25 years. He didn't get an interview at the same level, or even close to it. He ended up having to take a job way below his skillset and experience. It was very soul destroying for him.

We eventually moved 250 miles away to start a tourism business so that he didn't have to carry on working in that environment, we kind of downsized I suppose which others have suggested as we used the equity in our house to start the business.

I find this hilarious. I have worked in tech since the IBM PC was released when I was 18 so solidly for 40 years. I have colleagues who have done the same. None of us has any issue with the new systems which arrive every year. I'm just starting another system implementation this week.
Perhaps your colleagues slowness at picking up new systems is down to something else.

I’d just change that to GCSEs and if asked just explain that most people under 40 have never heard of O levels so you called them GCSEs for clarity. My DSis was the last year to do O levels and she’s almost 55 now.

OP, take the dates off your qualifications and only put the last 10-15 years of jobs with a note to say ‘previous non-relevant roles available on request’. Focus on skills, highlighting those you’ll bring to a new role.

I’m not talking about ‘knowing how to use a computer’ or using Microsoft Word or Excel. Of course everyone knows the basics that have been around for decades. Tech has become an awful lot more advanced since then (at least in my industry) and what I’m seeing is that people are struggling to adapt.

Where do you make that money in the care industry without working illegal and potentially dangerous shifts? Would really like to know ! Are you in the UK?

The whole job market has been terrible for some time in the UK and some other countries too.
It's actually worst for those under 25 years. The highest rates of unemployment is amongst new graduates. I'm sure it is rubbish for > 50s too which is awful considering that this group is expected to work until 67/68, up to 18 years more.
Sadly, I think the situation is going to get much worse rather than better so worth getting something now if you can, even if it involves reduced responsibilities and salary.
@Bettyfordtoday with a high paying career and a large redundancy package, you are in a much better situation than most people being made redundant. Good luck with finding something else.

I went to uni and qualified as an academic later in life. I took everything before my first degree off my CV and included only a brief mention that I had worked in librarianship. There were only recent dates with my degrees. I found that in that profession no one was in the least interested what I had done before my first degree. I could have been a bank robber for all they knew.

I also have O Levels but list them as GCSEs. They were exactly equivalent (allegedly) so I see no harm in it.

How can a carer earn 4k a month?

Been there twice in my career when two jobs offer at nearly the same time. Both times I honoured my acceptance of the first and both times I regretted it. I would say take the one you prefer and don't worry about the loyalty to your word. Most employers would be as ruthless if they needed to be.

This is very true. But younger people will often accept lower pay.

We need to normalise pay peaking mid 40s and then dropping as we become less productive. Most older people aren't competitive when applying for roles because they are simply quite expensive.

I work in this industry and have never heard of support workers getting more than around £28, 30k tops. Even the managers aren't on much more than mid 30s.

List less work history.

There's no rule saying you need to.put every date ever or every job you ever did. Don't list the dates for qualifications.

That said - be realistic. We all get slower as we age, I can see it in myself, I am less able to rapidly learn new things and my processing speed has dropped. You need to focus on roles where deep experience & strategic leadership is worth more, where you are not competing with 30 year olds.

If this isn't an option, you may to accept taking a pay cut and looking at lower paid roles who may see you as more of a bargain.