To think job market for those 55 and over is dire

Sadly that’s the case. I’m all for women working and having equal opportunities but I do think in some ways working women have shot themselves in the foot.

Glad you found a solution that has helped a bit.

MyPinkKoala
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.

Hmm that’s funny cos nobody posting on this thread seems to come across this way … if you read the posts people are desperate for meaningful work and still have a lot to give.

I get Botox at the hospital every 3 months and I use a tnVNS device. I also started HRT including testosterone which has been shown in some studies to help with migraines, you do have to be on estrogen for that and I use estrogen patches. I also take atogepant, it didn't do much on its own but with the other things it seems to help I also use all the usual supplements. I have two different triptans for acute attacks as well as anti-nausea meds and naproxen. Mine still aren't perfect but way better than they were.

I’m not able to retire as I still need to work financially. Otherwise I would.

Technology is moving very fast at the moment. Candidates will have to be comfortable working with AI. Between a much older or younger no experience candidate who is an AI native, employers may prefer the latter. Not saying it is right but unless an older candidate has relevant senior experience which moves the dial, an employer would prefer to train up a younger rather than older candidate.

Much support to OP and others in this position. I know if I lose my job (late 50s), I will definitely take early retirement.

That's one of the many reasons I am self employed. I don't want to be subject to other people's combined ageism and misogyny. I prefer to take my life and future into my own hands.

This is food for thought, and I had never considered that all the menopause awareness could work against us.

at every stage of life, the system rails against us. Too young, will go off and have babies, part time because of childcare, menopausal, too old.

Husband made redundant last year at 55. He has found something but it is a step back career-wise and a pay cut. We are grateful though as we can survive. V stressful and depressing.

OT can I ask about your treatment protocol? I have chronic migraines nearly every day and it makes work hell. I had all the usual meds and now have scalp botox at the neuro hospital every four months. Still not controlled.

You can say the years of experience without naming the dates though. Everything you say is pretty much what I did and it has given me the opportunity to change change to doing something I enjoy more.

I would also look at fractional leadership.

The key is to be very clear about what you can do, and what area you can make a material difference, and then examples of where you have done this. You can say whatever you like as long as you can back it up.

For example, something along the lines of:
Focused on driving profitable revenue, as evidenced at xxx company where I drove down cost by £y and drove incremental revenue of £z.

That sort of thing.

Way to many CVs I used to see were lists of job descriptions, but told me nothing of what the candidate believed they could do. They all went straight in the bin.

I retired at 55 after a redundancy. It's not too young if you can afford it. I'm loving the freedom and time to myself.

I think age discrimination is about some managers' insecurities around employing someone more experienced and who they may feel uncomfortable managing, prefering instead a younger more arse-licky person they can feel superior to.

I've worked in both private and public sector but as I near my 50s I'm clinging on for dear life to my public sector job for as long as they'll have me, and if I'm forced to move I would aim to stay in public sector. I actually prefer private sector culture but its not as forgiving to the old.

You’d like to think so, and I agree re age discrimination etc. I do think though, rightly or wrongly, with all the hype around employers having to have menopause policies they are perhaps reluctant to employ women of menopausal age.

You mean you can't manipulate them into being your slave by dangling the carrot of promotion? ( also, wrong, many 50+ still want to climb the ladder)

I'm going to add some positivity to the thread - DH was made redundant from a senior marketing role in July 2024. He'd been looking for jobs for about 6 months before that because he'd been TUPE'd over and knew what was coming. We have four children (two at uni and two heading there in the next year or so) and still had a SE size mortgage so I was terrified because although I'd had a professional career, I gave it up after my fourth child. He applied for literally 100s of jobs - he was told by recruiters and his network "you have amazing experience, you'll be snapped up" etc.....he wasn't. I went straight out and got a job as a PA within a week of him being made redundant, but it paid less than a 1/5 of what he'd been earning.

Fast forward to January 2026 and I went back to my profession through a returnship (at 53!) and have just landed a permanent contract in the civil service because of it....DH has also secured a job as a CEO of an exciting company and our household income is about 50k higher than it was before DH was made redundant...... so miracles DO happen, stay positive and just keep applying/sweating your networks/having coffees etc.

Good luck to those looking!

Depends on your skills and the sector you work in. I'm over 55 and I've been headhunted twice in the last 3 years.

Where I work, in Retail, we've been advertising for various jobs for months now, one is a FT shift manager position, which still remains unfilled. Our staff ranges in age from mainly students to 40+. Please don't disregard retail. Yes, the hours are a PITA, but its a job. Personally, I prefer older applicants because they tend to have more common sense.

How do they know your age before interviewing? Have you spend the last 30 years working in the same place? It is illegal for employers to ask your age in application and interviews, unless it is critical for the job

I've been saying that since everyone became obsessed with perimenopause. I've been told off on here for saying that I think all this menopause awareness training at work is bad. It just makes people think that you're falling to bits after a certain age.

@MistressoftheDarkSide you've listed all your achievements yes? Keeping in mind that what you and I don't see as an achievement, a lot of people will. So to us certain things that are no big deal are really big deal to others, particularly relating to being able to offer proof of organisational skills and reliability.

my best friend has been made redundant twice in the last five years or six years

She's 55. She's found work extremely quickly both times and actually got a step up

I realise that won't apply to everybody in terms of her skill set and career trajectory and so on, but it does make me think there is hope

I thought Jeremy Hunt was objecting to how many over 50s are choosing not to work? Basically, they want the tax money. So they will tell you off if you are over 50 and can afford to retire early - but they won't do anything about the barriers people face.

I’m in the same boat 57 years old and out of work 9 months and rapidly running through my savings.
Too young to retire but not getting an interview/job, they want younger people. I’m a professional high earner and getting nowhere …trying to keep going but battling. I feel in the scrap heap and don’t know what to do. Done hundreds of applications.

I’ve just taken someone on that is, by my reckoning, early 60s. I’ve guessed this from the fact his application mentioned ‘o levels’ in the early 80s. He certainly didn’t look older at the interview. He was by far the best candidate.

55 is the new 65!

Leave the dates off of your school/uni and then delete early work experience so it's only the most recent/relevant stuff. With that, you can't know someone's age from a CV alone

I agree. DH was in this position last year and it was awful. Very demoralising. He applied for over 150 jobs which got him about 5 interviews and he finally got a job after about 6 months (luckily, as the redundancy pay had run out).

It's a less senior role on significantly less pay though. But local, so reduced commuting costs.

However, the younger people I know looking for jobs don't seem to be having much more success.