is 55 too old, seriously?

[my2020newdecade]

I have a life plan for the new decade, this includes getting a job of some description.

I've been out of work for so long now that my self esteem re employability is shot to bits (SAHP) - fairly unsupportive DH which doesn't help and this may well be part of my new driving factor.

I've been applying for jobs but haven't even go as far as an interview which is making me feel like my timing is off and I'm too late now?

You might find this helpful:

www.renegadegeneration.com/agefriendly-employers

The Civil Service also don't discriminate on age grounds, so are worth looking into (just Google Civil Service Jobs).

I don't think volunteering is particularly useful unless it is for an employer you want to work for. Good luck!

55 isn’t too old to work, but to be blunt admin may not be that easy. Does your office skills compare with those of a much younger person? We have 18 year old appprentice admin staff starting who can whip up an excel pivot table or VLook up as easy as I used to use a fax machine in the early 80s. They are much cheaper than me at 53 too.

I would start your expectations lower and build up on your experience tbh.

Have you tried the NHS or local authorities? Sometimes they have bank staff so you do where and when they need you. Might give you a foot in and the experience needed on your CV.

What about advertising freelance typing? Or setting up a business as a “virtual PA”?

Is there a Building Better Opportunities project near you or similar OP? If you want more info DM me.

There should hopefully be a funded project by you that can help you get job ready.

@my2020newdecade You are not too old but you need to do some work on your applications. What level admin are you looking at? Are these local companies, national companies, universities, schools, local authority? We need you to be precise.

For example, if you have been out of the workplace for a long time, how are your IT skills? Can you do spreadsheets, use the internet, are familiar with how offices/ admin roles work these days?

What qualifications do you have?
How do they match the jobs you have applied for?
Are you studying the job spec and making sure you can fulfil their criteria?

You do need to be able to prove you can do the job or can learn to do it.

As others have said, getting some work experience maybe in a voluntary role is worth trying or even further training.

How about an admin role in a local school?At the school I work at we're always on the look out for good people and the more "mature" applicants seem to be the most successful in terms of reliability, work ethic, common sense etc. Good luck!

My local authority has their own in house temp agency. They have a lot of vacancies as use temp staff rather than employ staff in substantive posts.

I work as a temp now and again for them after a number of years being employed in a permanent position.

Might be worth taking some kind of a refresher to get your skills up to date. There's not much typing of letters etc nowadays but there is a lot of using various databases, some specific to each area.

I know someone who works for a different agency and she gets a lot of work in schools admin.

So there are posts out there and temping isn't all bad.

Just make sure you have the necessary skills (you may well do already!). So be competent on email, Microsoft team, PowerPoint, excel etc.

You'd be amazed at the number of people who say they're competent at excel, we do a billy basic test at interview and they can't do a simple v look-up.

Obvious point but again we've had it - don't lie about your skill level. If the job ad says you need a certain skill then you'll probably need to use it pretty soon into the job!

I sympathise with you. I'm 57 and have been looking to change my job for the last year (admin). I've applied for over 20 jobs and not had a single interview. Although I don't have O levels on my CV (no As or a degree unfortunately), my employment record pretty much gives my age away.

I've also been told that having been in my current job for 22 years and the previous one for 10 stands against me. Obviously employers don't want someone reliable and dependable??

The school systemseems to not so ageist, one of the invigilators i work with secured a TA post similar age to you and had been out of rk for a while
I also have a cousin who did a degree when she was 50 and is now a radiologist.

Excuse the grammar, dodgy keyboard!

My mum struggled a bit until she realised she could easily get retail work, coffee barista work etc.

I agree with Plums admin is not just taking down messages and photocopying these days, you will be expected to be proficient in Excel, Word etc and there will always be a huge amount of applicants for these roles, where I work (rural market town) we had over a hundred applicants in less than a week, competition is tough and standards are high.