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Original poster

If the population is ageing why am I always the oldest wherever I work?

36 replies

Antheanna · 27/12/2017 21:37

I was born in 1970 by the way. So I'm 47. Fit, healthy, well presented but my age was an obstacle an issue finding work. But however, glossing over the hunt that it took to get the job I'm in now, even though their recruitment process uses testing and so doesn't allow for bias in favour of the young purely on the grounds that they're young, YET AGAIN I'm one of the oldest. Out of about 80 people on my floor I am probably in the oldest 8 or 9. Where are all the old people? Why is there a pension crisis? Seems to me that wherever I wherever I work I'm one of the oldest now if not the oldest. All this talk of working til 70, if there was anybody over 55 in my office I'd do a double take.

OP posts:

DampF0ggy · 27/12/2017 21:47

People older and younger where I work. I also know a few people that have worked passed their state retirement age. Personally, I am grateful to have a job and I enjoy working with different people

C0untDucku1a · 27/12/2017 21:49

Im 39 and the oldest in my dept by 8 years!

Oblomov17 · 27/12/2017 21:55

I'm only a bit younger than you, and I am the youngest now, and always one of the youngest, anywhere I've ever worked. Seriously, how is that possible?

Chewbecca · 27/12/2017 22:00

I'm 45 and there are only 2 people older than me in my department of around 40 so I'm experiencing similar. Unfortunately I think the reason is that my organisation (huge financial services organisation) has gradually made most of the long serving (so likely older) employees redundant.

Hassled · 27/12/2017 22:04

I reckon I'm the oldest where I work by probably 15 years - I'm 51. I quite enjoy being the elderly matriarch - and the "youngsters" were very polite after the work Christmas do and suggested I went clubbing with them. I had the sense to decline. I hadn't actually thought much about it, but you're right - where are all the old people?

ImAMarshmellow · 27/12/2017 22:05

The majority of the people in the company I work for are mid 20's. I think there is maybe only 10 over 40 's out of about 100 ish

However, my local supermarket has a fairly equal split of ages. I would say at least 40% of the shop floor staff are 40+.

If I go to our local gym, the only person over 40 would be the cleaner, he's mid 50's? Everyone else is early to mid 20's. Same goes for some shops, they naturally atrract and suit younger people.

My first job, aside from about 4-5 people, everyone was under 25. Zero hour contracts, and seasonal work. Suited students home from uni really well (myself included).

I think it will depend on the job and the skill set for that job. You've also got to consider the demographic of the area. Are you working in a particularly 'up and coming' area that is appealing to the younger market?

glow1984 · 27/12/2017 22:06

Maybe it’s the industry you work in? In my last few roles I was one of the oldest, and I’m only 33. Ive done mainly customer support.

QueenLaBeefah · 27/12/2017 22:07

My god - I thought it was only me. I'm roughly 10 yrs older then everyone else at my work. I decided not to go on the Christmas works night out as I'm concerned everyone is humouring me.

Lolimax · 27/12/2017 22:08

I’m a carer and I’d say I’m of average age at 48.

Polarbearflavour · 27/12/2017 22:15

I’m in the Civil Service and the average age is about 55 and they’ve all been there 30+ years!

Namila · 27/12/2017 22:16

Where I work the average age is probably 27/28.

Anyone 35+ is in very senior positions and naturally there are not a lot of them.

I do wonder where the 40+ folks work?

ragged · 27/12/2017 22:17

DH (40 something) works in an industry which is mostly people aged 20-30. He's felt odd about it for 15 yrs. In my office (scientists & support), at 50, I am about the middle.

I was the oldest by far at skating today!

MyBrilliantDisguise · 27/12/2017 22:18

They try to get rid of you in teaching if you're in your 50s.

antimatter · 27/12/2017 22:24

I work in IT and there are very few if us over 50 because it us fairly young industry.
I never had issues finding my next job. Bot nobody thinks of me as "she is over 50". I am very active person and have hobbies which don't belong to any particular age group.
Working with younger people is great!

PrincessoftheSea · 27/12/2017 22:30

I am also one of the oldest at work at 45. Most are in their 30s. I have wondered for a long time where the over 40s work. I am in banking.

Original poster

Antheanna · 27/12/2017 22:52

Im grateful to have the job believe me!
I wish my team was a little less ageist but I guess at 27 people 2 decades older were a bit invisible to me :-/

OP posts:

greenapplesplatter · 27/12/2017 22:59

This is something I've never thought of before but yes you are so right......

EBearhug · 27/12/2017 23:00

Depends which bit of IT you're in - in my team, there's only one younger than me, and I'm 45. In the whole department, I am probably in the middle, but we have one team where a number are just out of school/college/uni.

Shopgirl1 · 28/12/2017 07:38

I notice the same, only 10% of my department are 35 or over. I earn a good salary but am very worried what will happen as I get older as no one over 50 works there hardly.

PinkietheElf · 28/12/2017 07:54

Ime those in the NHS and teaching gave up at around 60 as that is when their pension is available (after about 35 years of work).

Runningoutofusernames · 28/12/2017 07:58

I always wonder this too and I'm mid 30s - where do all the old people go? Given that pension ages seem to be going up every year, how are we all going to afford our old age???

sweatylemon · 28/12/2017 08:13

My DH is 60 and works for a large financial institution. He has 5 more years to go

epicclusterfuck · 28/12/2017 08:32

But sweatylemon how old are you and where do you work?

I'm over 50 working in a small organisation but there are 2 or 3 people my age and one just turned 60. I think early retirement and health issues may account for some older people not being in the workplace. Though I think this will change as fewer people will be able to retire early.

LadyLapsang · 28/12/2017 10:27

I'm in my mid 50s and definitely one of the oldest in my part of the department. Over the years so many of my female contemporaries have left the workplace. Firstly some became SAHMs never to return after their first baby, then - more typically - quite a lot left after their second maternity leave. Then some became trailling spouses and found they could not get the type of work they wanted in the new location, so took a drop in status / salary. As we have got older, many of us have had to look after elderly relatives and while we see things have changed for the better regarding attitudes to parents combining work with childcare, I think attitudes are lagging regarding employees combining elderly /disabled care with work. This has led to some taking redundancy or early retirement perhaps for their parent to die a few months later, but by then the person has lost their career.

I think the sheer pace of change and some workplace practices, such as monthly performance reviews, may drive people in their 50s and 60s out of the workplace. Also, in a strange way, I don't think raising the state retirement age has helped as previously younger colleagues would know people would retire from a white collar job at 60 but now I think some younger colleagues privately think older people are blocking their career opportunities.

BestIsWest · 28/12/2017 12:16

54 and in IT and just changed jobs. In a team of 12. At least half of the team are older than me. The youngest is 35 and the rest are over 40.

We’re in a specialism that does take a few years to develop the necessary experience and people tend to already have some wider IT experience before choosing this field so that may account for the age of the team.

It’s the same wherever I’ve worked.

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