Being older than your colleagues

[GinAndTony]

I've been offered a job that I'm keen to take. It's an organisation I would love to work for and a role I would love to do.

The one thing making me hesitate is that I'm likely to be a fair bit older than my colleagues. This is mainly because I've been very part time for the last decade (due to children and other caring responsibilities) so haven't progressed at the speed I might otherwise have done. I'd also arguably be going in at a level below where I might be- if there had been a job advertised at the grade above, I would have applied for that, but those jobs come up very rarely.

I just wondered if anyone had experienced this? How did you find it? Any tips? Perhaps I'm being silly to think about it at all, given that I want the job. It's a civil service position if that makes a difference- I wonder whether there might be more people who've taken time out than in the private sector.

I don't know what area of the CS but do you know for sure it's a young team? I found there was a real mix of ages at all levels up to SCS. Either way, I'd just see this as a foot in the door if it's below the grade you're really interested in, do your probation, get some decent competencies if you can out of it, volunteer for different projects, tasks and training etc, then start looking at the next grade up.

If it is a very young team then go in, be friendly and approachable but if you feel very different then I'd try and bolster your existing friendships or start new hobbies out of work rather than trying to feel the same as them. You'll have a lot of valuable transferable experience to bring to the part so don't underestimate that. Don't be shy to ask for their advice when starting out but have confidence in your own strengths.

I'm loads older my most of my colleagues and it really makes no difference at all! They do look baffled when I mention maybe a group from the 80s I liked, but otherwise we are fine! In fact my experience and knowledge is one of the reasons I got the job - it helps them and keeps me on the ball

Go for it! It’ll be easier to progress to the next grade up once you’re in. And as PP mention there really does tend to be a mix of ages in CS.

You need to be careful of not going in with an attitude of "i'm older, so therefore know better". You have been very part time as you saw and younger people could in all likelihood know the role better than you.

I'm 48, my team ranges from 26-55. It's totally fine, we all get along great. They're just people, some of the young ones have an old soul, some of the older ones are permanently 26 in their mind ok maybe just me. But it's not an issue. They like to hear stories of the olden days sometimes, like when 30 year olds could afford to buy London property, and I like to hear about what young people do - mostly go on Tinder dates by the sound of things 😁