Is anyone else unemployed?

[user1471867483]

Is anyone else struggling with unemployment like I am? I'm soon to be 55 and I was made redundant from my 11-year role in the NHS due to restructuring last November (I didn't receive any financial settlement as it was a very long ongoing temp role), and despite my efforts, I haven't been able to land another job. I've applied for various jobs - temp, permanent, contract roles - reached out to countless agencies with my CV, but to no avail. I'm even considering cleaning as a potential option next (no disrespect to cleaners, just my current situation). I've been shortlisted and interviewed multiple times, yet securing a job seems impossible. Anyone else facing similar challenges or has any advice to share on navigating through this tough job market?
TIA 🙏

Yes. Same age. Made redundant a year ago with a decent package. Been looking for about 6 months…. Have an interview later this week. It’s tough. Good luck. X

Yes. Sinc3 September aged 55 as well. Benefits will stop soon, not sure what happens then. Guess I will have to starve

Yes! It’s really getting me down.
I am under 40 in the last 18 months applied for over 300 jobs and only had 4 interviews.
Got another one tomorrow but losing confidence in ever finding something. Most just look at my CV and immediately dismiss me as a candidate some within 20mins even though I fit the job description am mostly flexible and can start straight away but are still advertising the same job 3 weeks later with urgently needed slapped on the advert! 🙄 its so frustrating!
Wishing you lots of luck hope something comes your way soon. 😊

So difficult. I have four decades of experience, so I could go into any job and hit the ground running, but I just don't get them. I had one interview last week and she said I did very well, have loads of experience, but she says there was someone more suited to the role. Guess I'm just old now.

I was made redundant at 54 last year. I was fortunate and got something quickly. I kept wondering what I’d do if I couldn’t get a job. I did apply for income support and restarted my child allowance. I was thinking of temping but I can type pretty fast and fine with a computer. If you’re a pharmacist you can do contract jobs also in medical information or in pharmacies in general. You are just 55. Can you take a lump sum from your pension to tide you over? That is my plan if this job falls through. Can you go self employed? Dog walking? House sitting? There’s a shortage of cleaners but have to work hard for usually minimum pay? Can you do NHS auxiliary? Good luck op. There’ll be something with your name on it.

Are you in the UK? Which benefit is running out? You should still be entitled to Universal Credit.

I’m 64 and it’s the one reason I’m glad we have our own business - and have for 22 years - my pension may be shit - but we’ve kept earning ok - ageism is rife regardless of what they say unless you want a bit of part time at minimum wage .

Not if they have a partner still working and earning reasonably or a reasonable level of savings- in which case starving might be a bit dramatic

Yes, I assumed no savings above the limit and no partner in work or other income as they said they were going to starve!

I lost my job at 54 after 26 years (travel firm went bust 🥲). Took me 17 months to find another, I did temp for 6 weeks in a CC but it was just truly awful and my wonderful DH said nope, you’re not working there. Eventually I found an admin role, lower pay than I was used to but it’s fine. Hoping to stay here until I retire.

There were 1.68 million people claiming unemployment benefits in the UK in December, so you definitely aren't alone.

Do you have a driving licence? At your age if you have a car licence, you may also automatically have a D1 minibus licence. Those under the age of 47 do not which gives you an advantage. Check your licence.

You could apply to independent schools who frequently look for minibus drivers to do school runs, or to automotive companies who need delivery drivers to deliver vehicles. Your age means you are less expensive to employ that someone younger who they would have to put through costly training and another driving test.

It's worth a try.

If you have been shortlisted and interviewed a lot without success, have you asked for feedback as to why they chose someone else?

Yes I am, and have been since August.

I'm struggling to even find many jobs to apply for at the moment. I'm 46 and live in a small town and don't drive currently. Also got limited childcare and a 7 year old, which was the reason I left my last job. Luckily my partner works but he does 12 hour shifts, so on his work days I'm restricted to the hours of wraparound which is only 7:45 to either 4:30 or 5 and when I factor in my travel time (walking) it's totally restrictive. He does 1 weekend in 2 which also counts me out of retail and hospitality as everyone seems to want total flexibility around weekends.

I've got years of NHS experience and loads of transferable skills but I actually think the NHS experience can put some employers off. Add to that some ongoing health issues and I'm kind of giving up. If I think too much about it I get quite depressed, so I'm trying not to think about it 😂

It’s a long process, but what about the Civil Service? If you go in at AO/EO/HEO you generally don’t need a CV so if you’ve got gaps in your employment that doesn’t matter. Just make sure that your personal statement covers all the criteria and then when you get an interview you match the behaviours up.

yep - since august. 35 yo. tonnes of applications, 4 interviews - one went to second round, one failed attempt at consulting (they went with someone else) a lengthy back and forth with a role in emergency services.

it's not just you, honest

When I’ve out of interest looked at civil service jobs a lot ( in fact most) that are being recruited for online are all incredibly specific roles, with very specific background /sector. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen any more generalist ‘join us at HMRC’ - AO/EO type openings.

One of the issues may be at the moment that brigade campaigns are generally going out to internal I believe. (Cutbacks but there is definitely recruitment going on) But a lot do join as brigaded and then move to other areas. If I see anything that’s available for external applicants, I’ll come back and link it on here.

If you worked continuously for 11 years you are entitled to redundancy pay. If you were in a union contact them.

Yes, it's been 6 months now and I haven't even had any temp work. So stressed at this point!!

I'm not entitled to UC because I'm in a relationship. I'm on contribution based Job Seekers Allowance

Won't your partner help you out? If your household income is low you still might be able to claim UC. I am sorry, it is not a good situation to be in.

Thank you. I work in admin in the NHS. I'm also embarrassingly claiming new style JSA. I guess I have to be grateful as it's the first time I've had a gap in employment in 35 years. It's just I feel two months of not having a job might not look good to an employer, even though it's not my fault. I have a zoom call with an agency tomorrow for 'on-boarding', so I'm hoping something will come of that. It's the only agency who is actually doing something for me. I was told today I haven't been shortlisted for two jobs. If I don't get something real soon I'll go cleaning.

I'm not entitled to redundancy pay as my job was working through temporary staffing (ACAS confirmed twice I wasn't entitled), so due to cuts, I and a few others lost our jobs. What made it worse was my manager asked if I wanted the job permanently and I said yes, but she gave it to someone else. I have been treated terribly. Never experienced anything like it. Also, another manager offered me a job soon after in the same trust through temporary staffing. I initially accepted it. However, I had to pull out in the end as I was looking after my mum for a short stint. Since then, temp staffing haven't offered me anything else even though I've emailed them my availability again with updated CV. So much for my 11 years of loyalty 🤷. They're no longer interested and another job they offered was working late nights which I simply cannot possibly do.