Here I go again :-(

[BringBackCatsEyes]

Was made redundant in Sept last year. Found work in Jan of this year after months of dehumanising, depressing searching.
It's a 12 month fixed term contract. I am doing very well. The company is doing well.
Was told today it won't be renewed. Now I have to remain professional while looking for work.

I am a lone parent, age 55.
I don't know if I can go through it all again.

I am in academic science. There are few jobs in my field.

God I'd love a banana muffin or even the ability to make them!

When you say work is the difficult thing now, is that because you know you are being laid off (I think you said it was due Christmas), or because you are having to search for a new job at the same time? My redundancy was threatened for about 9 months and initially it was only a hint and then last 4 months they ramped it up. I had people saying I should get a new job ASAP and not wait for the redundancy payment, and now I think maybe they were right. So that was all very stressful. As you say, work was always a constant, it was the one thing I was hanging on to particularly as my rent etc depended on it and I left my ex-H thinking I was in secure employment.

Samaritans is a good call if you need that support - I've actually "talked" to chat GTP!

Banana muffins are easy - honestly, I am no cook.

Work is difficult because I can't get my heart into it. Imposter syndrome is high though I have been working long enough to know that we all feel this way at times. I also feel my immediate senior (not line manager) doesn't particularly like me. Nothing I could put my finger on or that I would raise, but I don't feel part of a team as I have done all my life.

Yes, I am also just working or applying for jobs or feeling like I should be applying for jobs. And waiting for rejections.

It's easy for people to say you should be looking for a job when there is a sniff of redundancy, but I can understand why people don't - it's bloody depressing and hard work and of course it might not come to anything.

On we go.

Wishing you both good luck, I am in the creative industry but looking at retail jobs now as my funds are very quickly disappearing!

Wishing you luck also.

Have you tried the agrochemical industry or plant biology industry if you're into bioinformatics?

Another day another rejection.

Oh I’m sorry @BringBackCatsEyes . What a bugger. Anything lined up?

Did you get feedback on why your contract isn’t being renewed?

I have 3 applications in, though one is over 4 weeks ago now and I've heard nothing (apart from acknowledgement and I can see it's 'under review'), even after a chase up email. I suspect they are waiting until they fill the vacancy before sending bulk rejections.

It was always a 12 month contract and that's the business model they're sticking by. I imagine if they hire someone later on it will be from India (we have 2 staff there) as that will be loads cheaper.

I am having a w/e off all things job. I am weary. Hopefully things will pick up in Sept.

I had a terrible nights sleep. Worries always seem bigger at night.
Today I will keep my son’s words in my head.
When discussing how things were (no details of the degree of despair I am feeling - that’s not for the shoulders of my teenage son), without a pause he said “it’ll be ok mum, I mean you won’t stop looking until you find a new job”. I love how my 2 sons have way more confidence in me than I do. They’ve seen me always work in professional roles, change jobs, succeed, be happy in my work and provide for them.
Going for a run today. Ironing (I only ever iron a few linen bits in the summer) and then finish a book that has to be back in the library on Tuesday (55 pages to go).

I’m a similar age to you OP and been through the ringer.
I was out of work for 13 months a professional role and reckon I applied for in excess of a 1,000 jobs.
My emotional and MH was/is in the floor never mind my finances shot to pieces.
Ageism is a huge problem in my case being interviewed by people decades younger.
I finally found a short term contact after 13 months it’s the lowest I’ve ever earned but it’s money coming in. I think it was because the interviewer was actual older than me and valued experience.
i know how tough it is and I’d not wish job seeking in this current market on anyone it has destroyed me I don’t think I’ll recover fully from the stress and sleepless nights. So many rejections and ghosted it’s appalling the way people are being treated.
Keep going and try for anything, not ideal but something is better than nothing.
A year ago I’d not have entertained the job am in but I didn’t know then how long it would take to find a job.
Good luck.

Well I kind of wish I hadn't read that, though of course I am very sorry for your situation.
It just compounds my feelings of despair. I do not have 13 months of financial buffer to look for work. It takes me anything from 1/2 to 2 days to properly apply for a job, so I don't know how you managed to average over 2 a day for a year.

I do not need to try for anything yet - I do have time, but the relentless mental effort to keep going is taking its toll. How to keep going or keep positive when you receive rejection after rejection? I am only human and a human pretty low on resilience right now. I have never had reason to consider ageism, but of course I won't know.

For my own sake I'm going to step away from this thread for today. Dwelling on things isn't going to help.

Are you ensuring you look after yourself during this stressful time?

I totally get where you are mentally. I am 6 months in and I have applied to at least 80 jobs, probably many more (lost track), very few interviews and most of them ended up with "sorry we have decided not to recruit" which is even worse as it makes me feel like a lot of the job adverts aren't even solid positions but tentative options. I too have encountered a total lack of respect and a terrible market in comparison to just a few years ago where I had multiple offers and multiple interviews at any one time without trying very hard. I am in IT which is going through a tough time but still I think this is true to a lot of industries right now.

I have taken a bit of a break because August is so dead but I am truly worried in the sense that I have never seen things being so bad and I have now exhausted all my network/contacts and realistic companies that are a match for my experience/skillset and a cultural fit. I have tried lots of other approaches with complete fail.... not sure what I am going to do. I will keep trying but my energy level is lower than 6 months ago right now....

I was giving my perspective.
if I’d known how long it would take me I’d have looked at lower level roles much earlier.
The benefit of hindsight.
I didn’t have that buffer either hence am in credit card debt and a loan and I won’t recover easily.
Having been through it I’d look at all options is what I’m saying in a nutshell. Even lower paid roles.
I found that ageism is rife you are very lucky if I’ve not experienced as it’s a widely acknowledged especially once you are into your 50s.

The mental toll is tough when you keeping getting rejections or are ghosted. It’s not you it’s the horrific jobs market.😕

I have tried lower paid jobs almost from day one but keep getting told I am "overqualified' or ghosted/rejected. Ironically Inhave had better luck with more aligned roles in thr sense that at least I was interviewed!

@BringBackCatsEyes how are things today? Your son's words were so poignant and reflect what my daughters think about me, they must be saying to themselves nah its fine mum will get a job soon ... 😞

I can't believe how things have turned out for me, and although sometimes I too think yeah surely it will be fine the thought of it not being fine is overwhelming.

I'm a confused by the idea of taking a lower paid job though as that wouldn't cover my bills and rent, and then how would I make up the difference? Surely having some money coming in will mean I don't qualify for benefits. Or two low paid jobs? 18 hours in each? Also what sort of lower paid job: surely no one would employ me as a junior at 64, and things like shop work are in high demand I am pretty sure they deliberately exclude older professionals. If I went into my current career at mid-range I'd be competing against people (mostly women) in their 30s. Why would someone take me instead, as surely being out of work at my age with not enough money to live on just shows that I have failed all round so be likely to fail at the job. The interviews I've had have been with bosses half my age, I think it makes them uncomfortable.

I do have a work coach for a few sessions paid for by my previous employer. I chose her and she is very positive, but I think it's just a whim and a prayer.

Sorry not bringing much to the thread today!

Another w/e arrives.
I have 3 pending applications. One wrote a generic one saying they'd get back to everyone early next week.
I've seen some contracting work, but there is very little info about it (not the role itself, but the expectations e.g. how many hours a week. I have contacted them (as advised on the ad) to ask questions, but have had no reply since Wednesday. It'll take a while to apply for it and I just don't know if I can be bothered.

BTW saw this and thought of many on this thread:

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/aug/14/tell-us-have-you-struggled-to-find-employment-later-in-your-career

Afternoon @BringBackCatsEyes I've got a stage 1 interview next week; been sent info to prepare and it looks tricky, so I'm worried.

Just a general question for those still following this thread; are you meant to apply for anything, even if the salary is so low it won't cover your rent/mortgage and basic bills like utilities? And if you do that, I mean sell all your available time for less than you can live on, what do you do at the end of month 1 when you can't pay for things like food? Not being obtuse, genuine question.

Well done on securing an interview. I wish you all the best.

I don't know the answer to your question. I guess you have to either sell your home if you have a mortgage, or move into a smaller rented place (if you can find one). Then food banks and depression. Maybe they'll bring back Workhouses.

I did apply for a few things that were as you say not going to cover even the food shop let alone the mortgage. I was offered one position but I turned it down in the hope that I would find something better.

@DecisionTime123 good luck with your interview next week. Keeping everything crossed for you.

Do you have any contacts that you can tap?

Are there any substantive posts there that you can apply for?

If you have read my posts, I think it should be clear that this is certainly one of the things I am doing.

My current role IS substantive, it's just short term.
Also, this will sound rude, but do you really think I haven't looked for other ops within the same company?

This is one of the reasons I hold back from telling people how low I am feeling. I know they are trying to help (which makes them feel better?), but I really wonder - they must think I'm not trying hard enough (and therefore my fault) if they think I haven't looked for roles in the most obvious of places. And that makes me feel worse.