WHY will nobody give me a job at 53 am i to old now?

Question

i have never been out of work and to try and get a better job(driving) seems a near impossibility you would think age and experience would count for a lot but not around CAMBRIDGE is there anything i can do i know there is a law against ageism but you have to prove it and if a company see,s your age whats to stop then putting you on the to old pile,it seems they would rather pay some 16-18 year old less money and not worrie that they have friday or monday off because they had to much to drink?

Answer 1

..and B&Q also are known for their lack of age discrimination and appreciation of the experience and knowledge of more emature employees.
As a former HR manager I can honestly say that in my company we made it a polict to actively seek mature workers as the data showed that they were very reliable and had a positive influence on the workplace by helping us to implement changes and often had ideas to improve things. Don't give up and take your age of your CV - it's not mandatory and it will help you get your foot in the door for an interview. Push your work record, your references will show you are reliable and trustworthy.
Good Luck

Answer 2

I know I fear for my husband if he were to lose his factory job. He is 57, and has a metal rod in his leg, which makes him walk with a limp. While he has not missed work in over 5 years due to any health problems on his part, and works circles around the younger people there, if he were to look for a job elsewhere all they would see is his age and the fact that he walks with a limp. The fact that he has only worked at 2 jobs since he graduated from high school would mean nothing. I must admit to being guilty of using age as one of the criteria that I choose employees though. As a manager, I must hire people that I believe are capable of doing the job, which includes some lifting and standing on your feet for possibly the entire shift. A lot of older people cannot do these things.

Answer 3

Ihope you've taken heart from the sensible answers given and ignored the ageist rubbish from Robin Donald S. There's one thing for sure, one day he'll be old.

Often its due to employer's pension schemes. Percentage employer contributions increase and rubbish like that.

I agree with removing your age from the CV. Tailor each CV to suit the job you are applying for. Don't lie, but there is probably some experience in each job you've held that could fit the work you are applying for.

Additionally, research the latest qualifications. Are you up to date? Is it worth re-testing in something related to the work(this is a shot in the dark as I've not done a driving job).

Finally, sometimes you have to be blatant. List your achievements and state what positive impact it had on the business. eg deliveries were 98% on time, this meant that every business could continue with very little loss of production (say).
I really want you to win through, I hope I've helped. good luck.

Answer 4

It does seem that companies prefer to pay less up front and hire the young and dumb and don't care if you are older and much more reliable. I had a friend that was overthe road and his company closed down. He was older than you and could not get a job. His reasoning was benefits and the fact that he would be using them sooner. He finally got a job with a local outfit, had a heart attact, hit a tree, and that was the end of his driving career. I think the moral of the story is medical reasons and they will never say that. Just keep looking. . .

Answer 5

there are employers out there who will hire a more mature person in the hotel where i work the youngest employee is 30. the oldest is 73, don't give up hope honey, you will find a job, it may take some time but you still have something to offer employer, you are not old, have you checked to see if the qualifications you hold are still up to date, maybe a refresher course in your chosen field would help, unfortunately it can sometimes be the case that employers want to see that bit of paper to prove you can do the job, this may be worth looking into, keep you chin up honey if you get downhearted it won't help, keep positive and employers will see that you have a lot to offer, good luck in your search i hope you find something soon.

Answer 6

you hit the nail on the head there. unfortunately its cheaper to train someone up and move em on.

my dad (57yo) has exactly the same problem, he has a master degree and everything, 30 years experience in business consultancy and computers and he cant get a job nowhere, has been trying for the last 10 years or so.

hes not after earning silly amounts like he used too and would be quite happy earning 20k a year instead of 50-60k like he used to.

its a shame beacuse his knowledge would be so useful in todays money driven society

Answer 7

i'm in the same position as you are. i'm 57, out of work and as angry as you are.
I've been to 4 interviews in the last 2 months and not selected for any of them despite them all being quite junior postions.
i've probably applied for around 60 jobs in the last year. its only on the last 5 or 6 that i've fudged my age- and they're the only ones that i've had interviews for.
3 of those 4 interviews were with a very large company thats always shouting about how many gay, black, asian and disabled people they employ!

Answer 8

No your not too old, its just that your probably looking at the wrong field of work or your job searching at the wrong time of year. As it's coming up to Christmas there should be a lot more work available. So don't give up just yet.

Answer 9

It's a pity and age discrimmination is illegal but practiced all the time. I am Disabled now but when I was working, I hired 80% older carpenters, painters, and tapers because they knew how to make me the most money and you can set your watch to when they arrive to work each day. It isn't how fast you walk, it's how much you accomplish with each step you take. Good Luck my friend, you aren't too old. Go For it. Give Them hell.

Answer 10

Remove your date of birth from your CV.
Under Age put 'over 18'

You will have to give no. of years worked at each previous job in your employment "History", so any clever HR Dept. can easily add up you likely age HOWEVER by then they will have read your CV all the way through and that's what you want :-)