Over-50s need to prepare for a major battle to secure jobs
UNEMPLOYMENT is set to soar after Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s furlough scheme ends in April, and workers who fear their jobs are on the line need to start preparing today. This will be tough for jobseekers, and the over-50s could find it toughest of all, as unemployment in this age group increased more than any other last year, up by a third.
The over-50s find it far harder to get new, full-time work than younger age groups, according to research from over-50s jobs and community website Rest Less.
The workplace is changing quickly and many will find themselves in competition with younger people with better technology or social media skills, willing to work for less money. So what skills do you need?
BATTLING ON
Sarah Marsh, 65, took redundancy as she was unable to work full time due to caring responsibilities for her grandchildren, but she has no plans to give up work for good: “I feel much younger than my years, and still have a lot to give.”
Sarah, who lives in Margate, fears age will nonetheless count against her. “I understand why a company might prefer to train up a young person who may be with them for 10 years, than an older person who could leave after three or four, but older workers have a lot to offer.”
She has started making applications and building networks, in a bid to get back into the workplace as soon as she can: “When furlough ends, competition will only get tougher.”
Rest Less founder Stuart Lewis said one of the most common challenges facing skilled job seekers in their 50s is being told they are overqualified. “Some managers fear experienced staff may be difficult or get bored.
“Rather than addressing these points, they dump them into the overqualified bracket,” he said.
Lewis said the phrase “literally makes no sense”. The over-50s have a huge amount to offer businesses, including talent, experience, wisdom, loyalty, resilience and empathy. “Savvy employers are keen to snap up experienced workers to boost their organisation’s skills,” he added.
SKILL UP
Kelly Feehan, services director at wellbeing charity CABA, said never take redundancy personally: “The role has been made redundant, not the person, and lots of organisations have little choice right now.”
Charlotte Davies, Linkedin careers expert, said one-in-five people over 50 feel depressed after being made redundant but should not suffer in silence: “Reaching out to friends, family or peers can help you cope.”
Start by identifying your transferable skills. “With stiff competition out there, upskilling or reskilling is key to finding new opportunities, and an online learning course is a great place to start.”
Microsoft, Linkedin and others offer free courses, and you should update your CV and online profiles when job-seeking, Davies said. Coursesonline general manager
Sarah-jane Mcqueen said that online courses cover almost every line of work. “The silver lining of being between jobs is that you have time to dedicate yourself to personal development.”
Learning new skills also shows employers you are not sitting around feeling sorry for yourself, but have the drive and desire to push yourself to do better, she added.
Many companies assume the over-50s lack digital and data literacy skills, so Kevin Hanegan, chief learning officer at Qlik, said you must show you can stay up to speed: “Highlight your skills both for the role today, and the company’s future needs.”
EXPERIENCE PAYS OFF
Nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk is a good place to work out what training you need, the salary to expect and what any role is likely to involve, said Emma Louise O’brien, career coach at Renovo: “Visit job boards to research jobs, look at job descriptions and the specifications required for your preferred roles.”
She said age discrimination is illegal but exists: “You can put a positive spin on your age without mentioning it directly, by discussing your extra maturity, reliability and resilience.
“Older employees may also display significantly higher levels of commitment and loyalty.”
Ravi Joshi, head of the UK at recruitment firm Golden Bees, said the over-50s have things younger rivals lack, notably experience, confidence and skills: “Remember to highlight the experience gained throughout your professional life.”
You can subtly turn your age to your advantage in any interview, said Liz Sebag-montefiore, career coach at human resource consultancy 10Eighty: “Talk about how you can help younger employees to learn and grow, and suggest they pair them with more experienced ones.”
‘You can put a positive spin on your age by discussing your extra maturity, reliability and
resilience’
BE FLEXIBLE
Anthony Morrow, co-founder of the financial advice platform Openmoney, said you may have to be flexible about salary.
“If your children have left home and your mortgage is paid off, you could potentially afford a drop in salary in return for shorter hours.”
PLANNING AHEAD:
Sarah Marsh, 65, is building networks in her search
for work