Wrong Age

Tigergirl

I have been unemployed for over a year now and I am convinced that my age is going against me !! I have taken my age of my CV but then I get to the interview and I get knocked back !! Its not through lack of experience or the way I look. I am sure they take one look and think shes not going to be here for that long (i am 54). Surely this is wrong ? Now to add insult to injury the job centre wont pay me anymore. Me and my husband are starting to struggle a bit as he has now been put on a 3 day week. As he is earning over £95 the jobcentre are saying that he can support me. We have tried for every benefit possible but have got told no on every occassion. I have worked all my life except when our 2 children were born. I had a total of 6 years off. I have paid my way and now feel that I am getting thrown away by the DWP. Just what do I have to do to get any money out of them ??

vicshippers

The criteria for benefits are pretty black and white, and although this may seem unfair - there does have to be a line somewhere.

Have you tried applying for other types of roles? ie Tesco, local shops etc What kind of work do you have experience in?

Rockporkchop

I'm sure that your age isn't going against you, the job situation is tough for everyone at the moment. I know quite a few people in their twenties and thirties who have been searching for a job for ages now, and they are convinced they are turned down because employers think they will be off to start a family soon.

Hope you find something soon and then won't have to worry about the DWP.

hothothot_3

Tigergirl wrote: »

I have been unemployed for over a year now and I am convinced that my age is going against me !! I have taken my age of my CV but then I get to the interview and I get knocked back !! Its not through lack of experience or the way I look. I am sure they take one look and think shes not going to be here for that long (i am 54).

I recommend always asking for feedback after an interview.

If you get some stupid excuses then you will realise it probably is the age reason.

pinkshoes

If anything, a 54 year old women who can't have any more children is a much better option than a 20 or 30 something woman who hasn't had kids yet, or someone who has young kids!

Pee

I think it is a really tough time. There are lots of applicants for very ordinary jobs. I know a lady over 60 who worked for a temping agency which gave her a chance to show her current bosses she could do the job, before they committed to her.

minerva_windsong

Rockporkchop wrote: »

I'm sure that your age isn't going against you, the job situation is tough for everyone at the moment. I know quite a few people in their twenties and thirties who have been searching for a job for ages now, and they are convinced they are turned down because employers think they will be off to start a family soon.

Hope you find something soon and then won't have to worry about the DWP.

Agreed. I know loads of people who left uni this year and last year and who, on the rare occasions they're told why they haven't made the interview stage, are almost constantly told that it's due to lack of experience.

At least you're getting interviews though, so I agree with asking for feedback.

hellokitty08

Well i got a lot of feedback that said, we just couldn't decide between you and one other candidate, but we decided to go with the other candidate! That wasn't really much use to me, and it used to happen all the time. (im 26 if that counts)

Oldernotwiser

Unfortunately your age may go against you but you're nor helping yourself if your mindset is that you "won't be there for that long"! Unless you're planning to retire early you'll have at least 11 years of working life left, which is far longer than many people stay in a job.

Tigergirl

Thanks for the replies. I have had some feedback of some of the employers that I have been too. One of them said you had got the job till someone who used to work for us applied - we took them back on as it saved training time !!!! Another one said it was a close run thing but we took someone on that lived close by !!! Another said you have got no experience in this line of work - why did they bother with the interview then ?? I will keep trying though I am not the type of person who gives up easily.

My line of work is the transport industry and customer services.

sazzie_sue

Hi Tiger Girl,

If you have customer service experiance have you tried applying for a contact centre role (banks,utility companies ect..) although might not be everyones cup of tea they tend to mass recruit so you might have more luck, it will pay the bills.

I work in a large contact centre we have people there of all age ranges, we set on a guy in april who is 52 and was made redundant from his IT manager role he is prob to over qualified for the role but they saw something in him.

Please don't give up you will find something, good luck!!