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I’m getting to the stage where I have to face facts. I’m 44 years old , I’ve been Self Employed for nearly 10 years and I cant get a job interview.
I AM being realistic with regards to the jobs I am applying for but feel that my age and employment status is working against me.
I did have one job interview last year and was told that if the employed me they feared after they went to the expense training me I would jump ship and return to being self employed.
A few points
I dont want to be self employed
I am prepared to re-train to undertake an employed position
I am prepared to work on a lower salary until I am fully re-trained
I am not work shy
I am intellegent
I have both corporate and private managerial experience
I am a practical hands on person
I am a good communicator
I am prepared to travel for my work
I dont mind when or where I workBUT no one wants to know.
I had a rejection email from an agency recently, so I thought I am goint call them and ask why they would not put my CV forward for a role that I was ideally suited for. The response I got from the young whipper snapper went along the lines of.
Within the current marketplace we will only put CV’s forward to our clients if an applicant is already employed within the same role with a competitor or has just left that role. All our clients want new recruits to hit the ground running and dont want to have to retrain new staff.
on another occassion I got the simple responce of why would any one want a new job when they are self employed.
Hey you try being self employed in the current marketplace.
one other response I got was well you are a little old for the position we’re really looking for someone in their 30’s
Well experience really doesnt count there then, I might be 44 but I am fit, vibrant, full of energy and experienced.
OMG I am sounding like a grumpy old man now where is my pipe and slippers.
Well Its been a good life I suppose
Any one know any good nursing homes.
If you’re prepared to retrain and/or take lower salaries, perhaps you ought to try positions which are more in demand in the market place. You have not detailed the experience you have or the type of roles you are applying for, but I know that even in this current market there are many vacancies in retail, restaurants and care roles. You mentioned nursing homes, perhaps care work might be a good start? With your managerial experience it might not be long before you’re working your way up the ladder.
I find experiences such as this incredibly annoying as you obviously have a wealth of experience and a very positive attitude.
It is true that employers can currently pick and choose and are sticking to candidates in the same sector because they have a wide choice. Of course, this situation won’t last forever but doesn’t help you just now. Have you really scrutinised your CV to ensure that you are selling all of your skills? Are you emphasising your entrepreneurial and commercial abilities and making the link between them and the post for which you are applying in your cover letter?
One thing that did occur to me is that you would be ideally suited to mentor and support other people who want to set up in business. It may be worth sending speculative applications to organisations such as Business Gateway or look at the Direct Gov site as it offers a programme to unemployed people where they are allocated a mentor to set up in business. Both organisations will obviously need staff to coach and support individuals.
The other person who posted is right in that there are some sectors where entry level posts are available, particularly in the care sector. The organisations who provide these types of jobs are actually more interested in your values than what you have done previously.
I am not quite in your situation as i am not self employed, but i am not far behind you in age. I am looking to change industries but finding it hard. I’ve had a couple of interviews that i felt were my ideal job as I would have been able to do them with no futher training needed, and yet i still didnt get them, you never can tell these days
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