Working at 50+

Selina Scott settles age discrimination claim with Channel Five for £250,000

Working at 50 Plus

This part of the website is designed to help people in mid-life and beyond and is linked to my book 'Working at 50+ Getting and keeping a job in mid-life' (more information on my book by clicking the Shop button on the left).

Taken from 'Working at 50+ Getting and keeping a job in mid-life'

Live long and Prosper
Live long
Good health care, improved diet and a better quality of life have paid dividends for all of us. Our life expectancy continues to increase rapidly. In 1945 the average life expectancy for men was 63 now it's 77. On average women lived to the age of 68 in 1945 whereas now they live to 81. Today, the over-50s make up less than a third of the population. By 2021, that proportion will have risen to 40%. Since 1997, the number of workers aged between 50 and 69 has increased by 1.6 million - an increase of about 27%.

When the Old Age Pension was introduced in 1908, it guaranteed an income for everyone over 70. But then there were ten workers for every pensioner. At present there are four workers for every pensioner and economists predict that by 2050, there will be two workers for every one in retired person.
And Prosper
Many people simply can’t wait to retire early; this book probably isn’t for them. This book has been written specifically for people over the age of fifty to help them to get into employment and stay in employment for as long as they choose to work, and earn an income.
The working environment and opportunities have never been better for older workers. The United Kingdom is facing a skills shortage. The pool of twenty and thirty somethings continues to dimininish in size whilst the pool of fifty somethings and above gets ever bigger. This pool represents a huge supply of experienced, mature and skilled workers. Many employers have recognised this and many are now seeking to build an age diverse workforce, through an ‘Age Positive’ philosophy.
Add to this new mind set, the fact that the law has strengthened in favour of older workers. In October 2006, the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations (2006) came into force. Since then, if you’re 55 and apply for a job, and you get turned down because of your age, they will be breaking the law.

Barriers holding back older jobseekers
Whilst the environment is changing for the better for older workers some candidates seem to miss out on opportunities from.
·        Having low self esteem. Writing yourself off. Undervaluing your skills and experience.
·        An aversion / avoidance of Information Technology. In today’s workplace there is a need for up to date computer skills - email etc. Many employers that I've spoken to say they simply do not accept applications by traditional mail any longer, and many jobs need the use of basic computer skills.
·        There is a strong feeling from employers that applications from people aged 50+ are no different from applications from any other candidates, so over 50’s need use all of the skills used by any other applicant. They need to produce a well prepared application, which matches the candidate to the job and they need to convince the interviewer during the selection process.
The future
As the over-50s become an ever more significant proportion of the population, society will increasingly depend on the contribution they can make. Getting older as a nation is something which we should celebrate. For some, it means more years for relaxation and retirement. For others, it means a longer and more fulfilling career, and a more prosperous retirement. I hope that this book will help those of you who choose it, to have that longer and more fulfilling career and prosperous retirement.

I hope the tips and advice fom my books and website will help you to overcome the barriers and succeed in your search.

Please let me know if any of the links stop working, and if you can recommend a site please let me know by using the 'Contact Us' button.

Good luck.

Malcolm Hornby

Scroll down for help and advice in the following categories, from legal advice, to local papers, to networking clubs:

Legal and General Advice
Disability
Starting your own business
Recruitment Websites:
National newspapers
Professional Journals / Newspapers
Local Newspapers - England
Local Newspapers - Scotland
Local Newspapers - Ireland
Local Newspapers - Wales
Training Providers and Advice
Learning and Skills Development
Researching companies
Career and Life Planning
Skills and aptitude tests
Age Positive Employers
Networking websites / clubs

Legal and General Advice

ACAS. (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) Provides guidance on the regulations and on employment rights in general. Call their helpline on 08457474747 http://www.acas.org.uk/

AdviceNow. A general & legal advice website which has lots of useful information, including on age discrimination http://www.advicenow.org.uk/

Age 2006. Marking the year when the new age discrimination legislations came into force, the site contains a wealth of useful information. http://www.age2006.org/index.php

Age Concern. Has a wide range of information for everyone over 50 – you can call them free on 0800 009966 http://www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/age_discrimination.asp

Scottish Helpline for Older People – Age Concern Scotland’s helpline – call 0845 1259732

Age positive . A government campaign promoting age diversity in employment. The Age Positive campaign promotes the benefits of employing a mixed-age workforce that includes older and younger people. It encourages employers to make decisions about recruitment, training and retention that do not discriminate against someone because of their age. Website c ontains some excellent legal advice as well as job hunting tips ( click on jobseeking) http://www.agepositive.gov.uk

Age-Net. Claims s to be the UK’s premier website for over 50’s. Regrettably no jobs / careers advice section when I last visited www.age-net.co.uk

Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development. A wealth of information on employment law and employees rights www.cipd.co.uk

Citizen’s advice. 3,000 bureau’s throughout the UK as well as a useful website: http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

Commission for Racial Equality Work for a just and integrated society, where diversity is valued. The website contains an enormous amount of help and advice. www.cre.gov.uk

Employment law. Free access to more than 4,500 cross-referenced fact cards spelling out the basics of employment law. www.emplaw.co.uk

Equal Opportunities Commission. W orking to eliminate discrimination in Britain today. www.eoc.org.uk

Grievance procedures: Government website with excellent advice. Find out what steps you need to take if you have a complaint and what to think about when following a grievance procedure.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/ResolvingWorkplaceDisputes/DG_10027992

Help the Aged – information for and about older people – visit http://www.helptheaged.org.uk/en-gb

Later Life. General help and advice http://www.laterlife.com/

NACRO ( previously The National Assoc. for the Care & Resettlement of Offenders) Nacro's vision is a safer society where everyone belongs, human rights are respected and preventing crime means tackling social exclusion and re-integrating those who offend. http://www.nacro.org.uk/

OneClickHR. Employment law and other aspects – primarily for employers. www.OneClickHR.com

Over 50 ’s. A Government website aimed at the over 50’s designed to help you get the most out of your working life and leisure time. Has specific information on many aspects of work for 50+’s.

SAGA. Lifestyle website for people aged 50+ www.saga.co.uk

Samaritans provides confidential non-judgemental support, 24 hours a day for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair. 08457 90 90 90 (UK) or 1850 60 90 90 (ROI), or email jo@samaritans.org www.samaritans.org.uk

TAEN (The Age and Employment Network) is a campaigning organisation, with a network of 250 member organisations, working for better opportunities for older people to continue working and learning. Call 020 7843 1590 http://www.taen.org.uk/

The Employers’ Forum on Age offers a wealth of invaluable information primarily aimed at employers, but worth a visit. http://www.efa.org.uk/

The Tribunals Service is a government agency that provides all the documentation and information that you need to make a claim to an Employment Tribunal. You can download form ET1, complete it on your computer and then click a tab to submit it. www.employmenttribunals.gov.uk/

Trades Union Congress website – choose ‘Work rights’ www.tuc.org.uk

Rehabilitation of offenders

Law on the web http://www.lawontheweb.co.uk/rehabact.htm and at the NACRO website

NACRO http://www.nacro.org.uk/

CIPD fact sheet at http://crb.gov.uk/PDF/3083_Employing_aw.pdf

Disability

Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation www.radar.org.uk

Contact a Family. (For families with disabled children) www.cafamily.org.uk

Disability Now www.disabilitynow.org.uk

Disability www.disability.gov.uk

National Bureau for Students with Disabilities www.skill.org.uk

The Ability Project – IT skills for disabled www.ability.org.uk

Training Providers and Advice. Learning and Skills Development

Academy of Learning. Search Training programmes for some free / fully funded programmes, like qualifications with the Institute of Leadership and Management. http://www.academyoflearning.co.uk/

BBC Education Learning Zone. Learn at your leisure with BBC2’s unique overnight record and play service. www.bbc.co.uk/education/lzone

BTEC / Edexcel .Vocational Qualifications. Contains details of courses and training course providers. www.edexcel.org.uk

City and Guilds. Providers of Vocational Training Courses search their website for suitable qualifications and then enter your postcode to find the address of a local provider. www.city-and-guilds.co.uk

Department for children, schools and families. Don’t be put off by the name; for information about College and University courses click on the link for Higher Education Students http://www.dfes.gov.uk/index.shtml

Experience matters. A training consultancy which empowers the over 50’s http://www.experiencematters.org.uk/

Starting your own business

Click on the self-employment button to the left

Top Recruitment Websites

These are my top 5 recruitment websites; based on user-friendliness, useful information and number of jobs. This is an independent view. I have no commercial interest in any of these sites

I would strongly recommend that you post your CV onto all of these websites, so that recruiters can find you when they search for candidates..

I would also recommend that you modify your CV very, very slightly and re-upload it each week so that it will come high in the rankings recruiters do searches.

When I last visited, between them they were advertising over 600,000 jobs in the UK!

1 Reed Claims to be UK’s top job site.

2 Totaljobs

3 Monster.co.uk

4 Jobsite

5 Fish 4jobs

Also have a look at....

Jobcentre Plus the government’s website with a phenomenal number of jobs

The following sites have an Age-Positive approach

40+ is an agency which specialises in the placement of the more mature applicants . They deal with a whole range of vacancies from factory operatives to senior management. http://www.40plusrecruitment.co.uk/

50plus People provides a route to the workplace for mature personnel allowing business to benefit from access to skilled and experienced staff at competitive rates. http://www.the50plus.co.uk/

Careers springboard Aylesbury. The self-help group for redundant and unemployed managers and professionals in the Aylesbury area http://www.careersspringboardaylesbury.org.uk

Careers Partnership (UK) is one of the few UK organisations providing a full range of career management, Human Resources outsourcing and psychometric assessment services for individuals and employers. http://www.careers-partnership-uk.com/index/index.asp

Centurenet – website recruitment service for older employees who are seriously looking for part-time jobs, full-time jobs or work from home opportunities. http://www.centurenet.com/over50s/welcome.aspx

Dinosaursunlimited - a Birmingham-based recruitment agency for people over the age of 45, who are prepared to label themselves as a dinosaur! I don’t like the philosophy, but they do find jobs for people. Vacancies are primarily midlands-based. http://www.dinosaursunlimited.co.uk/

Equals one and encore. A website recruitment agency with a philosophy of recognising flexibility and diversity. Regrettably they only had 67 vacancies when I visited and the majority seemed to be Yorkshire-based. http://www.equalsoneandencore.co.uk/

Executives recycled. Claims to be the website for all over 40 executives and managers looking for work or seeking a new challenge. Contained no more than a handful of jobs when I visited along with a couple of franchise opportunities. http://www.executives-recycled.co.uk

Fifty On – had no jobs registered yet, but was promising they were coming soon. http://www.fiftyon.co.uk

Jobseeker Direct Tel 0845 6060234 This is part of the Department for Work and Pensions. A quick and easy phone service which keeps you in touch with the latest job vacancies and helps you find the job that's right for you. This is the ‘human side’ of the DFWP for people who are less comfortable about navigating their website. Once you find a job you're interested in, they'll tell you how to apply, send you an application form and, where possible, ring the Employer there and then to arrange an interview. This service is available to anyone who is looking for work, and the lines are open weekdays 8.00am - 6.00pm, and Saturdays 9.00am - 1.00pm. All calls are charged at local rates.

http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/JCP/Customers/Lookingforwork/Jobseekerdirect/index.html

Kings Hill Recruitment. Caters for the recruitment needs of companies based on, and relocating to, the Kings Hill Business Park, near West Malling in Kent. http://www.khr.co.uk

Know How Works. Jobs, advice & help plus links to lots of local self-help groups, primarily in the Thames Valley area. http://www.know-howworks.co.uk/localJobsearch.html

Linda Taylor Associates. Full and part-time vacancies primarily in the North West http://www.lta-recruitment.co.uk

Maturity works. The recruitment site for employers and jobseekers who believe that talent and ambition matter more than age. Nice site but only 77 vacancies when I visited. Visit the ‘Case Studies’ page for success stories of older career changers and employers with a positive view of age. http://www.maturityworks.co.uk/content/index.asp

NHS Careers. With a focus on transferable skills and stories of people who have started a second career in the NHS – remember the NHS is the largest employer in the country and has needs for skills and trades from all kinds of disciplines. http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/explore_anyage.shtml

Posability. Age positive recruitment site. http://www.posability.net/start.html

Prime50Plus. matching the skills and experience of mature workers with the needs of employers. http://www.prime50plus.co.uk/

PrimeXperience - a next generation jobs board that claims to bring together People and Jobs with a unique service http://www.primexperience.co.uk/

Principalpeople the leading health, safety and environment recruitment agency offering health and safety jobs http://www.principalpeople.co.uk/

StillUseful L inks mature and younger applicants seeking career and job opportunities directly to the careers pages of thousands of UK employers. Don’t be put off by the basic / amateurish look of this site they have links to over 1,000 employers http://www.stilluseful.org/

The Job Portal. Another amateurish looking site, but with links to over 1,000 employers it must be worth searching http://www.the-job-portal.com/

Wise Owls. Jobseeking and advice site for people 45+ http://www.wiseowls.co.uk/

Women Returner Network Dedicated to helping women returners achieve their aspirations http://www.women-returners.co.uk/cms/

Wrinklies Direct. The recruitment and employment agency where age is the benefit. http://www.wrinklies.org/