Free e-book launched for older jobseekers

National Older Workers Week* was inaugurated at the end of last year as a way to highlight the issues facing older workers, particularly with regard to recruitment, and to encourage better practice by employers. Sponsored by QA Ltd, it included sessions for employers on managing multigenerational teams and combatting ageism in the recruitment process among others.

There was also a session devoted to older workers themselves, with advice from experts on how to find a job you love.

The information from that week, a range of candidate case studies and more advice feature in a new free e-book which aims to build on the momentum created that week.

Download the Ebook

The week marked the publication of the annual workingwise.co.uk survey results which showed not only  a perception of widespread ageism among older workers, with 55% saying they had encountered ageism in the recruitment process and 44% having altered their CV to disguise their age because of perceived ageism in the recruitment process, but also a big appetite for more flexible working. Work life balance was important or very important for 94%. This compares to 79% who said salary was important or very important and 85% who said job security was important or very important.

In recent weeks, there has been a big focus on labour shortages, with the Institute of Employment Studies spotlighting how many older people have fallen out of the workplace since the pandemic began, particularly older women, and encouraging policymakers to look at how to attract them back in or prevent more dropping out.

Best practice

The e-book covers workingwise.co.uk‘s research findings as well as the how to find work you love session which includes careers expert John Lees, coach Lorna Valcin, Sara Wilce, who set up a website to help her colleagues in the airline industry during Covid, Jo Bishenden, Director Of Education at QA, Katie Waldegrave, Director of Now Teach and Sue Eilfield, Vice President, People & Culture at Coca Cola Europacific Partners, sponsor of the webinar.

There was advice on everything from finding your purpose to CVs to dealing with rejection to changing sector. On CVs, Lees said one of the reasons so many CVs fail to attract the attention of employers is that they put distracting

information at the top. “The bits that really matter about what are you really good at, what you understand and what you can bring to work right now, that’s hidden away in different places,” he said.

The e-book also has more advice from workingwise.co.uk‘s resident experts Liz Sebag-Montefiore, Director of 10Eighty, and John Lees on how to do a video interview and how to write your CV if you want to change sector. Readers can find details about how to send in their questions for the experts. Finally, there are a range of working life stories which show how different older workers have navigated their career transitions over time from Peter Penny’s life in photography, film and now coaching to Jaz Ampaw-Farr has used her childhood trauma to help others make the changes that can achieve a better life and career and Keith Grinsted’s campaign against loneliness

*Look out for this year’s National Older Workers Week (NOWW22) which will run from the 21st until 25th November 2022 with a continued focus on sharing best practice on creating an age-friendly workplace.

**National Older Workers Week 2021 sponsors were QA Ltd; Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc.; Now Teach; Corbin & King Restaurants and Phoenix Group Careers.

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