How to Find Work as an Older Worker

One in ten older workers have returned to work after retirement, with the main reasons being financial concerns or boredom from being at home.  If you are struggling to find work as an older worker, you may be concerned about how potential employers will view you. Will they discard you straight away based on your age? Should you even mention your age on your CV? Age discrimination is a legitimate concern when looking for a job as an older worker. These are some steps you can take to improve your chances of gaining employment as an older worker.

Diversity and Equality Employers

Many employers actively recruit with diversity and inclusion in mind, therefore, giving older workers a better chance of being recruited. You can seek out companies employing older workers through platforms such as LinkedIn, as these employers are less likely to treat you as a number. Job boards will also provide more information on the employer and their values.

Age-Related Soft Skills

There are many advantages of hiring an older worker. If you are concerned about looking for a job as an older worker, you might want to highlight these. For instance, you could ensure your CV and cover letter cover the age-related attributes that make you an asset to any company, such as your reliability, ability to work under pressure, and ability to communicate. You may also want to highlight any physical activities you are involved in, incase the recruiter is concerned that you might not be as fit as younger workers.

Free Online Courses

A potential employer might have concerns that your skills are not up-to-date, especially if you have retired and want to return to the workplace. It is beneficial to review platforms such as Udemy, where you will find a range of online courses, even free courses to help you update your skills. Most employers base their hiring decisions on skills and experience, rather than age, and updating your skills will make finding work as an older worker much easier.

Try Networking

If you want employers to view you as more than a date of birth on a piece of paper, get out to networking events and meet employers. Career fairs in particular will allow you to meet recruiters face-to-face and leave a lasting impression on them. When you build a rapport with employers, you are more likely to have success, regardless of your age. Age discrimination is less likely to become an issue when the recruiter gets to know you.

Consider Freelancing

The main concern for employers when hiring older workers is that they won’t stay on the job for long. The risk can be eliminated with freelance work as it is usually project-based, so employers don’t have any expectations around your longevity in the role. If you are seeking work and you feel you are being eliminated due to age discrimination, freelance work can be a useful alternative.

If you are looking for a job as an older worker, it is crucial to give yourself the best chance of success.  At Inspired CVs, we provide the best CV writing services in Glasgow to suit your needs. Order your CV today or contact us to find out more about our online appointments and CV writing services. We offer CV writing services in UK for candidates globally.