‘I feel invisible’: over-50s reveal harsh realities of trying to get a job

In a recent study, it was found that there are over 900,000 over-50s in the UK struggling to find employment, a figure that has risen to nearly 3 million when considering those with long-term health issues or care responsibilities. This rise in difficulty in securing work among this age group is the highest since 2020. The Guardian reached out to individuals above 50 to understand their experiences in re-entering the workforce.

James, a 59-year-old from south-west England, had applied for a staggering 598 jobs but received no success in his desired roles, although he managed to secure some minor employment through these applications. He found the job hunt to be "horrible and very stressful," noting that the number of interviews he receives has dropped from one per 15-20 applications in the early 2020s to one per 80 applications now. The feedback from his applications is often not provided, which adds to his frustration.

Sally, a 52-year-old who previously worked in the charity sector in Birmingham, had applied for over 100 roles but only received 17 interviews in the past ten months. She applied for various positions, including lower, higher, temporary, part-time, outside her field, and some she wasn't particularly interested in. Despite perceptions that she was well-suited for several of these roles, she received immediate rejections.

She is unsure if age is a factor in her job-hunting difficulties but believes it could be part of the issue.

David, a 66-year-old IT professional from the north-east of England, had hoped to find work after being made redundant in early 2020 but found it immensely challenging. He worked part-time or took temporary jobs during the pandemic and eventually retired due to the lack of suitable opportunities. He had expected to find work in roles like stacking shelves in a supermarket but found the job market much sterner than anticipated.

He also notes that supermarkets have complained about difficulty in hiring employees, which he attributes to factors like Brexit.

Liz, a 51-year-old woman from London who has taken a career break to care for her father, has been job hunting for over two years. Despite applying to over 100 roles, she has received only a handful of interviews. She suspects that her age and gender might be factors in her struggles to find suitable employment. She feels "exhausted and deflated" by the ongoing job-hunting process and worries about not being able to return to a senior position, feeling that she is "deskilled."