Now where was I? As yes! I went for the interview on 11th January and didn't get the job. I asked for feedback hoping that it would give me an idea of areas where I could improve my interview technique since it is some years since I last attended a job interview. Guess what! No feedback yet. I sent them a reminder e-mail and was assured that feedback was on its way. Nothing yet but I live in hope.
Since then I've been for another interview for a Legal Secretary position. The interviewer commented that I had all the relevant experience, we talked and seemed to get on really well, she wanted someone to start immediately, I told her I could . Since then the silence has been deafening. If and when she gets in touch I will ask for feedback.
I've been thinking about this age discrimination law - it could be working against me. Prospective employers are forbidden from mentioning age in an interview therefor, I can't bring the subject up because I would be seen to be leading them into discussion about it. So there it sits between us like an elephant in the room. How can I get across to a prospective employer that I might be 63 but I am certainly not at the end of my working life. I have more energy than most 30-year-olds, and certainly more experience to draw on. Come on somebody out there read this blog and give me a chance.
Some well-known people who are around my age:
Joanna Lumley
Anne Widdicombe
Lulu
Twiggy
Dame Helen Mirren
Selena Scott
Susan Sarandon
Debbie Harry
Goldie Hawn.................I could go on ad infinitum but I have a job to find.
Bye for now
Wednesday, 26 January 2011
Monday, 10 January 2011
Ouch! That Hurt
Today I've just had to phone my vehicle insurance company with details of an accident my other (but not better) half had in my car. Yesterday whilst driving - slowly, thankfully - in icy conditions, he slid into a POLICE DOG VAN of all vehicles. Slight damage to both vehicles. We are not on speaking terms.
On the brighter side I have just had a phone call inviting me to a job interview tomorrow (perhaps they didn't look at the date of birth on my application), so I'm going to spend today exfoliating, shaving, dyeing, creaming and generally primping an preening in an attempt to make myself look 20 years younger and 3 stones lighter. If I have any spare time I will also exercise my brain with a couple of crosswords and odd suduko. All this might take some time so I had better start now.
S A L
P.S. A funny joke from http://www.guy-sports.com/
A group of pensioners were discussing their medical problems at the Day Centre coffee morning.
'Do you realise,' said one, 'My arm is so weak I can hardly hold this coffee cup.'
'Yes, I know.' replied the second, 'My cataracts are so bad I can't see to pour the coffee.'
'I can't turn my head,' rejoined the third, 'because of the arthritis in my neck.'
'My blood pressure pills make my dizzy,' commented the fourth, adding, 'I guess that's the price we pay for getting old.'
'Well, it's not all bad.' piped up the first, 'We should be thankful that we can still drive.'
On the brighter side I have just had a phone call inviting me to a job interview tomorrow (perhaps they didn't look at the date of birth on my application), so I'm going to spend today exfoliating, shaving, dyeing, creaming and generally primping an preening in an attempt to make myself look 20 years younger and 3 stones lighter. If I have any spare time I will also exercise my brain with a couple of crosswords and odd suduko. All this might take some time so I had better start now.
S A L
P.S. A funny joke from http://www.guy-sports.com/
A group of pensioners were discussing their medical problems at the Day Centre coffee morning.
'Do you realise,' said one, 'My arm is so weak I can hardly hold this coffee cup.'
'Yes, I know.' replied the second, 'My cataracts are so bad I can't see to pour the coffee.'
'I can't turn my head,' rejoined the third, 'because of the arthritis in my neck.'
'My blood pressure pills make my dizzy,' commented the fourth, adding, 'I guess that's the price we pay for getting old.'
'Well, it's not all bad.' piped up the first, 'We should be thankful that we can still drive.'
Sunday, 9 January 2011
Down but Not Out
So, (to all you nice people in the blogoshphere who haven't the remotest idea who I am) I'm going to tell what's been happening to me lately. I was made redundant from my legal secretary job in late November - A shock to be sure, but I've lived to tell the tale. I don't think I'm being too boastful when I say that they didn't want to let me go but, times are hard and I - along with a dozen or so others - were "let go". On the bright side, there was no bitterness from me and we all enjoyed a night out together at Christmas, and the nice comments on my Christmas cards showed how much people thought of me.
But, nice comments don't pay the mortgage do they? So here I am at 63 (shh! don't mention my age to prospective employers) looking for another job in the deepest recession in living memory but, onwards and upwards as someone once said.
There are still some jobs out there and I have applied for other positions but I've not had the courtesy of a reply from any of them so, there is a little seed of doubt creeping into my mind vis-a-vis age discrimination (cue scary music). I absolutely know I wasn't selected for redundancy because of my age so there are no problems there - in fact my previous employer has already told me that should the position change in 2011 they will re-employ me. But, could prospective employers be quietly discriminating against me? My qualifications, experience and my references are all "good" so where am I going wrong?
According to the ACAS website http://www.acas.org.uk/ "It is unlawful to discriminate against workers because of age. Employers should ensure they have policies in place which are designed to prevent discrimination in:
- recruitment and selection
- determining pay
- training and development
- selection for promotion
- discipline and grievances
- countering bullying and harassment."
Of course, its the first bullet point that concerns me at the present time. It's not unlawful to request a candidate's date on an application form and most of them do request it so, is this where the discrimination begins?
http://www.ageuk.org.uk/ tells us that "-In order to successfully claim age discrimination in relation to recruitment, an applicant will need to show evidence that age could have been the reason that they did not get the job. The employer will then have to prove that they did not discriminate against the applicant." But this, of course, all takes time and we have to prove the discrimination and, at the end of the day, it does not get us a job so, fellow "older" job hunters what this space, I'll let you know how I get on and if I can discover any useful hints and tips I will,of course, pass them on.
Thought of the Day (from http://www.newretirement.com/ )
Retirement is the ugliest word in the language - Ernest Hemingway
Bye for now
S A L
But, nice comments don't pay the mortgage do they? So here I am at 63 (shh! don't mention my age to prospective employers) looking for another job in the deepest recession in living memory but, onwards and upwards as someone once said.
There are still some jobs out there and I have applied for other positions but I've not had the courtesy of a reply from any of them so, there is a little seed of doubt creeping into my mind vis-a-vis age discrimination (cue scary music). I absolutely know I wasn't selected for redundancy because of my age so there are no problems there - in fact my previous employer has already told me that should the position change in 2011 they will re-employ me. But, could prospective employers be quietly discriminating against me? My qualifications, experience and my references are all "good" so where am I going wrong?
According to the ACAS website http://www.acas.org.uk/ "It is unlawful to discriminate against workers because of age. Employers should ensure they have policies in place which are designed to prevent discrimination in:
- recruitment and selection
- determining pay
- training and development
- selection for promotion
- discipline and grievances
- countering bullying and harassment."
Of course, its the first bullet point that concerns me at the present time. It's not unlawful to request a candidate's date on an application form and most of them do request it so, is this where the discrimination begins?
http://www.ageuk.org.uk/ tells us that "-In order to successfully claim age discrimination in relation to recruitment, an applicant will need to show evidence that age could have been the reason that they did not get the job. The employer will then have to prove that they did not discriminate against the applicant." But this, of course, all takes time and we have to prove the discrimination and, at the end of the day, it does not get us a job so, fellow "older" job hunters what this space, I'll let you know how I get on and if I can discover any useful hints and tips I will,of course, pass them on.
Thought of the Day (from http://www.newretirement.com/ )
Retirement is the ugliest word in the language - Ernest Hemingway
Bye for now
S A L
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