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Came to education and career late due to living in Ibiza in my twenties. Finished my degree at 33 and my masters at 36. Had two years in my chosen career before resigning to move back up north. Now been unemployed (and looking after my two young daughters) for the last two years and cannot get a job for love nor money.
I'm 39 on Sunday, I'm starting to think that any career aspirations I may once have had are sailing away. Is 39 past it in the eyes of prospective employers..?
Bit depressed about the whole thing tbh...
I guess it must depend on what career.
I think its pretty hard right now to kick start any type of career regardless of age.
Im sure some of the big players would would look more at the skills rather than the age.
Pretty old for a footballer, but don't see how its too old for a lot of other things, and 39 is a great age ;o)
Given that retirement ages are creeping up, 40 is hardly "over the hill". I would think that most employers will value your "life experience". Remember, you are not alone in having difficulty finding a job. Don't take it personally.
How would a potential employer know your age? You don't have to put your age on your CV.
I'd employ a 39 year old over a 16 year old any day of the week.
I'd seriously consider somebody with 5 years left before retirement than a 16 year old.
Far more likely to turn up in a morning without a hangover.
Personally - I'd say 39 is a real asset, but - BIG - but on your CV what have you being up to? Make that as clear as day.
Is that a reflection on the 16 year olds of today or 16 year olds in general.
At 45, just made a career change back to engineering after 8 years self employment as a property developer. One of our designers was taken on 4 years ago at the tender age of 58!
Your problem may be that you are 39 with 2 years experience whereas other 39 year olds will have up to 23 years experience!
I'd guess it's the minimal experience and probably the lack of commiement to your first "proper" job.
depends on the field i guess, it's tough to get work in computer games development when over 40, 45 nigh on impossible.
How would a potential employer know your age? You don't have to put your age on your CV.
I'm not sure I'd want to work for someone who could't work my age out from the CV.
Your problem may be that you are 39 with 2 years experience whereas other 39 year olds will have up to 23 years experience!
I think this is the main point that worries me. Though I've worked throughout my education, it's not exactly the sort of work I went back to uni for...
I did my masters to increase my employability but, other than putting me massively in debt, it seems to be pretty worthless ATM...
How flexible or willing to compromise are you, in order to kickstart your career?
You may not want to, but openness to relocating might be the best way to broaden the job market for you, at least til you rack up a few more years experience.
Loddrick, looking at what youve typed above, from 16 to 30 you appear to have no actuyal checkable uk work history,(so a lot will think prison, or mental health issues), then you spent 6 years doing a degree,then only worked for 2 years, before either resigning or getting the sack,made redundnat, (we dont know, and neither would an employer possibly)and then looking after the the kids,for anopther 2 years while being unemployed.
Would you employ yourself.
It was your choice ,but say somebody turns upo pwith a full work and education history from 16, and relevant recent work experience, who would you take on.
What line are you in buddy?
As project, rather bluntly, says above there are gaps in your CV that may deter a potential employer. You need to fill them.
As a manager who frequently has to look at CV's and interview people I would say no.
A 39 year old is less likely to hand their notice in on a whim to go and find themselves (have had 3 guys in their twenties do that).
They are usually more mature in attitude and have had life's knocks and no longer think the world owes them something.
They were usually on the right side of the housing boom and are not looking for silly wages so they can buy a flat (also refer to point above).
They usually have a family at home and are all to happy to work OT or join me for a beer after work 😉
Never bother explaining your CV all the way back to when you left school, the past 2 or 3 jobs or 5 years is usually enough and to be honest if it runs past two pages it won't be read anyway.
Good Luck.
Thanks for the replies but to be fair I'm not stupid, there are no gaps in my cv, I resigned, as would be confirmed by a reference from my employers and I have pretty much worked continuously for the last 10 years, save for the last two. There's some pretty sweeping assumptions from Project. My point is that I had been working towards a career, which I achieved, but personal circumstances intervened.
The recession and the Tories effectively killed off my industry (town planning) relocation is no longer an option, but I have a feeling my lack of experience at a professional level is making it difficult to enter another field.
Perfect age IMO
I'm 53 and about to start looking for something after getting the push, I'm expecting that contracting will be my only option
There's some pretty sweeping assumptions from Project
Maybe, but most employers having to look through loads of CVs will also do that!
I'm afraid as the others have said it's not your age that is the problem, it's the lack of traditional career path and relevant expereince up to this point that may be being held against. Not saying that's right it just is.
I got made redundant last year at 40 (for the fourth time 😯 ) and got another job ebfore I'd worked my notice through. We've just recruited someone in theri late forties, mainly on his experience and maturity / personality. Some one in their twenties would seriously struggle in the role he's doing.
As project, rather bluntly, says above there are gaps in your CV that may deter a potential employer. You need to fill them.
Deepest sincerest apologies, it wasnt mean with malice, but its what an employer may look at, and start him thinking , reject that one.
It also doesnt read quite right,as employers want a person witrh experience of work, eg geting up and attending work,a few years off to look after the jkids seems strange,
No being 39 is not a problem, but as you rightly say the planning profession has taken a big hit as the effects of this government's policies have played out. Until last year when I was made redundant, I worked (mostly) in environmental planning and watched as the money drained away from the projects I was working on with more consultancies fighting for a smaller and smaller slice of the pie. As relocation isn't an option you've no doubt spoken to all the LAs and planning consultancies on your patch, but it may also be worth looking more widely at environmental planning (says she having just described its demise!) if only because a trained planner with LA experience can be very complimentary in that space. Anyhow, this is undoubtedly all stuff you know/ have done already, so I guess my main message is no - 39 is (IMHO at least!) not too old, it's actually prime, employable age, so it'll just be the relevant experience stuff holding you back a bit. Think laterally, and don't throw in the towel on the work you put in to get qualified, just yet.
Find out what you want to do? If need be take the first job you can get and re-build your CV. Don't jump ship too quickly from the first job as it looks bad.
Restarted at 47 with no reference from the last employer that was worth a damn, legal minimum only. They did me a favour as I would probably be dead by now if I had stayed in my previous industry sector.
Have you noticed how vapid younger people can be? They don't stand a chance against you; I feel sorry for them really. Just don't put you age and anything that makes your age obvious on your CV. Don't ask for too much £. Otherwise go for it and good luck!
Never had trouble in my 30's but now the biggest problem seems to be that I'm more experienced than the hiring managers' manager, consequently seen as 'too experienced for the role'...
Experience is what counts for me when employing. I tend to ignore any non-industry specific qualifications, blokes in Macdonalds have degrees. I need someone who can hit the ground running usually and I don't expect anyone to stay longer than 5-6 years anyway. 39 would be absolutely fine for me. I'd welcome someone of that age with open arms.
Now, I'm actually hiring at the moment. I've really struggled to fill this position. Twice now we've had false starts, the last chap did 8 days work and then did a runner, he was clearly waiting for another job to turn up.
What are your operational network/security skills like?