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[beorhthelm]

thought of enjoying retirement? voluntary work is the obvious route for those wanting to be busy, plenty of small groups, charities around often need ex-professions to steer them on how to run.

 

[Jim in the West]

Do you need the money? If not, volunteering is a great option. I’m extremely fortunate that I have a decent company pension, and was able to choose when I retired. I’ve been volunteering for a small charity in the humanitarian sector for the past 6 years - it’s been incredibly rewarding, and one of the best aspects is that you meet so many great people. And those people are generally half my age (or younger!) and being around young people helps (I hope) keep me from becoming a grumpy old reactionary!

 

[Nottseagull]

I went to the Job Centre, just to get the lie of the land, and the bloke there said "All our jobs are for people of working age".

Can't believe he said that.
If employers have told him as much then they are breaking the law, and he is complicit.

 

[dsr-burnley]

Whatever your field(s) of expertise, if you can find a small firm that fits the bill, you've a better chance. The bigger the firm, the more likely the job applicants have to tick all the right boxes and it's the same boxes in all big firms. With a small firm, you'll apply to the boss or someone high up who will be able to make his own mind up.

(You might also come across someone who has had a bad experience with a younger person or two who will be only too glad to employ someone with experience.)

 

[Birdie Boy]

As someone on the other side of the fence running a recruitment company, I can tell you that the recruitment market has been pretty dreadful since the end of 2022. 2023 was unbelievably bad, with companies laying people off all over the place and hardly anybody was hiring. Which obviously meant we had to do the same, with big layoffs and cut backs all over the place, it was absolutely brutal. In 2024 it stabilised a bit, but literally everyone I know in the industry was living by 'survive to 25'. And a lot didn't make it. This year is still similar really, it's not horrendous, but there is no real growth in the market and companies are still being very, very careful in their hiring. The employers NI raise has made them even more cautious, and has definitely stifled growth.

I'm not really sure what the answer is to be honest, it's tough out there at the moment, and I can't see it fundamentally changing any time soon.

May I ask what field you are in? Not looking for a contact just interested if this is IT or all fields.

 

[albionalba]

If money isn't a major issue, as others have said re volunteering, you could put your copywriting / PR skills to use for a small non-profit. Most areas have volunteer portals where such opportunities are advertised / volunteers advertise themselves. Ones that are involved in campaigning might provide an interesting opportunity and also from time to time there are paid opportunities too - often a volunteer can get appointed to a job that arises along the way with some new funding or the organisation realises it needs to pay someone to do more than a volunteer can.

 

[Comrade Sam]

Have you considered a career in Teaching? There's a nationwide shortage.
Good luck.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I got laid off a week ago, after a company 'restructuring' and I'm realising what a nightmare it is trying to find work.

I'm 68, so I guessed it wasn't going to be easy but it's pretty depressing to realise that I'm considered as someone on my last legs. I went to the Job Centre, just to get the lie of the land, and the bloke there said "All our jobs are for people of working age". Mate, I was working a couple of days ago!

Surely, there must be some opportunity for people who want to work. I'm pretty fit - I'm a rugby ref and coach at weekends - and healthy (I've just had a regular check-up and all the indicators are good). I have a long work record, mainly as journalist but in PR too; won lots of awards, managed small teams and large ones and earned enough to pay off the mortgage. I'm not looking for a high-paying job, just something to keep me ticking over as I'm not ready to put my feet up. Yet, it seems like an impossible dream. Anyone got any ideas where I could find work?

Best wishes, Max.
Suggest patience, and looking at what may be advertised.
Also . . . writing. A football murder mystery? I'd buy it.
All the best!

 

[Flounce]

No surprise to me. Eons ago I left a company and went to a job centre and was told I was over qualified and a little too old for any jobs they had on offer. I was 35 and making no wage demands.

Good luck Gwylan, it must be really tough given your CV

You could try Sainsbury, they have some right old codgers in the Rustington branch!!!

 

[Peter Grummit]

Matchday steward at Sussex Cricket?

 

[Professor Plum]

Have you considered a career in Teaching? There's a nationwide shortage.
Good luck.

I think the OP is deemed too old to train to be a teacher but could possibly be a paid teaching assistant. Also there are opportunities to help kids with reading and writing etc as a volunteer.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

My retirement plan was ruined when the nearest B&Q store closed.

Meet and greet - free orange fleece, staff discount, indoors in winter, directing punters to the wrong aisles for their swanky doorknobs, not knowing the prices of anything, not knowing any of their DIY questions - what more was there to like....

I don't think the local Asda or Tesco have similar, although picking the wrong choices for an internet shopper (free green or blue fleece, staff discount etc etc) has some appeal.

 

[Gwylan]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. Yes, I have considered voluntary work but I do need some money as my pension doesn't quite cover living expenses - there have been some steep increases in utility bills in the last couple of years.

I can do some freelance journalism work - and probably will do - but I want to keep that to a minimum. Partly because I've always done it and I'm a bit jaded; partly because there's a lot of work for very little money (the writing is the easy part, the hardest part is the research to put together pitches) and partly because there's always a good possibility of not being paid. I recently counted up how much I'm owed from clients not paying - and it's just under £20.000. It's pretty dispiriting to spend time doing something and not getting paid.

So, I'd rather do something a bit different. I don't mind minimum wage, as I don't need much money but I'll see what comes up. Teaching is an interesting suggestion though - it's something that I thought was impossible, given my age, but it may be a goer.

Going to crack on with some job applications now

(Oh, I'm not going stewarding at the Amex, my son works there and he'd hate to have me going there as well)

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Good idea. @Gwylan, do you have any aptitude as a set-piece coach?

Or a specialist penalty saver coach.

 

[maffew]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. Yes, I have considered voluntary work but I do need some money as my pension doesn't quite cover living expenses - there have been some steep increases in utility bills in the last couple of years.

I can do some freelance journalism work - and probably will do - but I want to keep that to a minimum. Partly because I've always done it and I'm a bit jaded; partly because there's a lot of work for very little money (the writing is the easy part, the hardest part is the research to put together pitches) and partly because there's always a good possibility of not being paid. I recently counted up how much I'm owed from clients not paying - and it's just under £20.000. It's pretty dispiriting to spend time doing something and not getting paid.

So, I'd rather do something a bit different. I don't mind minimum wage, as I don't need much money but I'll see what comes up. Teaching is an interesting suggestion though - it's something that I thought was impossible, given my age, but it may be a goer.

Going to crack on with some job applications now

(Oh, I'm not going stewarding at the Amex, my son works there and he'd hate to have me going there as well)

Could do a TEFL course if fancy teaching. Maybe some opportunities in Brighton? Timpsons might be worth a knock too

 

[WATFORD zero]

If you can afford it voluntary/charity work can be really fulfilling and you meet some great people. If you're Brighton based and want some leads just PM me.

I retired at 50 but realised that I had gone far too early (definitely for the first and only time ) and wanted to find something to do and provide structure to my week. Employers don't tend to be interested in older employees, particularly if you have been senior/have significant knowledge and experience, but are trying to come back down the greasy pole to lesser positions.

I found that the best thing was to find something I could do self employed (using your previous experience, knowledge and contacts if possible). I started doing some private teaching/consulting/advising on a small scale. The only commitment from their side is an hourly fee for the number of hours they want. I have continued to do it for the last 15 years at a level I wanted, although running it down significantly now.

Good luck with whatever you choose

 

[Chicken Run]

I got laid off a week ago, after a company 'restructuring' and I'm realising what a nightmare it is trying to find work.

I'm 68, so I guessed it wasn't going to be easy but it's pretty depressing to realise that I'm considered as someone on my last legs. I went to the Job Centre, just to get the lie of the land, and the bloke there said "All our jobs are for people of working age". Mate, I was working a couple of days ago!

Surely, there must be some opportunity for people who want to work. I'm pretty fit - I'm a rugby ref and coach at weekends - and healthy (I've just had a regular check-up and all the indicators are good). I have a long work record, mainly as journalist but in PR too; won lots of awards, managed small teams and large ones and earned enough to pay off the mortgage. I'm not looking for a high-paying job, just something to keep me ticking over as I'm not ready to put my feet up. Yet, it seems like an impossible dream. Anyone got any ideas where I could find work?

Apply for a Private Hire License, loads of us oldies driving taxis around Brighton and you keep your own hours, i’d be happy to advise over PM

 

[WATFORD zero]

Apply for a Private Hire License, loads of us oldies driving taxis around Brighton and you keep your own hours, i’d be happy to advise over PM

Good suggestion, but

I don't have a driving licence so that's not a possibility. I got swiftly rejected by Aldi but have applied to Asda as well. I don't think supermarkets are that good a bet any more; there a lot of students happy to do zero-hour contracts

Although from experience, I'm not sure that's a prerequisite for some Brighton cabbies

 

[backson]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. Yes, I have considered voluntary work but I do need some money as my pension doesn't quite cover living expenses - there have been some steep increases in utility bills in the last couple of years.

I can do some freelance journalism work - and probably will do - but I want to keep that to a minimum. Partly because I've always done it and I'm a bit jaded; partly because there's a lot of work for very little money (the writing is the easy part, the hardest part is the research to put together pitches) and partly because there's always a good possibility of not being paid. I recently counted up how much I'm owed from clients not paying - and it's just under £20.000. It's pretty dispiriting to spend time doing something and not getting paid.

So, I'd rather do something a bit different. I don't mind minimum wage, as I don't need much money but I'll see what comes up. Teaching is an interesting suggestion though - it's something that I thought was impossible, given my age, but it may be a goer.

Going to crack on with some job applications now

(Oh, I'm not going stewarding at the Amex, my son works there and he'd hate to have me going there as well)

Owed £20,000?! Have you thought of becoming a debt collector?