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Career Workshop: Too Experienced

How often have you been told you have too much experience for the job? Middle manager J. Phillips has been coming up against closed doors like this since he was made redundant from his publishing company in June. He now asks; what options are left for him? Life and Career coach Michelle Bayley makes some suggestions.

Dear Emma,

This is my take on the current nightmare I am facing in looking for work.

I have eleven years’ experience in the media as an account manager and then as a production manager in magazine and book publishing. I lost my job in June of this year due to redundancy, but have had only one interview for a junior position (which I did not get as apparently ‘I had too much experience!’). Working all my career in conventional printed media, I have found myself overtaken by the digital revolution in the media industry, and find that all my experience is now useless when applying for jobs, jobs which I know I could do, or learn how to do given the chance, but I am flatly refused even a meeting with the majority of job agencies. To go from a successful middle management position working in London to this, is frankly devastating.

My point is this: there seems to be a black hole for people like me, people with years of experience, young and ambitious, who find themselves suddenly out of work, and completely unemployable.

Yours faithfully,

J. Phillips.

Life and Career Coach Michelle Bayley replies…

As horribly frustrating as this ‘black hole’ feels for you at the moment, it is possible to get out of it. From your email, it sounds as though you’ve been focused on getting a specific type of role via a specific agency route, so it feels like it’s time to broaden out – both in how you’re carrying out your job search and in the type of role you’re going for.

Although from your point of view agencies are there to get you a job, most agency staff are on commission, so will focus more on candidates whose CVs are the closest match to what an employer wants. And while I’m not suggesting you abandon the agency route altogether, if you want to stay focused on media production roles, it’s definitely time to use other channels like job websites or contacting employers direct and doing whatever it takes to get a foot in the door.

I’m sure you know that you’ll need a very well argued case which makes the most of all of your strengths and transferable skills. But given that you have a skills gap I think you’ll only really win over an employer if you tackle it by signing up for the training you need asap. You might be eligible for a loan that’s interest free while you’re training. Take a look at the DirectGov site for more information on financial help for adult learners.

I’m not sure if you’ve also been applying for account management roles, but given your past experience it would seem to make sense if you did, possibly even in a different field. Even if this isn’t what you want long-term, it would mean money’s coming in again and you could study part-time to get the digital skills you need to return to production.

And it might be that you would ideally like to take your career in a completely different direction. To help you get clear, you’ll need to step back and ask yourself questions like:

  • What motivates me about work?
  • Which skills do I most enjoy using?
  • What kind of organisation is the right match for me?

It’s a thorough process but there are books out there that could help you – try the career changer’s bible, What Colour is Your Parachute? by Richard Bolles for starters.

Finally, although it’s totally understandable that you’re feeling ‘completely unemployable’ with ‘no hope’, think about the impact it has on you when you tell yourself those things. I suspect it won’t be helping, so try to notice when it happens and stay focused on the fact that you have plenty of skills and experience that do make you employable. You may not have got in front of the right employer yet, but I’m sure that if you broaden out, you will. Good luck!

Michelle is a certified professional life and career coach. Find out more about coaching at Find Your Way Coaching.

If you have a question that you would like answered by a careers expert, email careerworkshop@jobsite.co.uk. For more career-related advice, visit Jobsite.co.uk/insider

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avatar Vince 8 December 2009 Career advice
  • John Davies

    I sympathise with his situation as I am 50 with 33 years experience in the London Insurance Market and two degrees to my name. In this economic downturn those with good industry and management experience are an expensive item. All markets shrink accordingly, so if one looks within, related or outside their industry the job position is exactly the same with more people applying for every position. When one applies for a more junior position, one is too experienced, may not find the position challenging after a while and may move on to a better position when the economy picks up. To address this type of alienation, I set up my own consultancy to inform businesses and agencies that I can be hired on a consultancy basis than being a permanent expense. This is more attractive to businesses in the current climate and provides career opportunities on a permanent or consultancy basis. Should a permanent position materialise from a consultancy appointment, the option is yours to choose.

  • Sally Fox

    I’m a little different to you two gentlemen but am in a very similar situation, the best route for me has been to aim a bit higher and broaden my search which to date has given me more interviews. Voluntary work has also been really valuable in my field because it’s given me access to other skills and different organisations, on top of that it has broadened my outlook, may not work for everybody but good luck…

  • Lynn P

    I to can relate to these senario’s and am already doing what Michelle is suggesting. I have already examined the 3 questions set above and am ready to go exploring. Good fortune to all and MERRY CHRISTMAS.

  • don stevens

    55 years old, 34 years experience at senior managerial level, degree in Chinese, post-grad cert. in Public Admin, and only looking for something interesting and local, can’t get an interview, never mind a job!!

  • marina

    hi there, just a thought – I came back fm NZ with 4 yrs experience in the print media sales and similarly was turned down by a radio station and a directory for the same reason – too much experience and managerial aspirations. Have you tried the directories? Both Yell and BT have exciting new web products packaged with their print directory advertising offer and not sure about London but certainly good payers in the country. And career progression is a natural for great performers.

  • Mike Steele

    Similar. I am 50 with a successful career in IT in Financial Services behind me. I have found that contract/consultancy positions advertised generally require very specialised skills or experience.

  • Tracy Adesh

    I can understand what a lot of these people are going through. I too am in the same boat, qualified commercial solicitor have not been working since July and have had only one interview since! Been trying to go for secretarial/receptionist work in the interim only to be told I do not have the relevant experience plus employers are scared that I will leave when the market picks up. They are right I would. I have decided to stop relying on agents so much to find me work as I am not getting anywhere. No offence they are doing a good job but they are not for me. I have started building up my contacts through LinkedIn (brilliant professional networking site) and I am thinking of going down the freelance route, also as Michelle has suggested contacting employers direct. There are jobs out there for us- just have to stay focused, positive and believe that something you want will turn up eventually.

  • B

    I too have been told on numerous occassions that I am over qualified! Like Ms Adesh I too am a solicitor..I have had a few interviews in Law but the competition has been fierce. I cannot find work in any other sectors..as they think I will leave if I find work in Law. Its becoming intensely frustrating….But I guess we should all remain positive. Good Luck All.

  • Alex Brunel

    I think this article (top, above) is pants. It’s condescending, and the advice is really shallow.

    Mature and experienced people are valuable. Statistically they are far better employees – they stay longer and usually also have work-focussed values which younger, more ego-centric careerists may think are beneath them.

    And don’t forget: One of the reasons this recession has happened is because there has been too much emphasis in big companies on operating profits – which includes cheaper, inexperienced employees who make mistakes that those with more time in the job could have spotted spot before it festered.

    Don’t let the current climate get you down. Focus on what you really want and batten down the hatches with expenses and you’ll survive it. The best advice above has been from those in the same boat: see if you can offer yourself on a contract basis, mine your contacts, and don’t lose your nerve.

    To that I’d add: stay healthy – take the time out of the pressure cooker to live a little more kindly, and never forget, it’s not always “the market” that’s right…. especially just now.

  • Vic

    I can sympathise with all of you people because I am in the same very full boat, the only difference is that I have 46 years of engineering manufacturing experience, from Apprentice to Divisional Manager and I am told quite often that I do not have enough experience. I have no bright ideas but the few interviews that I have had have resulted from my direct approach to the likely employer, but these guys tend to go to sleep when they see how old I am. It is my belief that most prospective employers do not know 100% what they want in a new employee and their specification is not as rigid as the agencies presume. In this situation a direct approach is more likely to be successful if you can find the vacancy from independant research. Training to update skills? employers look for complimentary practical experience and evidence of consolidation of the learning so I am dubious.
    With regard to the wealth of independant advice, again I am mindfull of advice freely given to me a long time ago, “those who can, do, those who can’t, talk about it”
    My approach is keep trying! best of luck!

  • Barry Pierce

    I totally empathise with most of the comments Made. Redundant from my original position as property manager with several years experience. I gained a job selling accounts for buying physical commodities made redundant again and the story goes on. I have now been unemployed since July 09 , 450 applications later still nothing . I am now doing my LGV driving test and am applying for the Police. I’ve stopped listening to the news re politicians and bankers etc it makes me sick what this country is doing. I have never been unemployed since leaving school yet my unemployment benefit has been stopped . If I was an alcoholic, druggy or a school leaver who hasn’t contributed, I would recieve all the help in the world…..

  • Jack Haart

    The only thing more frustrating than being told your too experienced is. ‘I’m not sure you would find this role big enough for you – you may become bored” – After being out of work for 8 months I would happily be bored if I could earn some money!

    Recruiters, in good time we apply for jobs that interest us – in times like this if we apply for a job, it is earning some money that motivates us the most. And if we leave after 12/18 months you can earn more commission when you replace us!

  • Derek Williams

    Wow! So many out there in the same position as me!…However I have gone outside the normal route, my base skill is as a truck mechanic, fairly lowly position but with hard work and study moved to a senior position within a blue chip company.
    As far as I am concerned a bolt is still a bolt whatever it holds together, I have applied for any jobs like this, motorbike, car, truck bus bodybuilder etc. It may be worth remembering this.
    I don’t feel that re-training is the answer, if you don’t know the world and your job at 50, it’s time to look for something entirely different.

  • http://businessdevelopmentemea.com Edward Earl

    I am / was in the same boat as you guys but you have to look for ways around
    ‘employment’ at this time. Every employer seems to require you to have an MBA as a minimum, one of the problems is that all of your competitors seem to have one and the second problem is ageism (inevitable !).

    Decide that what you have is valuable, consider starting your own business with help from the membership at 4networking.biz

    These people all appear to want to encourage and help each other with answers to questions from how do I programme my phone to how do I get customers.

    Check out http://www.4networking.biz and if you live in Surrey come to the Monkey Puzzle Pub in Chessington at 8-00am on Thursday 17 Dec.

    £10 for a ‘breakfast get-together’ and networking is the best investment you will make, even if you just listen.

    If you would like to know more, email me.
    edwardearl@gmail.com

  • A Hall

    Just one comment – having read the above.
    “What colour is your parachute” has simply got to be the most useless book on this whole subject of ‘getting a job’. I’ve never read such a load of rubbish in all my life! And yes – I have read many, many books on recruitment & how to get a job.
    Do yourself a favour – avoid this useless tome at all costs!

  • Edward Earl

    And purely for the benefit of helping / advising these people A Hall, in order that they can gain from your extensive experience in the field / art of job precurement.

    As opposed to be “don’t do that”, your positive advice would be ?

  • John

    Similar circumstances – what is going on! I too have two degrees one a MA in Business and still cannot even get through to interviews, as being told too experienced, not enough experience, older than what they were looking for – although they’ll deny this. What has happened to this country? I have looked for junior positions, even tried ‘consultancy’, senior positions nada! Tried retraining – can’t get assistance even for that. Hope your listening DirectGov. So what’s left but join the ever expanding trained professional pool of talented personnel left on JSA/Social. Rather be working thanks! SO WHAT TO DO NEXT? Well there’s always next year? hmmm

  • G Geremia

    I have to say “ditto” to so many of these comments. I too find the “advice” above to be shallow and condescending. My perspective is a bit different in that I left a very good job to move here to be with my husband only to find out that he was made redundant the day I arrived. It has been over a year now and although my husband has just recently found work, it was only at a rate less than what he was making at a temp job. He was forgotten about by the recruiters once he received a temp job and did not have as much time during the day to continue to search or spend time chasing his “recruiters”.

    My professional experience spans over 20 years and is steeped in economic development, fundraising and marketing in industries such as nonprofit, business incubation and tourism. I know how to work, work hard and am extraordinarily dedicated. However, the issue has been that none of the jobs I’ve had over the years hold a specific job title such as receptionist, sales manager or copy writer.

    There is nothing more frustrating than being told I will be bored and unchallenged, will leave after a short amount of time, over qualified or simply ignored. I spend each day applying for multiple jobs. And to top it all off, some of you seem to be so naive as to say “batten down the hatches”, “don’t spend as much” or “live on a tighter budget” and “it will all work out”.

    My days are now filled with scrounging for wood to heat our home, baking bread and trying to find a job via the internet with gloves on because I only have enough wood to heat our house when my stepson is here on the weekends. Some days we don’t eat because we don’t have enough money for food. My husband gets paid once a month and we pay our bills with that and hope we’ll have enough after for petrol so he can get get to and from work.

    My opinion? Recruiters are useless. They don’t know how to represent everyone and most of the time do not even look at your CV. They “word search” by job title and toss you aside if it doesn’t match. I know this because this is what nearly every recruiter has told me. When they have an enormous pool from which to choose, why look beyond?

  • Perry Freeman

    Count me in. Male aged 49. Professionally qualified in Marketing, Sales and Commercial Management. Made redundant 11 months ago. Two problems, most of the markets except Oil & Gas, Power generation and Transport are completely flat currently. Second, the whole market is driven by commission led recruitment agencies who proudly boast the word ‘consultant’ in their title who. have’nt got the foggiest idea about what a proper consultant really does. If jobs were still advertised by Employers and Employers still made the hiring decisions, without the 35% fees, then I fell that most of us would probably be back in work.
    Nearly all the recruitment agencies at some stage request your date of birth, which I believe is in contravention of employment law and when you turn up, for the initial interview with them, they look at your greying hair and immediately cast you aside. And before the Agencies shoot my head off out there, there are probably some really good ones, but in my experience they are few and far between.

  • Paul Stockwell

    I agree with Alex brunel this article is pants.

    The training grants pointed to on the directgov website are useless as they cannot be accessed if you are a claiming jobseeker – even though you have the time available to retrain!

    As an experienced electronics Engineer with management and liasion experience I have been for a number of interviews that I have not got with the same uniform bland lack of feedback. In one ten week contract I was awarded (didn’t ask for) a payrise and the operations director of the company will give a recommendation- not that anyone has asked him.

    Younger people are (wrongly) considered to be cheaper – and less of a threat to a middle management that can see themselves being next.

    Recruiters for the most part add up to little more than internet spam and clearly do not know what their customers want or how to represent the candidates.

    Job feedback from interviews cannot be relied on because

    The employers are deathly afraid of being prosected under increasingly complex anti- discrimination legislation so provide bland comments approved by their lawyers or:

    They decide who they want based on their own personal choice and simply tailor the feedback to suit the legislation not to inform the candidate.

    There is a blindingly obvious bias against older more experienced people and the excuses about ‘being bored’ are the most common platitudes. Getting older people back in jobs is essential for goverment to get the tax income needed to pay off national debt.

    I sympathise with the person who is scrounging for wood as I am in a financially similar position. ‘benefit’ is not a fit term for what jobseekers get ‘victim’ would be more like it. It is actually calculated to be insufficient for the job and the inevitable end point is homelessness. The training and help jobcentres are allowed to offer is derisory and the staff in these places are as much under stress as their unfortunate victims.

    The ‘benefit’ system is not geared for a recession and was overdue for major reworking years ago having been branded unfit for purpose by more than one parliamentary committee.

    The Author should try six months unemployment for themselves and stop giving useless advice equivalent to offering a sticking plaster to someone run over by a truck.

  • Dennis

    Well,
    I was in the same position, and being past 50 thought that that was my lot. But I did stay focussed, and looking at finding a new, better job as being my job; and it is a full time occupation 10-12 hours per day, researching companies, phoning people, trawling the job market etc.
    Any way I did get a new position, which I am enjoying.

    Do not put your age on your CV. Most employers can work it out from other things you say
    Do not restrict the geographic area you are willing to work in; my brief was anywhere that English is a main language.

    Stay positive. you have valuable experience that people will pay for if marketed right.

    Get a proffessional to help with your CV and Job search. If it costs you £2000 to get this done, but you land a job paying £60000 PA this is less than two weeks pay. It may even be tax deductible. Do this bit as soon as you know you are going to be out of work.

    And No I am not in recruitment.

    Final comment. Once you get a good job, never ever leave the job market. Spend time building a network of uesful contacts, and even go to Job Interviews two to four times per year.

  • http://www.do-it.org.uk/ MM

    I have to say I’m part encouraged and part depressed by the comments of others here who are in the same boat as myself but who have much more experience than me.

    I’ve been unemployed since April/May and started off with being discerning about where I’d want to work, to being willing to do any job as long as it paid, to working for free just to do something with my time and get some relevant experience.

    And I have to say the last one was the one that worked best – volunteering is great for morale, it keeps you busy and it gives you new skills and experience to put on your CV. It’s even given me a stepping stone into the charity sector, which I’ve been dying to get into for years, and I’m now looking at retraining for a position in fundraising. I’ve applied for several junior positions in this area (very long application forms) and so far no luck. But until then at least I know I can have somewhere to go to work twice a week and it keeps my self-esteem up knowing I’m valued as a worker.

    Have a look at this website: http://www.do-it.org.uk/ which has loads of opportunities for volunteering (no I’m not affiliated in any way to them). Best of luck to all of you and merry Christmas!

  • Ms Cotton

    Not a high flyer like you lot, but after 28 years in admin, last 14 with one company, I took redundancy. Re-train in bookkeeping? At 63? Government has now spent £800 on me but no experience and Pitman were turning out ten of us a week from one office. A follow-up man who contacted me to ask “Was I in work?” could only suggest I put a card in the supermarket offering office skills for one off jobs!
    Of all the jobs I applied for, just 2 have bothered to say “You haven’t got it.”

  • simonryan80

    The 2 frustrating things are the cold, (but understandable) attitude of recruitment companies. It’s a number game and they don’t really care who gets the job, so long as one of their candidates does. So jobseekers don’t say “yes” if you know you are not a perfect fit, as you need to build the relationship with them.

    The worst thing is the failure of employers to think outside of the box. Every comment on here is made by intelligent, “professional” (I hate the expression) people who can do so many roles. I’ve heard agencies say employers are so rigid in the job description that there are hands are tied.

    When you get to a certain “level” I think it is as much about the person, as it is the CV & experiences.

    To be told you have too much experience and you will be bored is an arrogant slap-in-the-face. I found that earlier this year. The obvious answer is “why did I apply in the first place if I didn’t know that?”

    I have never worked in recruitment but I’m seeing a real gap here. Get a portfolio of capable people who are prepared to go in a different direction (e.g. banking to manufacturing) and offer them a smaller commission only payable after a 3month probationary review.

    I looked back on my last 2 roles were I put-up and sorted out a lot of problems. Where did it get me? Nowhere and I’m at the crossroads in life to downsize and do something different.

  • Frank

    In defence of recruiters I know that every role I apply for has at the very least, 100 applicants, I work in IT and have done so for 37 years and I cannot get a permanent job. To be honest I put the blame on the narrow miondedness of HR Departments, they are the people who decide what they’re blooking for. In the last 5 years I have only worked for two organisations that appreciated my wealth of experience. I hate to say it but more than a few employers are afraid of people like me as I know more than they do (or so they think). At 55 years of age I do feel pretty much on the scrap heap though.

  • Roger

    I sat in front of a Director of an established firm of consulting engineers and he said to my face “I was really looking for somebody a bit younger”. He was recruiting a senior person to take over the management of a regional office with only 7 staff. I am 56 and have done a similar job for 6 years until made redundant in the construction slump last December.
    The Jobcentre offered me a one-day seminar last month on finding work for professional people. The speaker advised us to delete all reference to date of birth, age, year of graduation, and home address. I followed her advice and continued applying for senior jobs in London on-line.
    Last week a recruitment agent demanded to know my home address. he threatened me that he would “not take my application seriously” unless I gave my postcode. when I told him that my train commuting time was 92 min to Waterloo, he refused to put me forward for any London vacancies. I asked him how close to London I should move, and he replied “60 minutes tops, the closer the better, Marble Arch would be best”.

  • geoffe

    I also have had similar experiences. I notice that most of the replies are from men? Is this discrimination against older men in the workplace by agencies (predominately run by women).of course to suggest such a thing means (I) must be sexist in this crazy country which is happy to waste this valuable experience of older men whilst insisting that fit older people should be working.

  • Vic again

    Just to add fuel to the fire regarding unreasonable requests for personal information, I have been asked for my bank details, date of birth, and NI number by agencies and threatened that without the information I will not be put forward for the position. I was not considered for the position and I don’t deal with those agencies either. I have seen too much in the press about identity fraud to risk giving this much info. Consider also the amount of agencies going/gone bust that kept manual records of people’s personal info, do you really believe that this was all secureley disposed of or is it blowing around the local tip? The Jobcentre advised me NOT to pass on this sort of info.
    Incidentally, I get no comfort from seeing you guys treated the same as me when you are only in your mid life because if you can’t get out I have no chance, but I can look at short term and fixed contract jobs to see me out if i can find one!
    Just keep slugging on, this is your full time job now!
    Vic

  • embo

    wow so many in the same overloaded boat, i,ve been out of work since March 09,im a maintenance engineer with 32 years experience in an fmcg enviroment and finding it really tough out there.i’ve found that the recruiters don’t have the decency to reply to applications if your unsuccessfull so your left wondering.the job centre look at you with blank expressions because they don’t have the answers and most of the advice is normally what we try.
    most of my time is spent looking around the internet ,so now it’s another daily chore, i’ve tried taking my experience abroad but even that seems a minefield to juggle as well, if any of you are doing the same a word of warning, there are people who will email you stating you have been successfull and want all your details -scammers– be aware if you apply to large companies you will always find that the email will have the companies name in the address(usually) and not some other form they are after your details so to forge papers to gain entry to this country, they especially ask for passport details never give it out! if they are a true recruiter that will be the last thing they ask for and not the first

  • Barry Robinson

    Not really advice, just my story that might help people with some ideas.

    Having been made redundant back in January for the second time in 8 months, I let myself slip into the hole of despair like many others in a similar position. I had been made redundant 3 time before this but had never been unemployed as I always left on a Friday and started a new job the following Monday. Now at 53 and from middle management in retail I am for all intent and purposes it seems unemployable. For six months I managed to only get one interview which I can only assume was on the bases of being seen not to be ageist. I had been sending out CV’s and applications to the tune of 20 or so a week. I joined many web sites all to no avail. The real pain was only 1 in 50 would even bother to reply so I could not get any useful feedback.
    In June when Job Seekers ran out and we could not get any other benefits as my wife was earning full time money, I ate humble pie and visited some old employers to sound out for any possible positions current or up coming. I had always worked on the principle like many that you don’t go back. Now although this has not been fully successful it did however secure me a 20 hour a week part time position as an advisor.
    This seems to have helped me in 2 ways, first I have a new confidence which has helped me be more positive. Also in job applications I now show the prospective employer I have the willingness to adapt I now get far more responses from applications giving me feedback. I feel far more confident about the future and my part in it to the point that I am now looking at setting up a small home business to complement my part time work.

  • Douglas Bain

    I have a 1st Class Honours degree in Computer Science and a PhD in Computational Mathematics from a well respected technological University in the UK, I have worked in IT for 30years.

    A recruiter from one of the largest IT recruitment agencies advised me that “we no longer recognise academic qualifications as they are easily purchased over the internet”.

    On enquiring about the recruiters’ backgrouund I found she had no formal qualifications at all but had gone to an English speaking school in the Middle East until 16 years old.

    Is this some form of ageism as 8 years tertiary education plus 30 years experience is a real giveaway of age?

  • Doug J

    Does asking for a degree for the most mundane of vacancies smack of ageism?
    The reason I ask this is because I am 54 years of age. When my generation left secondary education, only 4% went on to university. This compares to 40% of today’s school leavers taking up a university education. The point I am making is we have unemployed 50+ year olds with tremendous experience and “soft skills” who have worked at high levels, but no degree equates to old git!

  • Doug X

    I think you miss the point – why bother going to school to learn soft skills like reading and writing or hard skills like work experience when 16 year olds ultimately decide your fate based on no experience or knowledge of the subject apart from “saleasmanship” ?

    What happened to “education, education, education “(sic) , or is that left to bankers with no soft banking qualifications just true grit(or greed).

  • Carmen

    I left school in 1969 with no qualifications and have spent most of my working life as a receptionist – took time off to do a history degree in my 40s & look after my family. I have now just been made redundant and have come up against the age thing given my chosen profession. Receptionist do not just sit around these days they need to be multi skilled and I am well within that sphere however, at 55 I am now invisible even though I do not look my age one look at the my dates on the CV & I don’t even get to 1st base. So this country is going to lose a lot of skilled experienced baby boomers in the job market if employers are not careful.

  • Pam

    It’s not only mature job seekers having trouble: I am a twenty-five year old with two degrees and nine years experience as editor-in-chief of a magazine (yes, really). I have too much experience for every entry-level or graduate job i’ve gone for, and they don’t seem to know what to do with me because if I am qualified for the job, they’re looking for someone older.

    I’m not the only person my age experiencing this: this climate does not know what to do with young, over-qualified graduates. Many of us are not inexperienced — we try to get ahead by taking as much work and voluntary experience as possible, we start projects and small businesses, but it doesn’t seem to count because this ageist society can’t seem to square youth with ability.

  • Sheila Kavanagh

    I just came across this website by accident.
    I leave in the U.S, close to New York City.
    I certainly agree with you. I am 60 years old and looking for a new job. I have a 2 years degree which I got at night school (Associate Degree), not a 4 years degree (Bachelors Degree). All advertised jobs ask for a Bachelors Degree. As you said, when I graduated, not everyone went on to college,. In the U.S. today, I would say about 60% of students now go on to college. However, I have years of experience and my resume is probably passed over because I do not have a 4 year degree.

  • Rich G

    I’m in the same boat too. Spent 10 years doing post-doctoral research as a scientist. Job agencies won’t touch me – say ‘You’re a scientist’ / ‘You’ve got a PhD – you’ll just leave when you find something better’ (who wouldn’t?!) etc etc

    Already doing what Michelle suggests – have had a couple of two month admin work contracts (found through contacts NOT agencies) but have been out of long-term work for three years now.

    Hope all you guys have luck finding something.

  • Lesley b

    Hi,

    Im on a social worker ma course and im not enjoying, have tried for another jb but all I can get is in a nursing home wiping old peoples bums – anyone thought about that for a job.

    Good Luck all

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