HR Magazine

I am having a tough time getting a job. I appreciate there is an economic downturn and the possibility of recession is looming, however, I am having a niggling feeling that age is an issue. I know there is legislation to prevent such a thing, but how can it be monitored effectively and any action taken? My age is not on my CV, but it won’t take a genius to work it out. As I recently read, “the future’s silver”as people are living longer and that dream of retiring at 55 has long disappeared. A 50 year-old has another 15-20 years of working life left, and unlike younger rivals has more to offer. Using me as an example, I am an average 50 year old who has way more experience to offer, I have reached a decent career level and I’m not looking to move-on in a few years’ time. When I land that next job, all being well, I have no intention of leaving. I want a job to see me through to retirement. I  want to be settled. Businesses will get experience, loyalty, commitment and 10 plus years from an old git like me. Another possible age issue for me could be the industry I am in. Graphic design can be full of trendy, groovy, funky young-ish people. Their view of a 50 year-old could be beige slacks and comfy slip-on shoes bought from a mail order company advertised in a Sunday supplement. I am very far from that image and so are many others. So, to recap: I am experienced, will be loyal, am committed and trendy to-boot!

Let’s cut to the chase: agent no.4 (the new kid on the block) has let me down. OK, officially, the agent isn’t at fault, but I have learned to take everything an agent tells me with a very large pinch of salt. An interview was scheduled for 5.30pm. The company (a design agency in up-market Bayswater) contacted me directly at 12.30pm informing me the meeting has to be re-scheduled due to sickness of one of the interviewers. Two days later the agent contacted me to say the company wanted to put my interview on-hold. They now have other people who they consider to be better suited and want to see them first, but I am not out of the picture so it could still happen. My ghast was well and truly flabbered: I consider this to be unprofessional and downright rude. Not out of the picture! Oh yes I am as that company can go and jump. I appreciate times are tough and there is no doubt an abundance of people chasing a few jobs, and as a result employers have the pick of the bunch, but to mess me (and probably others) about like this is very poor. Anyway, it’s their loss. I am considering other options; moving into a different job where my skills can be utilised. This is no easy task, but one such area I’ve decided to have a crack at is.......................recruitment! Well, I can’t possibly be worse than the agents I have dealt with and could quite possibly be better. The obvious choice was a media agency, and so began my search. Most agents have a ‘join us’ section on their websites. The experience required varies from ‘lots of’ to ‘bugger-all’, but full training will be given with the proviso of having industry knowledge. I have industry knowledge. In fact, I have a great deal of industry knowledge. Having the requisite know-how about design and print just doesn’t seem to cut-it with any of the recruitment agents I contacted. I didn’t get one reply from about a dozen enquiries. Maybe (now, this could be contentious), but just maybe I am too old for such a vibrant, go-getting, mind-blowing industry that is recruitment. Perish the thought, it’s not possible now there is a law to prevent that sought of thing. Oh well, that’s Plan B done and dusted, I’ll have to think of a Plan C.

Well, I am in a state of shock as agent No.1 has got me an interview. Now I’m sure you have kept copious notes so I won’t recap, but it’s a role I had been put forward for ages ago: production manager for a big and trendy design agency in Shoreditch. One minor problem: the salary has been reduced by £5000. They want a very experienced person that won’t need their hand held, but realise the money doesn’t reflect that.The company wants to see me but will understand if I don’t want to see them with an admission they would be getting me on the cheap! I have never come across this before; is this a new form of negotiation, or is it simply *** behaviour? Anyway, beggars, choosers etc, etc spring to mind and I felt I had no option but to agree. I somehow put on a brave face when talking to the agent and ‘bigged it up’ with an optimistic slant as I’m a bloody good liar when I need to be. A date is arranged and I cracked-on with some research on this very generous company. Then, amazingly, I am contacted by another agent with a role, and very soon after I agree to being put forward for it, I have an interview. This is shocking behaviour and for a moment or two I go light-headed with delirium. Two interviews, eh? Not bad. This second interview is via an agent that has not yet featured in this diary, and from now on shall be referred to as Agent No.4. This job is sticking to the advertised salary and not following the new trend of reducing it and taking the proverbial. Crikey, more research to do. Oh yes, I have a lodger. I am beginning to wonder if I should have taken a little longer and not grabbed the first person who showed an interest in the room. He’s a depressive. Just what I need when I’m not exactly full of beans due to work situation. Fortunately my innate jollity manages to come to the surface after he has droned on about goodness-knows-what. At least he has a job! I went to see the generous company and, surprisingly, decided I would like the job. I was informed the role will develop, so I was thinking long-term and was happy to start on the reduced salary as the company is a ‘big player’, albeit a tight fisted one. After what seemed an eternity, they get back to me with: ”you’re a great guy, very friendly and can do the job easily, however................ we think you would get bored so we don’t want to offer it.” This company clearly doesn’t know what it wants and they think it’s ok to waste my time. Ahhhhhhh, the joys of job hunting.

After the disappointment of not getting the job from heaven I quickly got onto the other agents to chase the four jobs I had been put forward for. I also advertised my spare room for a lodger. The saga began. Agent No.1) Two roles. Both had been with the respective HR departments for nearly a week. I am informed that one HR person was away until the following week. The other company is taking its time. Agent No.2) Same story; decision maker is away. Agent No.3) Would you believe it, I couldn’t - it’s the same bloody story! This must be a recuitment consultant euthamism for “I can’t be arsed to deal with this” or “I haven’t been bothered to find out”. It’s like the old chestnut of “the cheque’s in the post”. Anyway, I had no option but to believe them and wait. In the meantime I continued the job search via the usual routes - agencies, newspaper and magazine ads, and anyone I knew that I could contact. Letting the room was also proving to be difficult. Not one call all week, and I had it advertised on two websites and a notice in some local shops. It was this point my heart sank as I thought this whole process could drag on and on, and I’ll find myself in that famous creek without a paddle. The weekend beckons, so let’s put the worrying on-hold. It’s Monday morning - ahhhhh, a new week. What will it bring? Exciting new beginnings or more disappointment? The continuing saga of the three agents with the four jobs. I start at the beginning with agent numero uno. Role one: person back but not responding. Role two: the company has decided to give the job to an internal candidate! This person (apparently) only put themselves forward on Friday and was accepted. I find this an odd thing to do, as why not see other people? There could be better suited candidates available, so the company may well be doing itself an injustice by not interviewing others. Agent No.2) Déjà vu. Tomorrow (next week in this case) never comes. Agent No.3) The agent hasn’t heard back from client and therefore will continue to look for me. What? He’s given up. Astonishing. This agent has obviously made his month’s target and no longer cares. The words ‘creek’ and ‘paddle’ are beginning to get louder.