Are older Aussies still wanted in the workforce?

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August 19 2021
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Despite bringing a wealth of experience, older Australians are increasingly feeling like they are being pushed out of the workforce, an industry expert has revealed.

As younger Australians continue to strive for a changing workforce that includes greater flexibility and rights for workers, older Aussies who grew up in generations past are increasingly finding it difficult to gain a foothold in the modern workforce.

During Wednesday’s Indeed seminar, Talent Table’s CEO, Andrea Kirby, explained how older workers are experiencing ageism from the generation below, which has now moved into leadership positions.

“Suddenly, at the age of 50, I was not getting jobs after being interviewed by people that were 35 or 40,” she said.

“I think it was an ageism issue, a perception of how I would behave. It is definitely something people aged 40 and above have to think about,” Ms Kirby added.

The CEO, who started her own business due to these ageism issues, noted older Aussies, especially those in leadership positions, are being viewed as taking a spot from the next generation and have no choice but to remain in their current roles.

“We’re holding onto the jobs because it’s hard for us to get another job easily with all the age issues that are going on at the moment.

“We want the interesting work, but we are taking away the opportunities for our next generation to come through,” Ms Kirby explained.

“But for us to move, if it’s going to take us two years to find another job, the moving around does not become an option,” she said.

As such, she highlighted how many older Aussies are having to change their roles or downplay experience in order to get ahead.

“We are bastardising our CVs to take off the years we went to university,” she said.

“I fudged the first 15 years of my working life because if I put down I started work in 1984, suddenly I am ageing myself considerably,” the CEO continued.

“I have applied for jobs that I should’ve got an interview for, but just getting back ‘sorry, you’re not the right experience’ despite being able to tick every box on the job description,” she continued.

Apply to me directly: ANZ boss

While older Australians are struggling to get back into the workforce or continue their careers, job shortages and rising vacancy rates mean employees are becoming desperate to get new staff.

One solution brought up by ANZ’s boss was to draw older workers back into the workforce to fill the shortages.

In fact, ANZ CEO Shayne Elliott publicly called for older Aussies to reach out to him directly if they would like to work for the big four bank.

“Come straight to me. So, my email address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. I’m pretty easy to find online, and actually already today I’ve had quite a few people send me their CVs, and we’re grateful for that.”

About the author

Cameron is a journalist for Momentum Media's nestegg and Smart Property Investment. He enjoys giving Aussies practical financial tips and tricks to help grow their wealth and achieve financial independence. As a self-confessed finance nerd, Cameron enjoys chatting with industry experts and commentators to leverage their insights to grow your portfolio.

About the author

Cameron is a journalist for Momentum Media's nestegg and Smart Property Investment. He enjoys giving Aussies practical financial tips and tricks to help grow their wealth and achieve financial independence. As a self-confessed finance nerd, Cameron enjoys chatting with industry experts and commentators to leverage their insights to grow your portfolio.

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