How do you think the Government can make sure that older working women are able to fulfil their career potential?"

Q.19 How can the govt make sure older women fulfil their potential.
I'd like to be able to take age out of the equation. Have you ever noticed how many times you have to state your age on forms, requests, for work security passes? I've started asking myself if my age is relevant every time I see a DOB field on a form. Most times it simply isn't. My cousin who looks a lot lot younger than she is, gets through to final stages of job selection processes but has had job offers withdrawn suddenly when she has to give her age to HR. She's 61, looks about 48. My tennis club wants my age to rejoin every year, for no reason other than to determine if I pay adult or child membership My suggestion is to remove DOB fields on any form or document where it isn't essential. It should be enough in most cases to state you are over 18. Secondly make the disclosure of age not allowed until a job offer is finalised. if it were a final stand alone action to give your DOB after you'd been offered a job, then it would be transparent if you were then turned down, that age was the reason.

In 2004 I was forced to retire by the Medical Centre I worked for as that was their policy at the time. A few years later that changed due to Government rules. I had loved my job and the Medical Centre lost years of experience and knowledge. I couldn't get a job of that calibre at 60 years old. So I ended up as a cashier for Waitrose. When we moved to larger premises two years later, on line shopping and delivery started. The then Store Manager knew how bored I was on the tills, she had the foresight to put me in that department. I became a picker, I worked two afternoons a week and picked up overtime. I loved it and loved working with the young team. Except for a driver, also in his sixties, most of the team were twenty year olds I finally retired last October just passed my 70th birthday. I could have stayed on but my osteoarthritis was getting more acute, pushing a large trolley or lifting full crates didn't help. I do miss it. I have looked for voluntary work and so far not found anything to suit. I really don't fancy a charity shop, the smell is enough to put one off. My garden looks great this year, well even more so as I have the time. Also I can help more with my DGDs .

It depends what you mean by older. My DDs, in their mid forties are finding it difficult to re-establish themselves in their careers after 7 and 9 years of almost fulltime child rearing. With children at primary school it is still a problem covering hours and school holidays and although they work part-time they are already coming up against age discrimination. There is now so much pressure on mums to go straight back to a full time full on job after a minimum maternity leave that those who take a career break are sidelined.

The government should make it easier to do that and help returners - after all if a working life is to be fifty years or more surely five or ten years looking after your own children should be seen as a worthwhile contribution to society.

I'm just glad to be retired - mostly enjoyed the "work experience" but last 3 years with a new boss were just horrendous... may have been an ageism thing... she thought anyone over 50 was decrepit and had nothing to offer in her team. Maybe I was just unlucky, but I'd got on well with 5 previous bosses and have now decided it was best I retired when I did, let her get on with it! I can enjoy my relaxation, hobbies etc... and no longer have to get up at 6am do a days work and get home around 7pm then do preparation, correction etc... before falling into bed and starting again the next day to do the same all over again! Only things I miss are Christmas in the Nursery, P1 and P2 but no more paperwork is a total joy!

I'm just about to retire. What's made it easier to carry on as my energies wane is a employer who readily agreed to 4 days a week rather than 5. Several other of my 60+ colleagues - men and women - have had similar arrangements. The good face of a public sector employer, I guess.

One way forward is definitely being self-employed if we can and becoming as attractive an employment proposition as possible. By arming ourselves with the latest understanding of the digital world, we automatically start to level the jobs' playing field.
I'm 67 and have been freelancing in the media world for nine years. My age has never been an issue - in fact, experience has been specifically valued. But we do need to acknowledge that life has moved on, and move with it. We have to find our own opportunities, ignore our age and simply get the job done. I've worked in-house with much younger staff and been treated well,
on the basis of what I can bring. If we start valuing ourselves and our talents accurately, perhaps other people will, too.

Etheltbags - I am sorry you had to have an op and I hope you are feeling better soon but it isn't just older workers who have time off because they are ill. I worked with young people who broke their legs, had gall bladder operations, got glandular fever and, of course, needed maternity leave.
I got a new job at 50 because my employer valued the experience I brought to the job. What we need is for everyone to be valued for the skills they bring and not just because they are young and good looking.

I think its more about money, the employers just cant afford to have older workers who may be off sick and have to pay SSP or even the full wage. I know a business owner who has to pay wages for sickness cover and he has said that if he must pay it he will stop all wage increases for the next 5 years.
As I am off sick having had a cancer op, I know that if I leave my present employers I will never get another job as no employer will take me with the thought that I may be off again.

phoenix so true with your last statement,these past few months I have returned to full time work (whilst nursing broken shoulder) this came about about purely by accident as DD was promoted to another shop and I had experience of working in her shop when she had her days off,I stood in whilst they interviewed for the manager position as a volunteer,but they had no joy with a replacement,I got cheesed off volunteering full time and just said the the area manager I'll do the job if you salary me ? if you don't put yourself forward you don't get do you and we have have all been happy with the decision and its working well,but I am still on the look out for a long term replacement in about 12 mths time.

Oh bugger, I just typed a load off stuff which has now disappeared! But to precis it, it,s not making sure that older women can achieve their potential, it's making potential employers see it.

Don't get me started! Most know (to the point of ennui) of the 3 year story since ny redundancy.

However my current (and I hope forever post) I got for a variety of reasons.
1. It was only advertised locally, literally in the village shop because the MD has a thing about local economy (I appreciate that this may be a rural thing)
2. Positive descrimination re age (depending on your persective) To take on someone who may have then taken maternity leave puts a strain on a small business
3. I begged and grovelled. No, of course I didn't!

I know women don't have to declare their age, but as soon as they start listing previous jobs and experience it can easily be worked out. Maybe a form with 'relevant experience only' could be used instead.
As an accountant I often worked closely with personnel - or HR as they are now known. Personnel were usually women, and they were often infuriated by the personal comments they heard the (usually male) managers make after interviews. Younger friends of mine, in their 40s, say that nothing has changed. One of my friends has just left her job because of blatant sexism and ageism, and she is beautiful, highly intelligent and an extremely hard worker.

I'm not sure there is an answer, it makes me want to weep sometimes. I think somewhere along the line women aren't taught to place such a high value on themselves, we give up too easily.

I could write a book containing all my own experiences, but I know that no man would ever bother to read and learn from it.

I was looking at schools for my son once, when he was four. The male Head showed me the classes, with the two lovely bright young teachers taking the reception classes, obviously very proud of their youth and enthusiasm. I asked if either of them were mothers. He looked at me, and said no, as if it would worry me that they might be. I said No, I was more worried that they weren't, as I would rather a mother had care of my child as she would have better understanding of how he was thinking. The thought had obviously never previously crossed his mind.

I worked for a company where the manager said that he and his customers liked to have their day brightened by smiling, enthusiastic young faces. I was in my early 20s then and even then, the remark worried me.

Then soon after that my uncle was made redundant at 40, from a very good job in the USA, because research had shown that people with high-pressured jobs were likely to slow down and their drive burnt out by that age. He looked so young for his age, I was shocked. He did get another very good job, but it started him and his wife on an endless drive for physical perfection - and she said she regularly had to lie about her age to get jobs.

My own feeling was that people hiring cheaper attractive youth rather than older experience was the norm, through all the years that I worked, even when not in the public eye. Any older ladies who were taken on had to be good-looking. I remember thinking that if I ever wanted to let myself go, I would have to start up my own company. Or get that face lift.

Nothing will be done about ageism in the workplace until we eradicate ageism itself. Everywhere you look in this country older people are patronised, overlooked or even ridiculed. I'd like to know how things stand in other countries. Older people can also help themselves - by not putting up with it. I love the story of Dame Judi Dench (I think it was her) who, when called "Bitch" by a passing lorry driver replied with "Dame Bitch to you". I hope it was true.
`I don't remember it being like this when I was a teenager but then, you weren't worshipped simply because you were young.

Six month not sis months!

I've been thinking about this. I retired from a full time job a year ago - partly because my daughter was getting married and I wanted time off and partly because I was 65, so I thought - why not? I carried on working on an ad hoc basis for a charity I'm involved with ("to keep my hand in" I would say) but for the most part, my time has been my own for a year. It's been lovely.

Now, at 66 I've been offered a two-day-a-week job that suits me down to the ground, on a one year contract. It will be interesting and quite challenging. I jumped at it - I mean, I'll still have three whole days off each week.

So ... what can be be done to help older women reach their career potential? Other than what is described above (career review, digital support etc)** I'm not sure how much of it can be imposed by government directives. I think it has to do with contacts and networking, self-esteem, and circumstances. Sorry not very helpful!

**I was sent on a "Women's Development" course by a wonderful boss when I first started working in the UK (in my 50s) which was similar (one day a month for sis months) and it helped me immensely. I'm very grateful to him for recognising my potential, because my confidence was flagging. We had a very good facilitator though and the group was great. So is a lot of it down to luck?

Free facelifts?