Unable to secure employment - Whats going on in the jobs market ?

flowerpot

i am 51 years old and was let go from my IT job last September after 7 years in the company . i have been applying for jobs for 7 months now and have not even been called for interview. I am really qualified for these jobs.

My husband was a stay at home dad for 12 years but free lanced as a web designer and SEO expert for those years so has kept his skills up

He is really good at his job and has years of building up his skills . Any job he applies to also . He doesnt even get an interview even though he is well qualified for it. Again not even getting a call back.

Anyone in recruitment or HR have any advice on what is going on in the jobs market. We are hardly over the hill at 50 years of age ?

Is AI just screening these CVs for certain key words ? It seems every job I click apply on it has had 100 applicants .

There are jobs that I have applied for that I know I am really qualified for that keep getting readvertised so it looks like they haven't actually found anyone for it.

Any advice would be great . Where am I going wrong ? I have 25+ years working in IT . Starting to think i will need to retrain in a different area.

RebelButtMunch

I've found it helpful to lean on my linked-in contacts to generate referrals. That at least will get me past the AI screening.

Also, have you written your CV to be AI screening friendly?

flowerpot

Thanks for your feedback. Any hints on how to make our CVs AI screening friendly ?

Flinty997

You're hitting the too old, over qualified, too expensive, too much experience wall.

Simplify the CV. Only the last 2-3 yrs are relevant. They only want to know what you currently do not what you did in the past. Contracting is a good option, or micro incomes from different things.

Ask AI to rate your CV.

RebelButtMunch

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124373288#Comment_124373288

Try uploading it into chatgpt and asking. One of the so called tips is about having an docx and not pdf if I remember right, due to the fact that some of the hr readers are better at reading docs than pdfs. Also you might benifit from tailoring your cv for each application.

Are you adding cover letters? AI is handy from writing them

Flinty997

I would write everything yourself but get AI to suggest improvement. Letting AI do they whole thing is kinda obvious and suggests lack of effort.

Mrs OBumble

Do you have a level 8 or above qualification?

Without one, there area lot of places that just automatically say No.

Apply for temp jobs. Lots of places that won't take an older person for permanent, but don't mind for a temp role.

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124375376#Comment_124375376

The companies are screening with AI so you have to use AI to get past the screeners, no one looks at CVs because they ask questions that are on your CV if you get to an interview.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124376226#Comment_124376226

They use AI to check is it written by AI.

Probably have a scoring matrix.

Benedict XVI

Hi OP,

That's a tough situation.

I'm mid 50s and have been in IT all my career, and even though I currently have a job I'm never convinced that I'll have it until retirement, so I'm always wary that redundancy could happen anytime.

One thing is I've never worked in the same company for more than 6 years as a permanent employee and did a lot of contracting also.

If I was made redundant I'd go back to a couple of companies locally that I left on good terms (in the last decade or so) and see if they have anything. It doesn't really matter the level, just something that would keep an income coming in between now and retirement.

Do you have a previous employer that would take you back?

The other option would be contracting.

I've always believed that there is a market for good, reliable, older experienced IT people that are required to fill gaps.

There is no security in it, but the money is good and there is a good network of people and recruiters out there in that game, so you can get long term contracts or be able to pick up new ones without too much down time.

If you haven't already I'd start looking at contracting.