Twice a week we publish problems that will feature in a forthcoming Dear Jeremy advice column in the Saturday Guardian so that readers can offer their own advice and suggestions. We then print the best of your comments alongside Jeremy’s own insights.
I am 72 and an internationally recognised expert in my field. I am approached regularly by headhunters and also apply for suitable vacancies. Both these approaches lead to initial strong interest but eventually nothing comes of it. On asking for feedback it would appear that the likely reason for my failure is simply my age.
This is both dispiriting and unfair in an area where my skills are much sought after, and I feel no different in myself physically or in my brainpower.
I am sure that as we are all having to, or as with myself, wanting to work longer, ageism is likely to rear its head more and more. Or perhaps it is something we just fear as we get older, which could put many off even applying for a job, or force them into casual work where they can lie about their age.
So how do you handle it when you do your job as well as you ever did, but you fear the lines on your face give away your age?
Do you need advice on a work issue? For Jeremy’s and readers’ help, send a brief email to dear.jeremy@theguardian.com. Please note that he is unable to answer questions of a legal nature or to reply personally.
