It’s going to get better
“It’s going to get better,” is the message a pioneering former managing director has for job seekers over 50.
Despite a tough economic climate and many mature workers needing jobs to pay bills and mortgages, Seniors@work Founder Ian Fraser remains optimistic.
“My advice to older workers is to be patient, positive, resilient and thoroughly prepared.”
In 2019, Aucklander Ian (73) set up a dedicated platform for Kiwi job seekers aged 50 years and over. The Seniors@work nationwide service matches employers with seniors seeking work.
Ian says in bygone days, they faced much bias, discrimination and ageism.
“I think that has changed,” he says, although he adds that senior job seekers tell him some bias still exists.
“It is heartening to hear that many employers are now more flexible with mature workers,” he says. This includes with job hours or part-time work.
He has noticed employers are more receptive to retraining older workers and to transitioning existing employees from full-time to part-time jobs.
"There are a lot of pluses about someone over 50 from an employer's perspective"
Seven to nine large companies regularly list job opportunities on the Seniors@work website, including The Warehouse Group, Westpac, NZ Post, Harvey Norman, NZ Safety Blackwoods, Doonans and Ritchies, looking for school bus drivers.
While employers pay to list vacancies, the service is free for job seekers.
The platform can also assist them with updating and modernising curriculum vitae, identifying their transferable skills, creating online profiles and a 15-page work readiness pack.
Previously between 30 and 50 job seekers a week were registering with Seniors@work and lately this has increased to between 50 and 100, which Ian attributes to media coverage and the economic climate.
A Ministry of Social Development webpage says New Zealand’s ageing population means that people over 50 now make up more than a third of the country’s workforce and are the fastest growing worker demographic.
People aged between 50 and 64 make up more than 30 per cent of those receiving the Job Seeker benefit.
The ministry says their barriers to employment include lack of confidence, recruitment bias, a mismatch of skills and experience to available jobs, and discrimination including self-discrimination.
Ian’s digital platform aims to address many of these challenges and he’s enthusiastic about senior workers’ strengths.
“I’m constantly asking employers to consider what a mature person can bring to the workplace – experience, skill-sets, reliability and common-sense.”
“We have an ageing population and the 50-pluses are not going to go away – we’re here to stay,” says Seniors@work Founder Ian Fraser. Photo: supplied
Personal experience
Ian has personally experienced being a senior job seeker.
In his late fifties and early sixties, he was the managing director of a “smallish” company which then suffered a commercial fraud and had to “shut up shop”.
They looked after all their clients, however he was left looking for a job. He’d worked almost all his life in management and participated in three start-ups, so he had many skills.
After applying for 75 jobs and gaining three interviews, he got a 10-month contract and when that ended, he was back to applying for jobs.
So he started Seniors@work to assist his demographic – “I decided I was just going to do it”.
Ian says the Covid-19 pandemic had a negative effect on everyone, including senior job seekers, and the economic climate hasn’t improved in the past two years.
Mature individuals are often fit and healthy and can work past the traditional retirement age of 65, he says.
While some choose to work because they love mentoring others, many who contact him need a job.
"It is tough out there - I would say most of those people need to work to pay their bills and mortgages"
The Seniors@work website says it’s estimated that more than 150,000 New Zealanders over 50 are seeking employment.
Ian says 90 per cent of work is suitable for anybody over 50 and Seniors@work website job vacancies include roles in customer service, retail, banks, payroll and warehouses.
Employers and job seekers have provided heartfelt feedback.
Dovida New Zealand says it is a fantastic job platform and mature employees bring much wisdom and experience to a workplace.
Former job seeker Tony sourced a part-time job through the platform and says he hasn’t looked back – “I have landed on my feet through your job ads”.
Another successful job seeker says that several years ago, the website helped him find a rewarding part-time job teaching English.
“I’ve fitted in really well there and I’m 77 now. I recommend this avenue for mature job seekers,” that worker concludes.
“It’s humbling to get that sort of feedback,” Ian says.
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For further information:
Ministry of Social Development information on older workers
Our recent story about a skilled job seeker turned volunteer
Our 2020 story about senior entrepreneurs
Article courtesy of
