I am in my mid-thirties and I cannot complain about the prospects I have in labor market.

But there is one thought that comes into my mind: what happen to the older people that still need to be in the labor market?
Lets say you are 60 or 65 years old. You keep in pace with the latest developments in your field. You are well-informed and ready to work with good mood.
Is there enough chances for older people to remain active in swiss labor market?

I would like to read some realistic opinions of what is going on in swiss labor market about this topic. People in this age that are seeking a job, others who hire them, experiences from you and your friends etc. I am interested mainly in 'desk' jobs but in any case, any related information would be valuable.

Man, over mid-thirties is the abyss, never mind those in their sixties.

We're all doomed.

Is there age discrimination in swiss labor market?

Do employers mainly focus on what you have to offer, or the age is so important for them that your overall performance is in second place?

Thank you for this interesting thread! This topic is very current to me too as I am in my mid 40´s, soon to be unemployed and wondering what my chances are in the job market. I have a lenghty experience from banking, both retail and private banking, also done quite a bit of capital life insurance. This is the first time I´m facing unemployment since I came to Switzerland six years ago and I really want to stay and not go home - just yet.

Someone told me that once you hit 45 it gets pretty tough to get a job here in CH. I think this applies overall to most countries.

Correct. Make hay while the sun shines.
A very large IT consultancy I know will not hire any 'workers' over the age of 40.
Managers with specific skills are ok for a while longer, but if you're not management forget it.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

I'm in a similar position to Riitta, about to get a cold dose of reality.

Apparently there is an oldie queue as long as your arm to work in B&Q in the UK.

How encouraging....

I wish you good luck!

Yesterday, my 49 year old friend, told me of her new job. And its a "thinking" job, rather than a "doing" job.

Feel free to make rules, but also feel free to be the exception to the rule.

Don't worry now! Please! Market stinks more now than it did in the last couple of years. Most employers are holding off hiring. Things will pick-up soon. They have to. Be glad you are in CH as being unemployed in most of EU or US is a real pain.

I'm finishing my current role and also on the marke. Happy to meet-up for coffee and compare notes of you want.

Why not become the boss and then there is whole talent pool of people who are older and keen to work.

No point getting older if you don't become wiser.

I worked here in a technical field job from age 45 to 55, then my company was sold and merged with HP. The second company fired me as my customers did not want their new equipment. I was unemployed 2 months. The next company Ascom went bankrupt. Now I was unemployed two years. Next the Canton gave me special work in an art gallery and then working with alcoholics at a home. Then unemployed again for six months. A friend then found me a job in Swisscom from age 63 until I was nearly 66 years of age.

During my unemployment I met many good skilled people, reliable and willing to work for lower wages. They just could not get the interviews. I once had a job verbally, but by the time I arrived home there was an E-Mail saying they would re-organise and didn't want me. Another problem is there are some very bad employers out there, and those are the jobs on offer!

I find Switzerland is very ageist. Over the age of 45 it becomes very difficult to stay employed. A major difficulty after long term unemployment is choosing and affording re-training: your industry is changing fast, and you are on the sidelines, so which training will be relevant to the next job search?

There is often the excuse that older people require heavier pension fund payments (AHV) but the increase is fairly small (About 7%) which can be offset by lower salary payments: but I never heard of anyone achieving this balance.

I think it must be extremely hard today to find work. When I arrived here in 1989 employees were resigning, taking six months holidays, and coming back into their old jobs as the employer could not find anyone. Today employers can easily find a young qualified person in the EU, eager to work for low wages. I am now very happily retired.

http://www.mea.uni-mannheim.de/uploa...P_148-2007.pdf

"Based on our study of the relation between workers’ age and their productivity in an assembly plant of a truck manufacturer, we cannot confirm the wide-spread opinion that older workers are less productive than younger workers. "

"While older workers are slightly more likely to make errors, they hardly make any severe errors. The results suggest that older workers are especially able to grasp difficult situations and then concentrate on the vital tasks. "

I'm now 61 but at 57 the Company told me they were letting me go as I might/could move back to America at any time and it was best for them if i didn't work there anymore. Told them in fact I was staying here, had no intenions of moving back yet. But have been on unemployment and part time jobs (washing dishes, stacking crates etc since. You can't refuse a job lose unemployment) . I now have taken an early retirement to end the hassles that unemployment gives you here.. was sent to 2 classes on Resume's 1 month each.. podium speaking another month, role playing, job searching.. all the time telling them that's not my problem it's my age... Was back in the States and it's the same, when you walk in and they see you can retire in a couple of years. Why hire me, when they can find someone who can work for 30 years or more. Oh yea Walmart, but even heard the Greeter's are getting laid off. Good Luck

I'm 'only' 45, maybe I'll get my application into B&Q now, while there's still some life in me.

I'm in my upper 30's with great experience yet already feel like I'm done. Time to look for some hut in a low cost of living country and wait for the end of days I guess

Oh why not just shoot everybody over the age of 50, or use the "Carrousel"

Dignitas or Exit are accepting members...

Ok.. Dark humor....I know. It can always get worse. Again, we are in a crappy job market. It will all be fine...one needs to stay flexible and take jobs that might not be a perfect fit or even a downgrade. There is also always time to start something new. Temporary, interim gigs are becoming popular and I actually like such as you learn a lot in short period of time and it does not get boring fast.

I am in exactly the same boat in terms of having taken "anything that came my way" in order to stay employed at 48 - essentially an administrative gopher role. I have been actively searching in my field for the last 3 months (project / event / training management) and so far not one interview... but I will stay here in this post and persevere. I am driven and motivated and in no way feel "ready for pasture" but yet I am very conscious of the fact that this is the perception in the job market. It is quite awful ... heavens, back home in Canada, where one can retire at 67, I have almost 20 years "left" in me to offer to a company!! Even here, I have 15 ... which is, as a fabulous Swiss German friend of mine says, "not nothing".

Rather sad to see the talent / experience pool with upper degrees and truckloads of experience being relegated to having to take "anything".

And as for one comment about not teaching an "old dog new tricks", I will have to agree to disagree. Myself and many others included, I just look at my Mum, at 74, who has just landed a consulting job with Dreamworks for 3D performer coaching... I have never seen anyone swatting up so diligently on such a complex high-tech subject ... amazing!

Oops, look at the time, I must go and have my senior's nap now ... cheers!!!!

My comment, and I disagree with it also, but that's what companies/HR are thinking.