A new study has revealed the key obstacles older Australian job seekers face in the current labour market.
Earlier this month, the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed that the country’s unemployment rate had reached a four-year high of 4.5 per cent.
Now, research by accounting software company Reckon has revealed the challenges job seekers are facing across every age group.
Roughly one in seven jobseekers across all age groups said competition was fierce, with too many applicants and not enough roles, according to the study.
However, Australians aged over 55 face another obstacle – many employers see them as too old for the job.
The study found that for those aged 64 and over, 44 per cent were considered to old for the role they applied for, while viewed 21 per cent of job seekers aged 55 to 64 as being past their prime.
Other challenges included personal health issues and having to be a carer for older family members, with 26 per cent of those above 65 and 20 per cent aged 55-64 citing personal health issues.
Retirement is also declining among 55 to 64-year-olds, with woman more likely to retire than men.
People over 65 are still retiring, but more people are continuing to work past traditional retirement age, reflecting changing financial needs, longer life expectancy, and changing attitudes towards working at an older age.
However, the recent study shows how employer bias could be blocking skilled people from employment.
“With retirement ages creeping higher, we can’t afford to sideline people who still have plenty to offer,” Reckon general manager Alex Alexandrou said.
“If we can get better at supporting both early careers and later careers, we’ll build a stronger, fairer workforce that makes the most of every generation.”
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