Not so long ago, I wrote a column about the ongoing labour shortage here in Canada and in many parts of the developed world including the United States and Europe. This editorial will address the exact opposite situation – the lack of jobs and hiring opportunities for mature workers.

By mature workers, I’m referring to anyone over the age of 55. While there are a great number of people living in the nation’s capital who are blessed with a pension plan and are able to retire at 55, there are an even greater number of folks who don’t have that luxury.

Anyone who finds themselves out of work over the age of 55, or in need of getting back into the workforce after going through a divorce or their spouse has passed away, will find it almost impossible to get hired, especially if they are looking for a job in their area if expertise.

Part of the problem is that employers are reluctant to hire mature candidates and having it not work out. Severance liability becomes higher the older the individual is.

The other problem is that for most jobs you have to submit your resumé to the potential employer which is then vetted by a computer program set up by their HR department.

Good luck on that one. The programs can be set up to reject candidates of a certain age, or for a lack of post-secondary education.

If you are over the age of 55, you could try getting a job through an employment agency or Employment Ontario which have their own HR programs designed to find you something in your field. Unfortunately, the science behind these programs is not entirely perfect.

I know someone who is in their early 60s and has an extensive background in management and event planning who kept getting sent postings for jobs in the service industry or training. When she looked into it, she found out she was getting the postings because her CV included past experience in those industries dating back 30 years ago. She has since submitted a new resume.

And I have my own frustrating experience in trying to find a job after turning 55. After working as a team leader during the 2016 Census, I applied for a job with StatsCanada. I had impeccable references from my superiors and I scored in the 99th percentile in the test they give you. Still I didn’t even make the job pool. In fact, it’s the reason why I bought this paper.

Mature workers have a lot to offer potential employers. They are reliable. They have experience both on the job and in real life. And they need the work, unlike younger workers who don’t necessarily need the work and can move on from job to job.

So if you’re reading this and you own your own company or run a department and are looking to hire someone, tell HR that you want to consider any mature candidates first and you can thank me later.