When you are too old for a job
Instead of having grand ideas about bullet trains, why can’t something be done to help the old-age persons.
The writer is a freelancer who worked as Manager Student Affairs at Mohammad Ali Jinnah University in Islamabad
After leading an active life, I suddenly find myself ‘shelved’ because of the age factor. True, we all come with a predetermined expiry date, but until that date and time comes, to be ‘shelved’ because of the age factor is difficult to accept.
Trying to get a job is next to impossible, simply because no one wants to employ an old person for a good salary when the employer can hire two for the price of one.
So, years of experience that one banks on, is of no consequence and all your contacts are in your age group — so what does one do? Private companies do give you a handsome salary, but as far as I know, there is no pension there like there is in government jobs.
I have been applying for a job and got called for interviews. Guess what happened? The prospective employers wanted to interview me, not because I had applied, but, as one asked point-blank, why a lady in from my age group was job-hunting? One even remarked that he wasn’t even born in the year I graduated. Curiosity killed his cat.
Abroad, you have a social security number and when you fall on hard times, you are given a certain amount on a weekly basis to tide you over till you get a job or your shelf life runs out. Abroad, it is known as being on the dole, and like all schemes, there are scams. Why can’t we have a social security system in place here in Pakistan?
A couple of weeks ago, there was a story published about television actress Roohi Bano falling on hard times and needing help in whatever form. But she is not the only one.
Instead of having grand ideas about bullet trains, why can’t something positive be done to help the unfortunate old-age persons, the disabled, and those who need monetary help.
While checking websites, I discovered many government-sponsored old-age benefit schemes which gladdened my soul, but they were so outdated that quoting them will be of no use. However, according to the Punjab Employees Social Security website, “The employers of registered establishments are legally obliged to pay contribution to the institution at six per cent of the salary and wages of his employees, drawing wages up to Rs15,000 per month or Rs600 per day by cheque or pay order”.
Sadly, the information on this website is also outdated. So, one is back to square one!
Why am I quoting outdated websites? Just to show that good ideas are there to be implemented. Or that they were implemented but suddenly came to a grinding halt.
There are employers out there who can give you a job in spite of the age factor, but are reluctant to do so because they don’t know how to handle ‘old’ people. Can they scream at you? Do they handle you with kid gloves? Will you be a team player? Will your presence be good or bad for the company’s image? Let me just state that we are old, not useless. Just give us a chance.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2013.
Trying to get a job is next to impossible, simply because no one wants to employ an old person for a good salary when the employer can hire two for the price of one.
So, years of experience that one banks on, is of no consequence and all your contacts are in your age group — so what does one do? Private companies do give you a handsome salary, but as far as I know, there is no pension there like there is in government jobs.
I have been applying for a job and got called for interviews. Guess what happened? The prospective employers wanted to interview me, not because I had applied, but, as one asked point-blank, why a lady in from my age group was job-hunting? One even remarked that he wasn’t even born in the year I graduated. Curiosity killed his cat.
Abroad, you have a social security number and when you fall on hard times, you are given a certain amount on a weekly basis to tide you over till you get a job or your shelf life runs out. Abroad, it is known as being on the dole, and like all schemes, there are scams. Why can’t we have a social security system in place here in Pakistan?
A couple of weeks ago, there was a story published about television actress Roohi Bano falling on hard times and needing help in whatever form. But she is not the only one.
Instead of having grand ideas about bullet trains, why can’t something positive be done to help the unfortunate old-age persons, the disabled, and those who need monetary help.
While checking websites, I discovered many government-sponsored old-age benefit schemes which gladdened my soul, but they were so outdated that quoting them will be of no use. However, according to the Punjab Employees Social Security website, “The employers of registered establishments are legally obliged to pay contribution to the institution at six per cent of the salary and wages of his employees, drawing wages up to Rs15,000 per month or Rs600 per day by cheque or pay order”.
Sadly, the information on this website is also outdated. So, one is back to square one!
Why am I quoting outdated websites? Just to show that good ideas are there to be implemented. Or that they were implemented but suddenly came to a grinding halt.
There are employers out there who can give you a job in spite of the age factor, but are reluctant to do so because they don’t know how to handle ‘old’ people. Can they scream at you? Do they handle you with kid gloves? Will you be a team player? Will your presence be good or bad for the company’s image? Let me just state that we are old, not useless. Just give us a chance.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2013.