Just the other day, I was caught in peak-hour traffic with a chatty cab driver.

Our conversation eventually turned to a touchy subject. He said he had been retrenched and was driving to make ends meet.

When I asked if he was going to find another job in the meantime, he gave a dry laugh and said: “I am already in my late 40s. Who will want to employ me?”

My first thought was: Why think like that?

But on further reflection, the driver's quip in fact reflects a common perception among workers.

A Randstad survey in 2020 found that 58 per cent of more than 1,000 respondents believe they will reach career stagnation in Singapore at 48 years old.

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A study done by the Manpower Research and Statistics Department in the same year also showed that PMETs in their 40s experienced a larger increase in long-term unemployment rate compared to other age groups.

Hence, personally, it seems natural that affected people would feel insecure and apprehensive about finding a new job.

NTUC deputy secretary-general Heng Chee How says that middle aged and older workers take longer to find new jobs and also stand a higher chance of a lower starting pay when they are displaced.

“It seems that some employers assume that older workers are not able to keep up with job and technological changes. They may also overlook this pool of workers when hiring because they want younger people that they expect would stay longer with them.”

However, “such assumptions are neither helpful nor evidence-based”, Heng adds.

Indeed, my experience bears that out. I have benefited from senior colleagues who have guided me – both professionally and personally.

One told me to “plan for retirement” when I was just 24 and had the "you only live once" mindset like a true millennial.

Another painstakingly explained to me (someone with no financial background) economic and financial jargon – much of which I had never heard before until I joined the paper.

And now, with Singapore raising the retirement age to 68, I do not think it is strange to have a career change at say, 50, as people have almost two decades to go before calling it a day.

Therefore, it is skills, not age, which should make the difference when hiring.

I know of people changing jobs once every few years so why should it be any different just because someone is older – especially as they bring with them a wealth of experience?

And I am not alone in thinking this way. Feon Ang, managing director, Asia Pacific, LinkedIn says: “There is no business case to alienate employees during the hiring process due to age-related factors, especially if they possess the right skills and competencies.”

Concurring, David Blasco, senior director at Randstad Singapore, stresses: “While the younger generation may appear more energetic and eager to drive change, mature workers have the necessary knowledge and experience to effectively navigate companies through recession, operational challenges, digitalisation and the most recent healthcare crisis."

But just as employers should be open to hiring people of different age groups, job-seekers in the older age group should also manage their expectations when it comes to salary adjustments and upskilling – and not let the adage “you can't teach an old dog new tricks” ring true.

“As a whole," says Ang, "we are moving towards a world of work where there will have to be a greater emphasis on skills-based hiring. Our data from 2021 found that more companies in Singapore prefer to hire candidates with technical skills and transferable skills.”

Blasco agrees and adds that many mature professionals have indeed demonstrated a genuine interest to upskill – as in the case with Michelle Lim, a real estate consultant.

She disclosed that she found it daunting to switch companies as she was approaching her 40s and hence decided to learn a new trade, and obtained her real estate agent licence. She has not looked back since.

Hence, with the later data from MOM's Labour Force in Singapore Report showing an increase in the employment rate of seniors 65 years and older -  from 28.5 per cent in 2020 to 31.7 per cent in 2021 - I feel that there is still some hope for this group of people who still want to be in the workforce.

As I bade the driver goodbye, our interaction has further entrenched my belief that a varied workforce with employees of different ages would be ideal. The younger ones, with their drive, dreams and ambitions, and the older ones with their experience and knowledge to navigate the vagaries of working life.