As a rule of thumb, if you're over 40 you're unemployable- and my experience, being made redundant at 58, tends to bear this out.

A lot of employers feel that they need to rejuvenate their workforces and with generous severance packages persuade their older, experienced workers to take early retirement. Now, in many cases, they're begging people to come back.

These flash, glib theoreticians from business schools and economics faculties have a lot to answer for.