It is important to perform work that one really likes and is interested in ("Menial work post-retirement need not be a bad thing" by Mr Richard Thong Kok Mun; Tuesday).

While I am an advocate of continued employability of older people who desire to remain productive and financially independent, I also believe that jobs should capitalise on their skills and experience, otherwise, what was acquired over the years will be wasted.

I know of some retirees - former teachers and administrators - now working as security guards; such jobs are invariably shunned by young people, due to the lack of career prospects.

Offering mature people, especially professionals, low-level jobs can be demeaning for them.

It does not help that productivity is adversely affected if there are square pegs in round holes.

This, in turn, will result in a no-win situation.

Hence, employers should hire older people for their abilities, experience and interest, not out of charity.

Jeffrey Law Lee Beng