By Jeremy Skidmore
After nearly 12 months of fruitlessly applying for job after job, you might think Ian Scott would have an overwhelming feeling of relief after at last being wanted.
“Well, yes, it’s a relief, but the overriding emotion is vindication. I knew I had a good CV and could do a great job for someone, so after being overlooked so many times, I now feel vindicated,” he said.
When Ian couldn’t get hired in the UK, he decided to look for work overseas. The contrast was, he says, extraordinary. It took just two weeks from an initial conversation to putting pen to paper on a contract to become director of marketing and communications for the island of Kandima in the Maldives, starting on February 21st.
For those who may not have heard of the island or think it a smaller job than someone with 29 years’ experience in marketing might expect, he points out that it’s a global role, handling the trade and consumer marketing and public relations in 80 source markets.
“It’s a higher net salary than I’ve ever received before largely because the benefits and the perks are incredible. I don’t pay for accommodation, food or drinks. I have 30 days annual leave, plus 12 days ‘R&R’ leave and 11 bank holidays, along with many other incredible benefits. The job is definitely the right level for my skills, the people I spoke to were fabulous and they clearly take very good care of their staff.
“I had to start looking overseas when I was getting nowhere in the UK. My experience was seen as an asset in the Maldives, whereas I was typically overqualified or ignored over here.
“Through LinkedIn I applied for a job via a recruitment agency in Poland. It was actually a sales job on a different island in the Maldives and they suggested the marketing role, which I’m more suited to. I have never experienced that type of conversation in the UK, switching me from one role to another. In the UK I was either declined for the job I applied for or I was ignored.
“I had a couple of phone calls, I submitted a video and that was it, I was offered a contract. That’s how it should be.
“The contrast between my experience of applying for jobs in the UK and applying for this job overseas couldn’t be more different.”
Numerous job applications
It was never the plan to move overseas.
On February 14th last year, a freelance contract ended and Ian decided to apply for full-time employment in the UK travel industry, cheerfully thinking it was only a matter of time before his impressive CV landed a big role.
At the last count, the 51-year-old had applied for over 600 travel industry jobs and hadn’t even received a reply from 95% of them. He had just 3 interviews in the past 12 months.
“I thought this unemployment thing won’t last long, but here we are. It’s been a long daily grind, seemingly getting nowhere.
“But in the UK, I’ve been told so many times that a company wants someone with 10 years’ experience for a marketing director job, and evidently 29 years is too much.
“I’ve applied for so many travel industry marketing jobs in the UK - jobs I’m very well qualified for, jobs that I’m overqualified for. You apply and wait for an answer, but most often nothing comes. It is demoralising. The first 10 or 20 rejections didn’t bother me but then you get to a 100, 300 and 600 and you start thinking ‘what is going on here?’”
What is the problem?
Ian is convinced that he’s been a victim of ageism and believes 50 is the tipping point when prospective employers are less interested in candidates.
“Many people have told me ageism doesn’t exist, and whilst I respect their opinions, nobody can give me a better explanation for my struggle.”
A LinkedIn post that Ian wrote on the issue was viewed around 30,000 times and sparked strong debate, many agreeing with him, but some rejecting his claims.
Recruitment consultants have said there is not ageism at play and if ever there was, they would push back against their clients. For their part, the clients (travel companies) have said that age does not play a part in the recruitment process.
“I’m convinced of it but obviously recruitment agencies and hiring companies can’t agree because it is against the law to discriminate on age. Some companies are quite open about their ‘young culture’ and apparently, it’s OK to say that, even though they are effectively making it clear that they’re not going to hire you.
“Of course, there are lots of people over 50 doing very well in the industry, but they have been in their companies a long time. If you look at people who have been made redundant over 50, it’s a different story. I know some well-known people who are struggling – it would shock you.”
If not ageism, is there another reason why Ian hasn’t been hired in the UK? Might it be that he just hasn’t been good enough or is asking for too much money?
A delve into his background would seem to dispel the former theory. He’s been group managing director for representation agency AMG, UK and Ireland director for the Dubai Tourist Board, head of marketing for First Choice Holidays and travel industry marketing manager for Disneyland Paris. All those roles he held for a considerable period. He has received strong testimonials and is generally well thought of in the industry.
“Of course, you have a look at yourself and no-one’s perfect, but I’ve had a pretty good career. If a company wants a particular area of expertise that I don’t have, then yes, I get that. But for the vast majority of jobs I’ve applied for, I’m well qualified and know I could do a good job.
“I don’t think salary is an issue. I’ve gone for jobs that pay a lot less than I’ve been used to and I would have been happy doing them and I would have given 100%.”
Advice on applications
As with most people looking for jobs, he’s received and taken advice from numerous sources on how to sell himself to prospective employers.
“I’ve had so much advice about my CV and I’ve tried everything. Some say make it shorter, some longer and I’ve tried 2, 3 and 4 pages.
“I’ve got rid of my first ever job and taken off the bit about me travelling around the world when I was younger. That used to be seen as character building and showing a bit of initiative, but today I’m not sure. Anyway, none of it made any difference.”
Ian has had his own marketing agency since personal issues led to him leaving his last role and having to work from home to look after his two young daughters. He built up an impressive client list that included Caesars Palace Dubai, Legoland Hotel Dubai, the QE2 Dubai and the Ajman Tourist Board, along with various contracts with bigger agencies.
Why not just continue to make a go of that and stay out of corporate life?
“The first few years were very strong and I won clients easily, but since Covid a lot of that has dried up. I still get project work from time-to-time, which can be lucrative, but it’s not enough.”
Coping with rejection
When we first met, Ian was still deep in the process of applying for UK jobs and hadn’t yet been offered the overseas post. I was worried that I might find a broken man and wanted to ask him if he had any advice for those in a similar situation.
However, he was in good spirits, if a little worn down by the whole process. Surprisingly, he didn’t have any coping methods for dealing with day after day, week after week and month after month of unemployment.
“Oh, I’m fine, I just get on with it, there are people worse off than me,” he says. “Of course, it can be tough, but I think I have the ability to cope with it pretty well. There’s a frustration but I wouldn’t call it depression. I’m lucky to have good friends and family around me.
“I once worked with someone who told me about the ‘circle of control’ and not getting stressed about things that are out of your control. That was the single most valuable piece of advice I’ve had and it has served me well.”
I tell him that sounds great in theory but it’s easier said than done when the bills start piling up and one day stretches into the next.
“Yes, the worst thing is being low on money and unable to take my daughters, who are now 18 and 21, on the type of holidays that we used to go on.
“Pretty quickly you go from having a very nice lifestyle to a place where you have to be more careful with money. My daughters are now delighted I’m going to the Maldives because they’ll be able to meet me in Dubai and have fabulous holidays in the Maldives too.”
It’s good to see that constant job hunting hasn’t made him bitter, but Ian would like to see big changes in how people are recruited.
“The whole process needs an overhaul. When you apply for a job the first questions you are asked, always, are about gender, sexuality, marital status, race, disability status and age.
“By law, none of these things can influence a recruitment decision, so why are they being asked? I’ve heard all the arguments about collecting data and it being used anonymously, but I don’t believe that was the case on all my 600+ rejections.
“Sometimes you are asked about pronouns, whether you identify as the same gender today verses the day you were born and request you attach a photograph. Why is that necessary?”
For now, though, that’s behind him, as he packs his bags and plans for a new life in the Maldives.
“I hope my story resonates with a few people and offers hope to those who have been job hunting for a long time and are facing continual rejections.
“I know it’s not easy for some people to up-sticks and just go abroad, perhaps if you have a young family or commitments here. But if you do have some flexibility, I would strongly suggest applying for jobs overseas, where your skills may be more appreciated.”
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