PROUD TO ANNOUNCE I FAILED TO GET AN INTERVIEW

I am proud to announce I am starting a new role tomorrow as Vice Chief Creative Director Officer of Expression at Plan-B Studio!

What? An invented title for a role similar to the one I already have? How dare you.

I’ve had zero interviews for the four jobs I’ve applied to via jobs boards. I’m telling myself it’s fine. It’s fine. See? I said it again. It’s fine!

I’ve been running an experiment. Applying only for jobs I truly think I’d like enough to apply via a faceless, human-less jobs board.

Sadly, it’s a numbers game, right? I’m convinced jobs boards are managed by AI bots. Not because I’ve not had an interview for any of the four jobs. Because nobody I know has had an interview for a job they cold-applied for via a jobs board either. Super talented, respected people.

(Except you, the people commenting to tell me they have. Congrats.)

Not so much as an interview for the job at Rapha, Lego or the BBC. You know this is a likely outcome but you still hope you make it to interview stage. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be.

I’m humble enough to know there are more talented, better suited individuals worthy of the opportunity.

I’m painfully aware I’m older than I once was. Funny that. Old enough to quietly (he says posting on here) to ponder whether my age, or hetrosexuality, or able-bodiedness and or race or all of the above are detracting factors. And to be honest, there is a distinct possibility I am not good enough. Proper shit. It’s not impossible.

While I’d love to work with any of these brands, the BBC especially (sorry not sorry Lego/Rapha), I’m happy to be passed by – as long as it’s for these following reasons.

I hope these organisations do employ someone that meets or even exceeds their diverse and inclusivity charter. It’s much needed and I’m genuinely happy not to get even so much as an interview if it means a more D&I candidate gets the role. We need this. Creativity needs this. The world needs this. Boredrooms need this. C-Suited need this.

Yes I have mortgages. Yes I’m borderline broke. Yes I’m feeling the strain and depression is a cold, dark friend I know well sitting in the corner of every room I occupy. But I’ll be ok, because I always am. Many people are not. Many who are under-represented have for too long been ignored, overlooked and cast aside.

Yet there’s a good chance someone like me is more likely to be announced? NOTE: If it had been me I may not have posted this, but it wasn’t and I am. Instead of posting this I’d be posting a ‘I’m happy to announce I’m starting a new position as…’ post.

I’m happy to have fumbled at the starter gates, having tied my shoelaces together. Watching, crumbled on the track floor like one of those broken Giraffe toys as the race for the a more diverse and inclusive candidate makes the first hurdle and goes on to win the race.

Long may my dismal failure to even get a job interview mean someone super talented and better suited for the role, and not like me gets the job.