By Marcus Coetzee, October 2026
Another job application submitted. This time for the CEO position of a national Scottish charity. I wasn’t shortlisted. But thankfully, the executive search agency had the decency to notify me via a generic email, and not ghost me and leave me wondering, like many of the others.
This continues a long-term trend. I have achieved only one job interview over the past five years in the UK, where I was told I was too senior for the position. I knew that walking away from my hard-earned brand in South Africa would be frustrating and take time, but not to this extent.
It’s especially frustrating because I’m at the peak of my knowledge and skills, and desire to make a difference and leave a legacy. I draw upon wisdom from multiple countries on how to refine strategies to develop economies and alleviate poverty. But I’m also 54 and middle-aged, and therefore subject to the same challenges as others in my age bracket and older. So I continue working as an associate on consulting projects in Africa and Scotland, without the financial stability and other benefits of a proper position.
What’s especially frustrating is how many jobs, at least of the type and level I’m after, are never formally advertised on LinkedIn, website career pages, newsletters, or job platforms.
The first time I learn that a job was available is too often when I see the announcement: “We’re pleased to announce that we’ve promoted/appointed [name] to [position] in our organisation.”
I know for certain that many of these jobs weren’t openly advertised, because I exist at the centre of a web of job notifications and newsletters that I review daily. I am registered with 29 recruitment agencies and portals, and track opportunities in approximately 300 organisations via their career pages, newsletters, and LinkedIn notifications. I sometimes double-check whether something was advertised when I see the announcement, to verify that my suspicion is correct.
My experienced and insightful career counsellor, whom I’ve seen monthly for over a year, said the problem is rather simple, while at the same time being complex and frustrating to resolve. I’m perceived as too senior for junior or mid-level positions. Hence, it would be a risk to appoint me to them, since I would likely disrupt the equilibrium and may leave as soon as something better comes along. Similarly, I’m too unknown and unconnected, without appropriate sponsors, to be appointed to senior, executive, or director roles without an equal level of risk. Hence the dilemma.
His solution is for me to continue networking, but aiming at a much higher level, looking for an appropriate sponsor to open a door for me, and to continue doing good work and building my brand through writing. I haven’t yet tried to contact King Charles via a handwritten letter, but I joke to friends that my efforts are heading in that direction.
So as frustrating and demoralising as this all is, the options available are limited. I must continue to learn about UK policy and strategy, write and distribute insightful essays to think tanks and political leaders, dress and behave professionally, and continue with my strategy and economic development consulting, all while networking proactively.
In case you’re wondering, I have considered other careers, including cybersecurity and making coffee in a local café. The former resulted in an international certification; the latter remains a fallback fantasy.
But at the end of the day, all most of us can do is move forward proactively with integrity and try to sustain hope. So this is what I will continue doing.