Emric Elmhirst, a 34-year-old from Old Swan, has applied for over 500 jobs and attended 23 interviews since leaving his position as a software consultant over a year ago, yet he remains without work. He is part of the 474,000 individuals in the UK classified as long-term unemployed, the highest figure since January 2016.
Struggles in the Job Market
Emric left his job through a settlement agreement and has since faced repeated rejections. He told the ECHO: "In all honesty, it's been a kick in the teeth. Going through drawn out interview processes, sometimes three different interviews, for the same company, to then be sent generic copy and paste 'you're not suitable' (response)."
A low point came with a tech company where the hiring manager reached out to him directly after seeing his CV, but HR blocked his application. Emric said: "It seems crazy the manager would reach out and then HR simply blocks my application without being able to be interviewed by the hiring manager."
Reasons for Unemployment
Emric believes several factors contribute to his situation: a niche skillset in engineering development and manufacturing software, offshoring of resources since COVID, and being overqualified. He said: "I feel I've outpriced myself from the market, going from consultant with 10 years experience to engineering recruiters. HR seems to consider it a big no-no, even though I've said it's not an issue for me to earn less than my previous role."
He has applied for entry-level positions at KFC, ALDI, barista, and cleaning jobs, but was turned down due to lack of relevant experience.
Government and Employer Responsibility
Emric calls for cheaper public transport for jobseekers and better auditing of HR practices. He said: "I remember paying £130 return to Bristol for a train for a job interview (only to be given) a copy and paste rejection. Perhaps the companies should be compensating interviewees for travel, or if not then the government should."
He also wants a crackdown on "overemployed" practices where people work multiple remote full-time jobs simultaneously, reducing UK job opportunities.
A New Path: Walking the Coastline
Rather than accept benefits, Emric decided to walk the entire coastline of mainland Britain for charity, living out of a tent. He said: "My savings were coming down to the point where I would've had to sell my house as I couldn't afford the mortgage. I'm not one to take government handouts and prefer earning my keep."
He is documenting his journey on YouTube, reviewing every beach. He said: "It's been great. I feel I've acclimatised to this outdoor lifestyle. It's definitely a lot of planning and scheduling... But if I'm honest, it's beaten every job I've ever had even though it doesn't pay anything."
Emric added: "If you'd have asked me one year ago to create a YouTube channel and document your life to the world, I would have instantly declined. Nothing seems more humiliating to me now than all the rejections following 23 interviews."
