AN ENTHUSIASTIC jobseeker has come up with an innovative idea to find the job that will allow him to remain in Ireland.
Féilim Mac An Iomaire (26) has put the last of his savings into designing and paying for a billboard on the Merrion Road in Dublin, advertising his CV and contact details to passing motorists with the slogan: “Save Me From Emigration”.
Determined to remain in Ireland but frustrated with his failure to secure employment after sending out more than 100 CVs to employers, Mr Mac An Iomaire decided to try a different approach.
“I felt really frustrated with the whole job-hunting thing,” said Mr Mac An Iomaire, who refers to himself as “Jobless Paddy” on the billboard. “You have to stand out on your CV. But the thing is, everyone has the same generic ideas in CVs, covering letters.”
Originally from Inverin in Galway, Mr Mac An Iomaire returned to Ireland last August after stints in the United States and Australia. He worked odd jobs in the US, and as a sales executive and events co-ordinator in Australia. After almost a year of searching for work back in Ireland, he describes his Save Me From Emigration campaign as the “last throw of the dice”.
A marketing graduate from NUI Galway, Mr Mac An Iomaire had the idea of turning his marketing skills on himself to attract potential employers after exhausting all other employment avenues. “I just really hit a dead end at every point. And it just got to the stage where I said I’m not doing this anymore, so I decided to run with the campaign.”
The billboard costs €2,000 for a two week slot on Merrion Road, and Mr Mac An Iomaire hopes his advert has more impact on employers than the traditional two-page CV.
“I read that an experienced recruitment agent will actually review a CV in eight seconds, so you’ve got eight seconds to get their attention. It’s frightening.”
Luckily for Mr Mac An Iomaire, the Merrion Road junction, where the billboard is located, is well-known for traffic congestion.
He has set a deadline of June 1st to find a job before he emigrates again.