The Irish graduate who spent nearly $2,800 on a PR stunt, to highlight his 10-month search for work, has received endless calls, tweets and Facebook posts from well wishers and tips on job opportunities.
The 26-year-old, Felim Mac an Iomaire paid to have a bill board saying “SAVE ME FROM EMIGRATION” posted on a busy road in Dublin. The commerce and marketing graduate of National University of Ireland, Galway, has already had his first interview for a job. He has appeared on Irish TV and top radio stations, as well as the BBC. So far he has also received over 100 requests for his credentials from interested parties.
Having searched from a job for 10 months, in a country with almost 15 percent unemployment, Felim took matters into his own hands and launched a novel social media-driven campaign that has gained him international press. He has re-branded himself as the “Jobless Paddy” and has given himself a priceless global spotlight for his skills in marketing and as a deal-maker.
Speaking to the Associated Press he said “I couldn’t have imagined the effect my campaign has had. I expected to get maybe 10 offers and, hopefully, someone would really want me. But I’m just overwhelmed now.”
In August 2010 Felim returned home from Australia. He had spent a year working as a travel agent and event coordinator in a Sydney hostel. With a few thousand dollars set aside he started the hunt for a job in Ireland. Having applied for 100 jobs in the last year Felim only had two interviews.
By the end of 2011, at least, another 50,000 people, mostly in their twenties, will have emigrated. Felim does not want to be one of those statistics. Felim was inspired to show case his marketing skills.
He said “I felt I needed to use a billboard to get my cause out there. Then I wanted to drive interest through the power of social media, so I was quick to set up Twitter and Facebook pages, and got tweeting my friends and posting right away.”
In April he purchased some stock images from Indonesia, persuaded freelance graphic designers and photographers to give his low rates and negotiated a bargain deal with an ad agency for the billboard. The actual billboard shows Felim with a suitcase, his back to the camera, looking out to see at the iconic images of the Statue of Liberty, British Houses of Parliament, Sydney Opera House and Toronto’s CN Tower.
His billboard has certainly caught the public eye and their imagination. A passing accountant David Daly, 39, said “That’s a work of genius. Exactly the kind of brains we need to keep in Ireland. There’s an army of out-of-work Paddies, but only one Jobless Paddy.”
Maire Quinn, a 32-year-old Dubliner, said “It’s so professional, it makes you want to find out who’s behind it…And then when you hear his back story, it just screams out for him to get hired somewhere quick. He’s got guts.”
Felim admits that the campaign was calculated to appeal to Ireland’s hurt pride. He included the hurley in the poster as a symbol of nationalism and also because he has played the sport since he was 12-years-old.
His Facebook manifesto reads “I do not adhere to the almost universal consensus that any young unemployed person must leave the country to have any hope of prospering. Experience overseas has led me to a greater appreciation of our country, culture, and way of life. I would like to stay and be part of this country’s recovery, so please spread the word.”
Within two days he had more than 5,600 Facebook followers. His Twitter feed though less popular allowed him to chat directly with potential employers.
The gutsy ‘Jobless Paddy’ has been amazed by the responses he has received. He has even had messages of support from Rio de Janeiro. He admitted that if an offer he could not refuse came along he could be convinced to emigrate.
However he added “I just love this country. Being away for a year in Australia really brought home to me how special Ireland is, what a massive village it is. This is my home. If I had to leave again, it would be with a heavy heart.”
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READ MORE:
Huge response as graduate advertises his services on side of busy highway
The crushing reality of unemployment and hope in Ireland
Emigration hits the GAA hard
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16 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.canadianirish | Jun 04, 2011, 12:21 PM EDT
Brilliant, Felim!! Surely someone in Ireland can make this lad an offer he can't refuse....what about Google???...Bono, can you help this lad out??...I know you would!!
jonno99 | Jun 04, 2011, 10:07 AM EDT
shaunshaun 'welcome to your england' What a sad place it must be for you. Are there any other undesirables on your list? Perhaps you can enlighten us on your economic theories just for a few laughs!
shaunshaun | Jun 04, 2011, 03:49 AM EDT
as long as he doesn't come to england and take a job from an english person,i really don't care what happens.
ciaran1433 | Jun 03, 2011, 11:33 PM EDT
Its nice to see ‘Jobless Paddy’ is heeding the sound advice of Pearse Doherty Sinn Féin's Finance spokesperson. "I would ask any young person who is planning to leave: stay and change Ireland. We can get rid of this government. And we do not have to replace it with parties that pursue similar policies. We can build a better Ireland. You can be part of consigning the corruption and cronyism, the greed and incompetence that created this crisis to history. You can be the generation to achieve real political change, to build a sustainable economy and a fairer society.
Searlit | Jun 03, 2011, 11:22 PM EDT
Is being called Paddy any worse than Yank? Just saying, like.
Mike7571 | Jun 03, 2011, 10:27 PM EDT
Kitty and Ellen, I agree 100% with you. I really don't care if someone else call us that either. I was just pointing out how another columnist on this site acting like it was terrible because a conservative commentator (also Irish american) used the term.
KittyMurphy | Jun 03, 2011, 04:21 PM EDT
@Mike7571 I don't think the Irish are insulted at all by that name. Why else would we use it to describe ourselves. I think it's people that don't understand the Irish that get insulted on our behalf...which we also find funny. As my mother would say "Sensitive souls"
Suivness10 | Jun 03, 2011, 03:12 PM EDT
The guy's brilliant. If this doesn't get him a job, God help us.
Ernesider | Jun 03, 2011, 01:18 PM EDT
“I just love this country. Being away for a year in Australia really brought home to me how special Ireland is, what a massive village it is. This is my home. If I had to leave again, it would be with a heavy heart.” God Bless You Felim. I think with these words you have expressed well the position many of us have been in at one time or another. If I hadn't met a wonderful woman I'd have never lasted being away from the place. Great to see UCG continues producing articulate and bright individuals. I'm wondering if Mr. Kenny gave you a twit or a facebooking?
ellenfromcork | Jun 03, 2011, 12:09 PM EDT
Ah Mike, it's OK if we call ourselves Paddies, we just don't like anyone else doing it.
Mike7571 | Jun 03, 2011, 11:59 AM EDT
Wasn't it just last week we had a discussion on this board of whether 'Paddy' was a bad word for us? My how things change quickly. But God bless the unemployed that are looking, there is nothing a good as a job to boost a man's soul.
sirpeter | Jun 03, 2011, 11:46 AM EDT
Give "Phlegm" a job now!!! A government job because he actually wants to work.
cillowen | Jun 03, 2011, 10:53 AM EDT
a resource beyond any i've ever heard. this is the genius that the irish have when they suck it up and get a going.
antoman | Jun 03, 2011, 10:34 AM EDT
National celibacy in Ireland.Enforced by the Germans.No good can come of it.
feliciamaisey | Jun 03, 2011, 09:49 AM EDT
Brilliant--Whomever he decides to work for now, should be very pleased to have such a genuine and gutsy guy working for them.
antoman | Jun 03, 2011, 08:09 AM EDT
Whats wrong with a sandwich board saying "will work for cheese".The Government free cheese run out,gone like.What also needs to be taken into account is that over 450,000 unemployed people have not had sex for a long time now.No job,no money means no sex.This causes stress and tension amoungst the populace.It may get to a stage where an unemployed man and an unemployed women will have to come to some sort of gentlemans agreement and settle on bottled water and a few fried sausages in order for the deed to be done and satisfaction gained by both parties.Given the current economic climate.Enda Kenny should appear on Irish television to appeal to the women of Ireland to help the men of Ireland in their darkest hour.Free love or a few sausages and rashers and then free love.