After 15 years running your own practice and 25 job applications with nothing to show for it, it's easy to conclude that age is the problem. But is it really that simple?

This question was answered by Nick Hunter, industry leader and agency principal with direct experience of hiring and reshaping creative teams, Aimee Davies, mental health expert specialising in the creative sector, and Andy Wright, host of Asking For A Friend on Never Not Creative, who brought both warmth and useful challenge to the conversation.

Age might not be the only barrier

Nick was candid: the advertising industry has a long history of ageism, but the picture is shifting. As agency structures have flattened, there is growing demand for senior, experienced people who can lead accounts, exercise autonomy, and bring a steadying influence to unstable environments. Nick also pushed back on the assumption that younger applicants automatically understand emerging technology. Recent research on AI adoption, for instance, shows 35 to 45 year olds using it more actively than 18 to 24 year olds. Fresh does not always mean ready.

Taste is the new currency

Perhaps the most striking point Nick made is that he now hires primarily for taste, not just experience or technical skill. Taste, he argued, is one of the few things that cannot be automated, and it tends to deepen with experience. Fifteen years running your own practice builds exactly that.

Getting noticed takes more than applications

Sending off applications in a tough market is, as Nick put it, a bit like buying a lottery ticket. The invitation here is to be creative about how you get in front of people. Show up in unexpected ways, share your thinking publicly, and find routes that bypass the standard process entirely.

Protecting your sense of self along the way

Aimee reminded us that resilience in a prolonged job search means actively separating your identity from each rejection. Leaning into your existing community, having honest conversations about where you are, and keeping personal creative projects alive are not indulgences but necessities. They keep your confidence and your craft intact while you navigate the process.

The job market is hard for everyone right now. That context matters, and so does the perspective you bring to it.