“I didn’t feel unemployable. I was unemployable.”
When Jane Evans began her advertising career at just 20, she was a force to be reckoned with (spoiler alert: she still is!). Over the years, she created innovative campaigns, built a reputation for bold creativity, and rose through the ranks to Executive Creative Director. But by her 50s, despite her formidable experience, Jane found herself unemployable in the very industry she’d helped shape.
In this final episode of series one, we conclude our conversation about diversity of age in the design landscape. This doesn’t mean we’re going to leave the industry where it is; we will keep looking to educate, champion people of all ages, and provide opportunities for those at every stage of their career.
“I’ve got the wisdom, time, and confidence. If you want me at 100%, get me post-menopause.”
Jane shares a passionate conclusion to the series: there is still work to do. She shares the raw truth of her journey, from exclusion and ageism to founding the Uninvisibility Project and Visible Start. Her work now champions midlife women, pushing for future-proofed career models.
“They told me: ‘You won’t get a big job unless you take ten years off your CV and get a facelift.’”