Leaving a senior role doesn’t automatically open the door to another one. For many executives, the reality is far tougher than expected. Here’s what the data shows about the UK market right now:<ol><li>3 in 10 older jobseekers are long-term unemployed. Almost 30% of 50–64-year-olds out of work have been unemployed for a year or more (ONS, 2024).</li><li>The market for 50–64s is getting worse. Unemployment for this group rose from 2.4% to 3.1% in the past year (ONS, 2025).</li><li>Age bias is real. 36% of 50–69-year-olds feel at a disadvantage because of age, and 15% report being directly rejected for it (Totaljobs, 2024). Recruiters often consider “57 too old” for leadership roles (Guardian, 2024).</li><li>Executive searches are slow. Senior hiring typically takes 3–6 months from brief to offer. CEO roles alone average 149 days (Korn Ferry / UK Executive Search data).</li><li>Boards look outside more often. Over half of FTSE 100 CEO appointments and 62% in the FTSE 250 were external hires in 2025 (Heidrick &amp; Struggles). That means internal candidates—even strong ones—are sidelined.</li><li>Interim is no quick fix. Interim assignments last ~9.5 months on average, but the gap between them is almost 3 months (Institute of Interim Management, 2024).</li><li>Self-employment is booming. Nearly 1 million over-60s are now self-employed, and people aged 50+ start 35% of new UK businesses (ONS, 2023).</li></ol>The picture is clear: if you’re leaving a senior post, finding a truly comparable one is a long, uncertain process—slowed by age bias, external competition, and stretched hiring timelines.That’s exactly why many executives now choose to repackage their experience into consulting, portfolio work, or interim leadership—routes that protect status, income, and flexibility while avoiding the “apply and wait” cycle.At Executive Nomad, we help senior leaders turn decades of corporate experience into high-value consulting businesses. Because waiting for the next like-for-like role isn’t a strategy.

Leaving a senior role doesn’t automatically open the door to another one. For many executives, the reality is far tougher than expected. Here’s what the data shows about the UK market right now:

Why Senior Executives Struggle to Find Comparable Roles in the UK

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Why Senior Executives Struggle to Find Comparable Roles in the UK

Why Senior Executives Struggle to Find Comparable Roles in the UK

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