As specialists in creative, marketing and digital media jobs, we are often asked for career advice from people hoping to enter the creative sector, or further their progress.
Sharp recruitment practices by a handful of companies do the industry no favours, and make it hard for candidates to find the right help, so we have put together some questions that should help jobseekers sort out the cowboys from the consultants.
What kind of background does the Concept Personnel team have?
As ex-studio managers, account managers and marketeers ourselves we know the digital and creative industry and its wide range of job roles inside out. We are unlike a generalist agency, which won’t truly understand the advertising, marketing, digital and design industry and is likely to throw lots of CVs at clients in the hope that one or two will be suitable. Steer clear of a consultant who glosses over the job spec and sends you to an interview for an SEO role when your expertise is in web development.
How well do you know your clients?
Partnerships don’t last long if one side is not delivering. Here at Concept Personnel we have clients who have been with us for over a decade, which tells you what you need to know about our high service levels. Investing time in getting to know clients as well as candidates makes for good relationships and great results. We like to get to know the client company, the culture and the sort of people that will flourish there, which means we have the inside track on who is likely to be hiring, and where the opportunities lie.
Many of our clients ask us for advice, or come to us for a full service that covers creating a candidate shortlist, pre-screening candidates, advising on benefits packages and facilitating or sitting in on final interviews. They see us as their recruitment partner, working side by side with them.
What geographic areas do you cover?
Our home patch is the North East and Scottish creative and digital sector, where we have close relationships and a wide network of contacts with hundreds of agencies and in-house teams. We know our territory, and fully understand the companies in it.
What processes do you follow?
We like to get to know our candidates and clients equally well, so we can make great matches. Once our candidates have registered on our website we meet face to face to find out more about them and the type of roles they are looking for. Using software to sift CVs is not our style, we take the time to get to know the people behind the CVs and then use a combination of industry knowledge, data management and informal approaches to match candidates with vacancies.
Can you help me with career advice?
Yes. We can help you turn a lacklustre CV into a document that showcases your skills and experience, and positions you for your next job. We can advise you on new skills, likely benefits packages and set up some dummy interviews to polish up your performance too.
Are you up to date with industry developments?
Absolutely. We all have industry backgrounds and ten years of successful recruitment in the sector. We understand every shift and development in the industry, which roles are in demand and what skills you should have under your belt to be successful in them.
What can I expect from you?
We will always be honest and straightforward with you. We will invest time in getting to know you and help you out with CV and career advice. We will always check before putting you forward to a client, and only contact you with jobs that are relevant to your experience and ambitions. And we will give you interview feedback and keep you informed of any developments.
How do I know you will do what you say you will?
Everyone in recruitment can talk the talk but please don’t just take our word for it, ask around or read the testimonials on our website to see what others say about us.
Choosing the right recruitment partner is tricky. Give us a call on 0191 233 9560 for a chat about how we can help you make your next career move a great one.
