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Ask any agency owner and they’ll tell you that effective client services are pivotal to their success. A client services team will build and sustain close relationships, ensuring everything runs smoothly and that outputs are delivered on time and in line with the client’s expectations. Those who possess the right skills and attitude throughout their career in agency, from account executive to account director, may find themselves earmarked for the high profile role of client services director. In the final instalment of our Agency Career Timeline series, we look at what’s expected and how this role has evolved in recent years and why building and managing client relationships is no longer enough. Traditional requirements of the role A client services director has a number of core responsibilities that have remained unchanged, including managing the day-to-day work of the wider account management team and making sure there’s consistent quality across all outputs, handling and reporting. However, one of the most critical elements of the role is the engagement with clients to gain an understanding of their business dynamic and culture, short to long-term goals and any challenges they face. With this knowledge, the client services director will form strategies and map out the best tactical approach for the account team. Other skills and attributes client services directors should possess are: - The ability to read situations and identify the best course of action - Passion for the industries and businesses of clients - Ability to motivate agency teams to produce the best work - Enthusiasm and energy regardless of what might be going on - The ability to identify what a client needs rather than what they want (and having the confidence to tell them). How the role has evolved Nothing demonstrates the changes in client services quite like the statement made by managing partner at Geometry Global UK Andrew Bell in his Campaign article: “Today, when I interview and ask about strengths, the most common response I hear is ‘I’m good with people, strong at building relationships.’ Essential yes, but my eyes glaze over.” The past decade has seen a seismic shift in marketing approach, with agencies forced to adapt and thrive against a backdrop of rapid and unpredictable change. An outstanding piece of press coverage or a knockout advert no longer cuts the mustard for brands who now require the constant broadcast of messaging to encourage engagement and influence people. As a result, client services directors must now act as the trusted partner who will guide clients through this new world and find increasingly innovative ways to connect with customers. Going far beyond building relationships, client services directors must now understand how consumers act, how they buy and become even more familiar with the inner workings of a client’s business. Only then will they be able to provide the right creative solutions that will change consumer behaviour and enhance business performance for their clients. In short, a client services director in 2018 must be more of a navigator than a practitioner. The question is, have you got what it takes to guide clients through today’s marketing landscape and deliver real business results? We hope you’ve enjoyed our Agency Career Timeline series, spanning from getting your foot in the door and landing that first promotion, all of the way through to taking on the coveted role of client services director. If you’re ready for a fresh agency challenge, get in touch with the expert agency recruitment team at Henry Nicholas to find out more about the latest exciting roles on offer.​

Rolling into June things still feel a bit unclear, but at the same time, it also feels like lots has changed since our most recent Round up blog post If recruitment is a decent barometer for the market we operate then it feels like things are starting to open up again in the world of marketing and PR, data & insight, digital, tech and creative. Most of the team are still on furlough, but we’ve picked up a number of brand-new clients, and are busy helping them fill their roles, and some of our existing clients have seen an influx of new work meaning they’re hiring once again. Check out our latest vacancies here. This is our fourth positive news round up blog and it’s is a snapshot of what’s happening out there – only the good stuff of course. Although at first glance this round up blog seems to be all about treat food and Netflix, there’s a lot more depth to this news I can assure you! And in case you do think we’re all just about takeaways and Netflix, we’ll start by mentioning our Running WhatsApp group which continues to keep us going and provides some balance in our lives. We’re all setting ourselves goals, be it 100 miles, 100kms, 60kms or couch to 5km in a month, sharing our successes and motivating each other to get out in the fresh air and burn some calories has really helped. There is no doubt that without this group and the people contributing to it, we would not have achieved what we have achieved. KFC “we’ll take it from here” London based creative agency Mother have teamed up with KFC to create their “we’ll take it from here” campaign to highlight the re-opening of their UK stores. A clever piece showing how the public have made efforts (of varying degrees of success) to recreate Colonel sander’s own famous recipe throughout the lockdown, as we definitely can’t cope without fried chicken! The tongue in cheek video has Celine Dion’s power ballad All by myself as the soundtrack and shows how we’re now ready for KFC to take back the reigns. Netflix account support Netflix has taken the decision to terminate the accounts that of people who aren’t using the service. The company announced that it is notifying customers who haven’t watched anything for 12 months and is asking if they wish to continue their subscription. In times where streaming activity is going through the roof, (Netflix signing up 15.8 million new subscribers in the first quarter of 2020) they are doing what they can to create goodwill. Needless to say, it’s also a fantastic brand building exercise to send a message to all Netflix users that the company is mindful that many of us are cutting our spending at the moment, and also nudging customers who haven’t used the service in a long time to become active viewers, who are more likely to stay with them long term – we like this. Waitrose and ITV "Pick for Britain" Waitrose has partnered up with ITV to launch a campaign to recruit fruit and veg pickers across Britain to lessen the expected shortfall of 70,000 skilled migrants who are unable to travel due to restrictions. The video short and also national digital and print ads will encourage people to sign up online to prevent hundreds of thousands of tonnes of rotting fruit and veg going to waste. The video hopes to instil a sense of British pride and shows potential recruits, even though it will be hard work it will be very rewarding. It’s an emotive campaign that hopes to capture the imagination of the public to step up in a time of crisis. Maltesers "look on the light side" AMV BBDO had an open brief for the Maltesers “look on the light side” which focuses on a group of mothers discussing on a zoom call what they’ve been doing in home lockdown to entertain the kids. It has humour that is intended to bring us together, however they are careful not to trivialise what can be an incredibly difficult time for people, Maltesers bring the campaign online and partner with Mind to offer mental health support for those struggling. Just Eat "the job of takeaway" JUST EAT and Snoop Dogg brought us “the joy of a takeaway” in their most recent ad. If you’ve not already seen it then check it out below. The ad, by McCann London was perfectly timed and no doubt helped serve up a lot more takeaways over the Bank Holiday weekend. Whether it brought a smile or a burger to you face, we think it really delivered! HN News In the last month we conquered our camera shyness and decided that now more than ever was the time to put out some helpful video content and host our first webinars. We wanted to talk about topics that would help job seekers and clients match themselves effectively, and as quickly and efficiently as possible. You can access our webinars free of charge on our new YouTube channel and the presentation slides are available on our LinkedIn company page. Don’t forget to subscribe, follow, comment and like so that these resources are seen by more people. Here’s to feeling busier once again and these ripples of positivity reach everybody in our network! If you’d like to talk to a member of the HN team about what the market might be like for you now, please just drop us a line.​

There are many reasons why your career in an agency might plateau. One of the most common is getting stuck at account management level, especially as some agencies have multiple AM roles, from junior AM to AM, through to senior AM. Admittedly, the transition from account manager to senior account manager is no mean feat. The difference between the two roles can be an additional two to four years of experience, a step up to managing the agency’s prestigious accounts, a greater hand in business development and more direct reports. This move to senior account manager might be enough responsibility for some, but for those hungry for more, the next step is to become an account director. Part 4 of our Agency Career Timeline series examines the responsibilities of account directors and the essential skills you need to ensure you’re earmarked for progression. First of all, what are account directors typically responsible for? Primarily, account directors are responsible for growing the revenue of their client base. This is a seismic shift from account management which is typically delivery focussed. This emphasis on increasing agency revenues means account directors have to demonstrate acute commercial knowledge and acumen in order to identify and convert new business opportunities with both existing and new clients. An account director will typically manage a team and be hands-on with creative briefs, tenders and the strategic development of any work or projects. It’s up to them to galvanise the team, from organising and leading pitches for new business all of the way through to stepping in to handle difficult situations that require a senior influence. Is it the right role for you? Account directing is significantly different from senior account management, so, therefore, isn’t a natural step for everyone. To be successful, you have to be able to: - Lead and inspire clients and colleagues - Apply both commercial and creative thinking to everything the agency produces - Prepare proposals and present pitches that convert new business leads - Negotiate, both with your colleagues and external partners, to ensure work is delivered on time and within budget - Conduct regular client and agency strategy meetings - Step up to the plate when necessary - even in tricky situations - Delegate and provide constructive feedback to colleagues - Immerse yourself in the businesses of the clients. What are the most important areas to focus on? There are many ways you can demonstrate you have all of the right skills to make the upwards move, including: Business acumen Forget the granular items produced for clients and instead focus on what they’re actually buying from your agency: Business outcomes. Whether they’re looking to increase sales, boost customer engagement or improve their employer brand, you need to stay in tune with the bigger picture to make sure everything produced is always in line with these goals. Something as simple as changing the focus of your conversations with clients to their business outcomes and how you’re going to impact on their business positively will assure them (and your superiors) that you’re speaking the right language and approaching work from a commercial perspective. Be proactive One of the most common complaints clients have about their agencies is a perceived lack of proactivity. Clients want you to care about their business and to know you’re in control. This can start with something as simple as signing up for Google Alerts for a client’s competitors and sending appropriate snippets with ideas of what you can do to respond. It might not feel like much, but the client knows you have an understanding and an interest in their market and their position within it. It’s also about staying in the loop when it comes to changes within the client’s business. They want you to be able to adapt and provide fresh insights and solutions to help them remain relevant in the market. The important part? You’ve got to go to them with these insights and ideas rather than wait to be asked. Build real relationships It’s a given that you have to build solid relationships with your clients, but what about your colleagues? Competitiveness in agency can lead to account teams working in silos, failing to share ideas and trying to deal with issues alone. However, if you want to become a successful account director, strong relationships with everyone are a must to effectively delegate and gain their support. If you’ve got some bridges to build, then it’s time to get busy! Get talking to your colleagues, offer to help if they need it and (respectfully) provide constructive comments and feedback on their work. Also, asking them for feedback on your work and being willing to take it on-board and make improvements will go a long way in gaining the respect you’ll need to succeed as an account director. While all of this may sound overwhelming remember that an account management position provides the most natural progression to account director in the eyes of agency bosses, so you’re already on your way! If you’re ready for a fresh agency challenge, get in touch with the team at Henry Nicholas to find out more about the latest exciting roles on offer.​

What’s the point? As there are signs of green shoots in the jobs market, one of Henry Nicholas’s recent webinars that focused on LinkedIn profile optimization seems more relevant now than at any point during the lockdown. With over 675 million users globally it really is the place to be for all professionals. It’s worth noting that we are not LinkedIn experts, or marketers, but as recruiters we are able to show you how to appear at the top of our searches and hone your personal brand to find your dream job. We are sifting hundreds of CVs and user profiles each day and only call the best candidates. A poorly put to together LinkedIn profile might be the difference between us shortlisting you, or not. As a business, over a quarter of our placements over the last 12 months have come from LinkedIn. You can also use it as a tool to tap into industry news and current affairs and stay credible in your space. How should I do it? We outline in some detail the steps to build and grow your personal brand in our webinar slides and video. CV working in harmony with your LinkedIn profile LinkedIn has its own inbuilt set of rules and it is your chance to tell your career story in an interesting and engaging way. Definitely don’t copy and paste your CV onto LinkedIn! As we’ve talked about previously you should always tailor your CV for each job application you make, you should also keep an eye on your profile to ensure that it’s always up to date and gives that extra colour, but you’ll only ever have one profile. To join the dots, you need to keep an eye on your activity to keep the content you’re liking, sharing and creating relevant to you and your career. It’s the opportunity for you to really become a thought leader in your space. On your CV the information is more or less taken at face value until the hiring manager looks at your LinkedIn profile or meets you at interview. The recommendations and endorsements with LinkedIn back up these CV claims and bring them to life and linking the more formal tone of at CV with the conversational approach in your LinkedIn is a winning tactic. Which is seen first? This really depends on how you choose to apply for a job. We accept applications direct from LinkedIn with your profile, but we also advertise across a range of online job boards where, (more often than not) you’ll be asked to upload your CV which will come direct to us in the first instance. We would then always want to connect with you on LinkedIn. Alternatively, if we have pro-actively searched for you on LinkedIn and contacted you to see if you are interested in a brief we have, we will see your LinkedIn profile first. The Open to Opportunities function can help guide us here. We would then start a conversation with you and request a CV. To make things simple, both your LinkedIn profile and CV will be carefully reviewed at some stage during the application process. As you can see, it really isn’t a case of your LinkedIn profile versus your CV. Your CV is still the main means of applying for jobs and should serve the purpose of giving the recruiter a factual and chronological snapshot of your skills and experience, but it should be complemented by a strong, professional and active LinkedIn profile – one which brings all the claims you have on your CV to life and showcases everything you have to offer as a person and as a professional. Get in contact to speak with one of the team about how we can help you.

As we mentioned in the last instalment of our Agency Career Timeline series, agency employees have the opportunity to explore different areas and change roles over the course of their career. With nothing static in a modern creative agency, it’s natural for entry-level talent to start thinking about how they’re going to take their career to the next level. While landing a promotion in an agency certainly isn’t easy, transitioning from a junior role into a senior or management position can be achieved if you prove to the decision-makers that you have the right skills, qualities and attitude to handle the additional responsibility. Here are our top tips on how you can make sure you get that all-important agency promotion: Show dedication No, this doesn’t necessarily mean working until 8pm every night. Showing that you’re dedicated can be as simple as volunteering to help a team prep for a big meeting, making colleagues working to a tight deadline a much-needed drink or attending events that might be helpful to the agency in terms of knowledge transfer and business development. This might mean you have to swallow your pride and do some pretty crappy jobs from time-to-time. Whether that’s ordering and collecting lunch for a meeting, taking parcels to the Post Office or even picking up the boss’ dry cleaning, do it with a smile and no complaints and you’ll stand out for all of the right reasons. Collaborate When on a mission to get promoted people often make the mistake of ring-fencing their work to prove to superiors they’ve got it covered. However, managers often want you to demonstrate delegation and the ability to utilise the skills of the rest of the team, particularly if you’re hoping to transition from executive to manager. It’s also vital you keep the team updated about what you’re working on and how it’s going. Although tempting to present the finished article to try and impress everyone, it’s better to keep them in the loop or they might start questioning your output. Speak up Agency team meetings can be daunting; everyone’s busy and would rather be back at their desks than in a huddle. However, that’s not a reason to sit back and keep quiet. Team meetings provide the perfect opportunity to share your thoughts and feedback as well as offer your assistance to those who might need it. If you’ve spotted an event that might be useful for someone to attend, mention it. If you’ve read an interesting piece of news that might affect a client, share it. No one will think any less of you, and piping up will go a long way in demonstrating your curiosity and confidence. Own your mistakes We’re all human and will inevitably make mistakes and forget things on occasion. Sitting back and hoping no one notices or struggling to rectify an issue by yourself can make matters worse and, in some cases, affect the confidence the team and the clients have in you. If you’ve made a mistake, own it. Make sure you tell someone and ask for their help, or offer a solution you think might fix it. To sum up, you need to get yourself noticed for all of the right reasons by your superiors in order to bag your first agency promotion. Be willing, self-aware, curious, proactive and bold, and you’ll make a significant impact in your agency from day one. If you’re ready for a fresh agency challenge, get in touch with the team at Henry Nicholas to find out more about the latest exciting roles on offer.​

You’ve landed your first job in an agency: congratulations! Now comes the interesting part. Depending on the size of the agency, you’ll be exposed to different departments and roles, with some perhaps taking your fancy once you become more established. Whether it’s a designer moving into client services, or a PR specialist becoming a copywriter, career shifts are incredibly common within agency so now’s the time to get to know what everyone does and whether you’ve landed in a field that really complements your skills and passion. To give you a helping hand, we’ve highlighted some typical departments in agencies, the roles within them and the skills you need to excel. Client services An agency’s frontline, client services professionals are responsible for managing an agency’s ongoing relationship with its clients. They ensure that work created by the agency always meets the needs of the client, and will address any issues that arise along the way. The aim of the game is to develop long-term relationships with clients and maintain a high client retention rate. Roles you’ll find in this area: - Account executive - Account manager - Account director - Client services manager/director You need to be great at: - Communication - Leadership - Problem-solving - Understanding client’s business challenges and opportunities - Staying calm and professional at all times Strategy Strategists within agencies, whether brand or digital focused, are responsible for developing, implementing and managing winning strategies for clients. Taking into account a client’s expectations and challenges, they will analyse data and trends, and use this information to develop solutions, whether that’s in the form of a marketing plan or the bringing together of digital channels. Roles you’ll find in this area: - Brand strategist - Digital strategist - Agency strategist You need to be: - An excellent communicator - Creative - Marketing savvy - Research-led - A team worker -Awesome at presenting your vision and ideas Creative From creative director through to graphic designer, those working in creative are geared towards finding the most effective ways to communicate client messages in print and online through the use of colour, type, imagery and format. The finished product is typically an advert, brochure, magazine, digital graphic or website. Roles you’ll find in this area: - Creative director - Art director - Artworker - Graphic designer You need to be great at: - Communicating - Research - Identifying and leveraging social and cultural trends - Understanding business goals and opportunities - Using relevant design software - Decision-making - Creative problem-solving - Managing your time Digital marketing With roles in digital marketing incredibly diverse, it’s tough to provide an overview that offers a real flavour of what it’s like to work in it. In short, digital marketing experts are collectively responsible for creating aesthetically-appealing, functional websites, programmes and applications that are both effective and enjoyable to use. Roles you’ll find in this area: - UX designer - UI designer - Web developer - Web designer Depending on the role, you need to be: - Up to speed with programming languages and creative software -Creative - Organised - Passionate about user experience Content and social media Whether you’re a copywriter or a social media manager, the aim of content specialisms in an agency is to create words, images or videos that engage the target audiences of a client, as well as monitoring and adapting the content in line with audience feedback and behaviours. Roles you’ll find in this area: - Content manager - Content producer - Copywriter - Social media manager You need to be great at: - Writing - Editing - Researching a wide range of topics - Communicating your ideas - Recognising social and cultural trends Now that you’re up to speed with the departments and specialisms that make up an agency stay tuned for part three of our Agency Career Timeline where we offer our tips on getting your first agency promotion. If you’re looking for a new agency opportunity get in touch with the team at Henry Nicholas to find out more about the latest exciting roles on offer.

Whilst you can’t prepare for every possible interview question, you can (and should) look to understand why certain questions are being asked and use our tips to help you through the trickiest of interviews. Remain calm. There may be questions that stump you, so if you expect this in advance it will help you to remain calm. Try taking a deep breath to compose yourself. You want to appear calm and collected throughout. If you do end up getting nervous, a great way to deal with it is to apologise to the interviewer and let them know that you’re a little nervous but only because you really want the job. It’s a great way to address the elephant in the room, help to defuse your nerves and to get the interviewer on-side. Use tactics to buy some time. It’s acceptable to take a quick pause if you do not have an immediate answer in mind. Don't be afraid to acknowledge that you are thinking on your feet - “that’s a very good question” or “interesting question” will give you time to think without leaving an awkward silence, and will help you to appear calm and confident. Think about the job. Remember that interview questions are designed to determine whether you have the skills or personal attributes required for the job. As you answer a question, think about answering in a way that demonstrates a skill or quality you have that qualifies you for the job. Read through the job description point by point the day before your interview and think about examples of work scenarios which relate to those key competencies. Come back to it later. If your mind is still blank, consider saying something like, “That is a very interesting question. May I take some time to consider it and get back to you later?” Hopefully, after a little time, you will be able to answer the question. I would advise using this only as a last resort. Follow-up. If you leave the interview having not answered a specific question, or you realise that you may have answered something incorrectly, then include a response to the question in a thank you letter after your interview. This is usually well received by interviewers. Why the strange questions? Strange questions are designed to test your critical thinking. I would expect more of these types of questions if you are applying for positions that involve lots of problem solving - jobs like Data Analysts, Marketing Strategists and Creative Director roles. If you can explain your thinking and reasoning aloud, this will no doubt impress. Example questions (yes, these are real!) If you were a box of cereal, what would you be and why? Do you believe in Bigfoot? Why is a tennis ball fuzzy? How does the internet work? Why are they probing my character and values? Being skilled and intelligent is often not enough, companies generally look to hire candidates that share the same morals and values as themselves. As such, hiring managers will focus on questions to uncover your personality and what you stand for. Example questions Who do you admire and why? Tell me something about you that isn't on your CV What do you most dislike about yourself? Is it acceptable to lie in business? Is it OK to spend time at work on non-work stuff, like Facebook or YouTube? Why the competency-based questions? By asking competency-based questions, your interviewer can discover more information about your work experience and how you would handle situations that are often relevant to the role. This line of questioning is a popular approach for interviewers that want to find out exactly who a candidate is and how they may act if they hire them. Competency-based questions are often designed to test the following skills: leadership, teamwork, interpersonal skills, intuition, career motivation, decision-making, communication and customer service (account management). Example questions When have you worked as part of a team to complete a difficult task? When have you taken responsibility for a difficult task at work? Describe a time when you had to deal with a customer complaint? What did you do and how did you resolve the complaint? What is the toughest decision you have ever had to make whilst at work? Why did you make the decision and what was the outcome? Why do generic questions get asked in almost all interviews? Companies hiring want to know that you have done your research on them and that you’re interested in working for them specifically. This is your opportunity to express how interested you are and to substantiate your reasoning. These questions often provide candidates with an additional opportunity to sell themselves. Example questions Why should I hire you? Why did you apply for this position? Why do you want to work with us? What do you know about us? If you are a hiring manager and are looking to put together a set of interview questions to help you identify the very best candidates, why not tap into our knowledge and experience to help you get it right. To set up a friendly, obligation free call, just drop Mark an email.

Entry-level positions in creative agencies are highly sought-after, and with a fresh batch of graduates entering the job market this summer, the race is already on to secure that all-important first role. In addition to this intense competition, employers are managing the amount and quality of applications they receive by demanding candidates possess one or two years of work experience. With such factors at play, what can entry-level candidates do to secure their spot on the first rung of the agency ladder? First of all, know what you want Many entry-level candidates make the mistake of assuming they need to apply for everything and accept the first offer they get. In fact, this scattergun approach only works to dilute your efforts and you’ll probably end up in a job you don’t want. Instead take the time to think about the factors that are important to you, such as the location, the type of work you want to do, workplace culture etc. This might narrow down your search to a handful of businesses, but that’s a good thing. Research these businesses extensively to find out what they do, who works there, key competitors and, most importantly, whether they’re currently hiring. Also remember that a lot of agencies use specialist recruiters (like Henry Nicholas, #justsaying) and a quick Google search can help you to identify the recruiter they’re working with. Get in touch with the recruiter, explain you’re looking for your first position with that company and ask if they’ll help you. If all of this sounds like a bit of a long-shot, think again; you’d be surprised how many people get placed, regardless of their experience level, by demonstrating such initiative. Internships and work experience placements Recent years have seen more paid internships and work experience placements than ever before. Although some only offer short placements, they are still helpful when it comes to proving to a potential employer that you have the necessary experience needed. If you do land a placement, make sure you live and breath every aspect of the business. Imagine it’s your permanent job and you want the boss to give you a promotion. Although it doesn’t happen every time, you may end up impressing them so much that you get offered something permanent. At the very least you’ll stand out for all of the right reasons, and you never know what opportunities might arise in the future. The side door If you’ve got your heart set on a particular organisation, it can be worth considering a position that isn’t in the precise area you’re looking for. While your dream is to be an account executive, the only role they might have on offer is in the post room. An opportunity like this can help you accrue valuable office experience along with the chance to learn more about the business and what everyone does there. As long as you make your intentions clear from the start about your desired career path and your reasons for taking the job, an employer is more than likely to find your passion and commitment to being a part of their business impressive. Check your attitude Graduate or not, the chances are that you’ve worked extremely hard to get to this point, and you should be proud of everything you’ve achieved. That being said, try not to let it go to your head. While you’ve just reached your educational peak, you’re only just getting started in the world of work, and although some entry-level tasks may seem easy (and, dare we say, menial), you should remain enthusiastic about the opportunity to embark on your career path. Always remember that if you’re great at the job, you’ll be earmarked for progression from day one. So, when the job spec says you’ll be making teas and coffees for guests, do it with gusto! Get inventive Sometimes you’ve got to think outside of the box to get your first agency job. Instead of sending your speculative applications to HR or a general recruitment email address, head to the agency’s LinkedIn page to see who works there. If you want to become a designer, contact the Head of Design. Looking at a social media position? Find out who oversees this area and drop them a message. And don’t be afraid to get a bit crafty too. Instead of asking if they have any roles, why not see if they’ll meet with you to tell you more about the company or offer advice and feedback on your portfolio. If you get a meeting, use the opportunity to tell them how much you admire the company and the work they do and ask if you can leave your CV for future consideration. Agencies receive A LOT of CVs every day, so an approach like this means you’ll stand out from the crowd. lang: en_US Follow @henrynicholas

Welcome to our third Positive news round-up where we share only good news. In this post we will mention some of the brands and agencies in the tech, marketing and creative industries that are going above and beyond to help others during the crisis. We’ve also included some useful links and videos, and a couple of other stories that made us smile. Feel free to click back to read Positive news round-up 1 and 2 if you missed those. First off… A special shout out to Fay Gadsby Fay is a Bristol-based marketing and technical project manager who, with her steely determination and hard work, refused to let the pandemic stand in the way of her job search. Fay decided to share her daily experiences on LinkedIn and it wasn’t long before her posts went viral. We are delighted to share that Fay has been successful in landing not one, but two new jobs. Fay isn’t just a lovely human being with some great experience, she’s a shining example of what you can achieve if you put your mind to it. It’s also a great example of the power of social media and people coming together to help others in the community. Well done Fay and everybody that got involved to help along the way! You can check out Fay’s profile and recent activity to see how her story unfolded. We hope that mentioning Fay helps some of the other jobseekers out there stay positive too. Budweiser’s Wassup ad returns with a quarantine edition Budweiser has re-recorded the audio for its iconic 1999 advert to make it more relevant to people in lockdown and to encourage them to connect with friends and family. It’s simple yet so effective and reminds us why this was such a successful campaign in the first place. You can read more about this in Marketing Week. Brands and agencies going above and beyond to help people Four tech companies join forces to build innovative communications app for NHS workers Four tech companies suspended all commercial activity and worked around the clock to develop an app which improves vital communication between crisis healthcare workers. These companies are 4 Roads, Kulestar, Concept Softworks and CK Alpha. The problem: “NHS staff, especially non-ICU staff, have been struggling to share information effectively during the COVID-19 crisis, leading to the loss of potentially life-saving personal protective equipment (PPE) and a shortage of critical care beds” The solution: “The app allows hospital staff to get teams to the right parts of hospitals, ensure the quick delivery of ventilators, masks and medication, and enables the creation and distribution of video and audio clips so doctors and nurses can share advice and request information” The app is being rolled out at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn, with a view to rolling out to all NHS hospitals nationwide. It may also be used in hospitals abroad. To read the full article head over to Prolific London. Hot Pickle delivers over 3,000 Unilever care packages to NHS Nightingale Working with their network of suppliers, Hot Pickle’s newly assembled UnPickle team established a COVID compliant pick and packing line within 24 hours of taking Unilever's call requesting their help to deliver care packages to the NHS. On receipt of bulk deliveries from Unilever, they processed in excess of 30,000 individual units to create over 3,000 care packages which were in turn distributed directly to NHS Nightingale in individually branded bags along with a heartfelt thank you note. Read the full story here. Well done Hot Pickle and well done Unilever. M&S charity T-shirts sell out but more will be on sale soon Marks & Spencer is raising money for NHS Charities TOGETHER via T-shirt sales. They’re currently sold out but you can check back here to buy one. Camden Town Brewery’s Heroes Lager proceeds donated to healthcare charities Camden Town Brewery has rebranded its Hells Lager to create ‘Heroes Lager’ with all proceeds donated to support healthcare charities. NHS workers can also create an account with their NHS email address to receive 6 free cans of Heroes Lager. It’s currently sold out, but more will be available from 2nd May. You can order yours here. Funny but useful videos to help you win at WFH Creative agency Forever Beta has launched a campaign for Kaspersky, featuring working from home faux pas and F-ups to highlight the importance of continued cyber security whilst working in lockdown. It’s a witty way to engage an audience about a potentially dry subject. Nice work! Head over to Forever Beta’s website to read more about this video and to check out more of their work. The Marketing Practice’s creative team also launched a fun yet useful video to help businesses produce better B2B marketing videos made at home great B2B Marketing videos from home. We had a good laugh whilst also taking away some really useful tips. It’s a great piece of content. Thanks guys! The future of virtual experiences in a post-pandemic world Music label Defected Records was one of the first in the music industry to host a virtual festival live from Ministry of Sound, highlighting that people still want to party and enjoy music with friends and strangers, even at a distance. Defected is about to host its fifth event and many others are following suit. Check out Campaign’s article for some interesting quotes and broader insights on the subject of virtual experiences post-pandemic. In other news Manchester United showed its appreciation for the NHS with its signage at Old Trafford. And Captain Tom’s Just Giving NHS fundraiser has exceeded £31million. Serious Kudos and happy 100th birthday to Captain Tom! Henry Nicholas FREE webinars are now in full swing Following a great response to our first webinar on How to construct a CV we look forward to the second round of webinars hosted by Andrew Midgley and Daniel Carne. You can access the presentation slides from our CV webinar here. Andy and Dan will be discussing how recruiters use LinkedIn to find the right talent and they’ll be sharing their top tips, as well as LinkedIn’s own suggestions, on how to optimise your profile and appear at the top of our candidate searches. Be sure to join them on Friday 1st May at 12:00 or on Wednesday 6th May at 10:00. Email d.carne@henrynicholas.co.uk for a Zoom meeting invite. Our YouTube channel is also work in progress and webinar recordings will be uploaded here once we’ve had chance to edit them – watch this space and feel free to subscribe to our channel now. Let’s stay positive, and let’s keep doing what we can to help the people around us. lang: en_US Follow @henrynicholas ​ lang: en_US

Learning shouldn’t stop just because you’ve landed a job you love. The world of work has never been more changeable. Digitisation coupled with a culture of continual innovation means that no one can afford to stand still. We live in a time when lifelong learning is not only valuable but essential to remaining relevant. So, should all professionals and leaders be heading back to school? From professional qualifications to traditional degree programmes, there are a huge range of options for those who want to expand their knowledge. In fact, our own founder and MD, John Austin, has recently graduated with an MBA (Masters of Business Administration). We’re incredibly proud of John, who has been working hard for 3 years to gain this prestigious qualification while still achieving amazing things at HN. What better excuse to look at the benefits of higher education for everyone? It will boost your marketability and earning potential If you’re considering cold-hard career potential, continued or higher learning looks great on your CV. Whether you’re negotiating a pay rise or looking to stand out from the crowd when you go for a dream role, further qualifications can be a key differentiator. That doesn’t mean that you should pursue a qualification for its own sake, it has to tie into your career goals. John recommends that anyone considering further learning should think about it carefully, saying, “Research what you are studying and ensure it will help you achieve your objectives. It is hard work, time consuming and sacrifices need to be made. However, if at the end of it you can see it has made a difference then it is worthwhile.” It will give you a new perspective It’s easy, when you are doing the same thing day in day out, to start looking at things from a narrow point of view. To get caught up in your own perspective or that of your organisation. Further learning can drive self-reflection. Encouraging you to examine key parts of your role in a new light. This, in turn, diversifies the viewpoints within your business, making it stronger and more creative. John shared his thoughts on learning after being in the recruitment business for more than 2 decades: “I have worked in recruitment for 20 plus years and received no formal management or strategic training. Being armed with the frameworks, theories, and concepts to be able to successfully implement relevant and necessary changes has been a key learning. The feeling of progressing and developing myself has been fantastic. The ability to understand your business landscape and the macro and micro influences has been interesting. Learning leadership theory coupled with self-reflection has been hard but worthwhile.” It creates opportunities A professional learning environment is a great way to not only expand what you know but who you know. It can drive connections with other professionals both within your industry and across other sectors. This can lead to collaborations and opportunities. Never underestimate the benefits of developing your network. It helps you to stay relevant Across every industry, digitisation and tech advances are transforming the way work gets done. Expanding the boundaries of what’s possible. Professional qualifications and further education can help you to stay curious and to understand the changes that are shaping the market you operate in. If you stop moving forward, stop pushing to learn what's next, it’s easy to be left behind. It drives innovation Expanding your knowledge doesn’t just make you better at what you do. It could help you to successfully mould the future of your business. Learning opens our mind to possibility, and that sense of possibility doesn’t stop once you’ve successfully achieved your certification or passed your final exam. By pursuing learning and encouraging your team to do the same, you can cultivate an innovative mindset across your organisation. Pursuing further education is an amazing way to boost your career and drive personal and professional development. However, it’s not an easy option. It requires a strong sense of motivation and an ability to juggle conflicting priorities. John describes the struggle to balance his studies with business and family, below: “Studying for me involved lots of weekend working, very early mornings in the office and the odd day off. I was fortunate that I have such a great team so I could focus on my studies when required. It requires sacrifice for sure. To be able to balance running a business, studying and having a family required me to reduce my time with friends, and at times with family. You literally carve time out of your existing life.” All those early mornings were worth it! Congratulations John on your hard-earned achievement! lang: en_US Follow @henrynicholas