August 2018 Blogs

When it comes to the diversity challenges facing marketing and creative agencies, social diversity doesn’t receive the same attention as that of gender and ethnicity. However, in the face of industry talent shortages, and concern that entry-level marketers are increasingly favouring in-house positions with giants such as Google and Facebook, overlooking this issue is not only a mistake but a missed opportunity for agencies. Research continues to tell us that diverse teams perform better, particularly when it comes to creativity and providing a broader audience perspective, in turn increasing the chances of an agency’s output resonating with a broad range of customers. A study carried out by Goldsmiths and the London School of Economics found that people from a working-class background should account for 35% of the creative workforce (when compared with the average for other industries). However, only 18% of the total workforce comes from a working-class background. What’s going wrong? Unlike the promotion of gender and ethnic equality, it’s much more difficult to identify whether unconscious bias has been displayed when it comes to a candidate’s social background. And, as agency workers have traditionally been primarily judged on ability, rather than accent, postcode or education, it’s hard to believe such a bias would exist. According to the aforementioned study, the problem starts at a much earlier stage. Schools, particularly those in working-class areas, are failing to acknowledge the creative sector as a potential career option for pupils. What makes this especially head-scratching is that the creative industry forms a vital part of the government’s vision for a future economy. What’s being done about it? The Marketing Academy Foundation was launched in 2016 with the aim of addressing this social under-representation. The charity funds marketing apprenticeships for people from disadvantaged backgrounds and increases awareness of marketing as an option among people who wouldn’t be likely to consider it. Its CEO Daryl Fielding stated plans to place 100 apprentices by May 2022, with brands such as Virgin Atlantic, BT and Facebook already signed up. In addition to apprenticeships, the foundation works to raise awareness among school-age children from working-class areas about marketing as a career choice. Creative agency Atomic London last year announced its ‘Canvey not Cannes’ initiative which saw its executives visiting schools in a working-class area of the Essex town to talk about what they do in advertising and how pupils can pursue a position in this field. Not only that, but the agency’s inaugural event featured guests speakers from Google and MPC to provide added inspiration for jobs in creative tech and visual effects. This initiative from Atomic London shows how agencies can get involved in the wider marketing community to help tackle the lack of social diversity in the industry. As well as outreach into schools and communities in working-class areas, here are some other ways that agencies can embrace socioeconomic diversity. - Paid apprenticeships and work experience. If you don’t already pay for trainee talent then, sorry, but you’re contributing to the lack of social diversity. Think outside of the box when it comes to payment too. For example, if your agency is based in central London perhaps offer accommodation for work experience assignments to attract people from outside of the city. - Treat work experience placements like job positions. Agency owner’s and client’s children take up a disproportionate amount of positions in a lot of agencies. Instead of nepotistic appointments, put a real recruitment process in place where you look through CVs and interview people, appointing them based on merit. - Data. Start addressing any potential issues by collecting data on the backgrounds of your employees. This will allow you to set targets for future recruitment. -Shift your focus. Instead of insisting everyone has to be degree-educated, create placements and apprenticeships that are focused on on-the-job training. If you’re looking to attract the right balance of talent for your agency, or you’re ready to take the next step in your career, Henry Nicholas can help.

Last month, research from totaljobs stated that half of British workers would be willing to relocate within the UK for a job. The study, which polled 6,500 job seekers, also revealed the top 10 best cities for work in the UK. While London topped the list thanks to its position as a global financial, business and cultural hub, smaller cities across the UK have been gaining dominance as work hotspots. At Henry Nicholas, there’s been a recent surge in candidates approaching our team looking to move from large cities like London and Manchester to explore the options available to them in Bristol (home of our head office). Indeed, Bristol appears in the top 10 best cities to work in according to the findings from totaljobs, as does Edinburgh, York, and Brighton and Hove; the latter containing just under a third of the population of the UK’s second largest city of Birmingham (which limped in at number 6 on the list). You can view the full top 10 list here. Why are candidates opting for smaller cities? Some of the more obvious reasons include the cost of living, work/life balance, travel, fierce competition for roles etc. However, the answer is more nuanced and involves a number of unique factors relating to each of the cities in question. Bristol, for example, emerged from Tech City‘s Tech Nation 2017 report as Europe’s future digital capital thanks to its variety of tech employers from startups to multinationals, a range of technology jobs and generous salaries. And we’re probably not too far away from Salford appearing as a top 10 city thanks to the relocation of the BBC sparking a flurry of media startups and business growth, as well as a reinvigorated focus on media-related qualifications within its university. How can employers capitalise? The totaljobs study found that 80% of professionals would be encouraged to relocate if an employer were to offer the right incentives. In light of industry-wide talent shortages, it’s clear that employers need to pay attention to offering the right benefits and assistance to ease and encourage the process of relocation. Key areas of focus include: Salary. 86% of respondents in the survey stated that a higher salary would be a key incentive and the reasons why are obvious. Relocation equals upheaval for the employee and potentially their family, and there’s also the small matter of property deposits and moving costs. Career development. Moving to a new location is a major decision and employees want to know that their commitment is acknowledged and rewarded in the long term. 28% stated that a promotion would be a strong incentive to relocate, either that or a clear and achievable path to future development. Support with the move. Whether it’s paid time off, help with relocation costs or assistance in finding temporary accommodation, employers can help to make the relocation process stress-free and easy, boosting the morale of the worker and helping them to hit the ground running in their new role. If you’re looking to make your next career move and are considering relocating to a new city, the Henry Nicholas team is on-hand to help. Alternatively, we can provide advice and guidance for employers when putting together a winning relocation package to attract the right candidates, wherever they might be.

Love Island withdrawal? You’re not alone. Like many workplaces across the country, we were hooked. The antics of complete strangers in a villa dominated our conversations even more than the heatwave and (dare we say it) the World Cup. As well as teaching us lessons in love, the show has proffered some learnings around the recruitment process. Here are just a few things the BAFTA-winning show has in common with the search for a job... The line-up Who can forget the cringe-tastic moment when no one stepped forward to couple up with Dr Alex in the first episode? It wasn’t only the nation’s unlucky-in-love who empathised with the blushing six-footer, with jobseekers inwardly groaning at the experience of being passed over for opportunities. Sending a CV and receiving no response or going to an interview and not getting a callback can be tough to handle, especially when it happens more than once. However, like Alex, you need to brush yourself off and keep going. Keep your mind focused on other opportunities and continue to present yourself in the best way you can. If you work with a recruiter, ask them to help you polish your CV, or give you some interview tips. Also, you have the right to ask for feedback as to why you weren’t suitable for a role. This may help you identify what’s not connecting or where your skills are lacking so you can brush up and ace it next time. The hopper Adam will probably be best remembered for his sly grin when a sobbing Rosie made an impassioned speech about how he’d upset her. That, and the now parodied line ‘I’d be lying if I said she wasn’t an attractive girl’ uttered at the sight of the fourth girl he’d put the moves on. Moving on so rapidly earned him the reputation as the villa’s love rat, but what about job hoppers? Can moving from role to role harm your career and reputation in your industry? Not necessarily. Although it’s not ideal to have multiple roles with short tenures on your CV, it’s 2018 and less and less people, particularly younger generations, are staying at companies for decades like their parents’ generation might have. If you’ve moved around a lot, it’s important to provide good and clear reasons as to why you’re now looking for a new job. Instead of dwelling on why you left each role, try to highlight your achievements in them, whether that’s completing a project, managing a team or increasing sales. If you demonstrate accomplishments and remain positive about your career history, there’s a better chance an employer will overlook any hopping. Getting mugged off Aside from Dr Alex, the one name synonymous with getting mugged off on this year’s Love Island has to be Laura. Both Wes and Jack sent her packing when someone else made their move and Laura was heralded as handling the rejection like a pro (albeit with the odd bit of sulking and name-calling). Linked to our point about not catching a break, handling yourself with class is imperative when it comes to finding a job. While some employers will send rejections via email and others won’t tell you at all, you may find yourself getting the ‘rejection call’. It’s becoming more common for employers to break the bad news in real time, which puts an awful lot of pressure on the candidate to take the news with dignity and even ask for feedback. It’s not easy, especially if you had your heart set on the role, and the last thing you probably want to hear is all of the reasons why you failed. However, handling it gracefully and taking their points onboard means the door might be open to you in the future. I’m loyal, babes Barely an episode went by without Georgia proclaiming her loyalty to anyone who’d listen in the villa. Nothing wrong with that, of course. And when it comes to job hunting, don’t employers want to loyal candidates? A Glassdoor blog post on the most common interview answers that employers dislike featured the answer to ‘where do you see yourself in five years?’. Candidates often say ‘I see myself doing this job’, and Steve Pritchard, HR Consultant for Ben Sherman, points out why it’s so frustrating: “A lot of interviewees say this because they believe it shows a great deal of loyalty and commitment to the company, making them the perfect hire. However, what this actually does is suggest a lack of ambition. Employers don’t want to know that you will want to be in the same position five years later, they want to know what you will do to develop yourself and the company.” Instead, use the question to showcase how ambitious you are and the position you’d love to progress into. If you’re not sure, then do some research on the company before the interview to see what roles in the business you’d love to do one day. It might feel slightly strange when you’ve got your sights set on the job you’re sat in the interview chair for, but it’ll make you stand out for all of the right reasons. If you’re ready to take the next step in your career and look for an exciting new opportunity, then take a look at our latest roles and sign up for job alerts to make sure you don’t miss out. Alternatively, contact our friendly team if you’d like some guidance on how to land your ideal role. And for those still suffering from a massive Love Island hangover, the Australian version starts next week. You’re welcome.

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.​