Marketing & PR, Digital and Technology Blogs

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.​   

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.   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.    Follow @henrynicholas   ​

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!    Follow @henrynicholas    

Hiring a candidate that doesn’t stay far beyond their probation can be an expensive and frustrating process; with time wasted whilst interviewing, on-boarding and training, before you even consider their salary and recruitment costs.  Selecting the best recruitment consultancy for you, and building a proper relationship with your chosen agency will go a long way towards avoiding recruiting the wrong employee. Let’s talk about how you can keep your chosen recruitment agency motivated, well-informed and connected throughout your working relationship and how this will improve the quality of candidates you receive.  Becoming an extension of your employer brand Your company has its own unique employer brand, derived from your way of working, the people you hire and the environment you provide for your employees. As a business you put an enormous amount of trust in a recruitment agency because they become your voice in the marketplace. You should expect them to talk with passion and knowledge to your future workforce, as if they are a part of your team. It is essential that you see your relationship with a recruitment agency as a partnership rather than a transactional relationship. The more information a recruiter can obtain from you, the better - especially about your business and what makes you different.  A visit to your office is also a must do exercise. While at your offices, you can talk through your latest work, introduce them to members of the team, allow them to pet any office dogs and chat through all the fun stuff you get up to. This information will help them select the right candidates from a culture fit perspective and will enable them to deliver an enthusiastic and accurate description of your employer brand in the marketplace.  Providing Feedback Consistent and regular feedback throughout the interview process will validate a recruiter’s opinion on the correct cultural fit, as well as the skillset required for each role. It’s imperative you provide your recruitment agency with feedback after both the CV submission stage and any face to face interviews. The reasoning behind your decision on who to interview and who to reject, who impressed and who did not, is so valuable. Recruitment should never be a guessing game; good recruitment consultants should filter and use this feedback to help them submit only a select number of candidates which they believe to be appropriate. Staying connected with your recruitment agency should go far beyond just regular candidate feedback.  They will want to hear all the good new things you are up to; awards you may have won, ideas to engage your workforce, new client wins and any new important hires. Costs Costs are often a taboo subject but are very important to address.  We understand that it’s valuable to control costs when running a business, but it’s equally important to have a motivated recruiter out fighting against the competition and using all of the available resources in their armoury to find the best people for your business.  When negotiating, listen carefully to your recruitment partner as they talk through rates with you to establish the level of service you will receive for the fees that are being suggested. Of course you want to get the best deal but the best deal should represent the most value to your business. It's not just about bashing down the fee. If you settle on a rate that is fair for both parties, then you'll enable the recruiter to deliver the best service. From my personal experience the time and effort you spend growing a relationship with your recruiter will directly correlate to the quality of the candidates you receive and the longevity of the people you hire. Do everything you can to engage your agency on a regular basis, appreciate and understand the value a great recruitment partner can add to your team.     Follow @henrynicholas            

During this difficult time of sorrow, hardship, bravery and sacrifice across the world, there seems very little to celebrate. But wait what is that I hear…. a thundering of hooves? Out of the mist of sadness, boredom, and general disbelief there is a knight in shining armour. Today is St. George’s day! Often the poor, forgotten cousin of St. Patrick’s Day, let’s make an effort this year to celebrate all things English. When we applaud our wonderful NHS this evening at 8pm, let us do so with the waving of the St. Georges flag, painted faces and to the chorus of Jerusalem. Let us get out those red or white tops (or both) and give a real English cheer, hurrah! I’ve put together some ideas of how to celebrate St. George’s Day, but before we get to that I’ve included a brief history. You’d be hard pressed to find anything that’s more English than St. George. After all, he was a Roman solider of Greek and Palestinian origin. A Brief History: St. George’s Day Celebrated on the 23rd April every year, this is the date traditionally accepted of his death in AD 303. Legend has it that St. George slew an evil dragon that was plaguing a local town and saved a princess. By chance, St. George travelled to the city of Silene in Libya. According to legend the only well in Silene was guarded by a ferocious dragon who required a daily human sacrifice so that the townspeople could gain access to water. On the day St. George happened by it was the turn of the princess to be sacrificed. St. George popped off and slayed the dragon, saved the princess, and gave the people access to the well. To show their gratitude they all converted to Christianity. Historical evidence points to the real St. George living in Palestine during the 3rd Century. He is said to have followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the ranks of the Roman Army, eventually being executed for his Christian beliefs. Did you know? St. George is also the patron saint of Ethiopia, Georgia, and Portugal, as well as the cities of Beirut and Moscow. William Shakespeare was born on St. George’s day and died on St. George’s Day. Why isn’t St. George’s Day a bank holiday? In 1415 St. George’s Day was made a national feast day and holiday in England, a status that remained until the 18th Century. However, the Act of Union between England and Scotland in 1707 led to its demise. Unlike it’s much celebrated cousin St. Patrick’s Day in Northern Ireland, schools and businesses must open as usual on 23rd April. BUT NOT THIS YEAR SO LET’S CELEBRATE THE DAY. What can you do to celebrate? For starters wear anything red or white or both – easy. How about starting the day with an English Breakfast? Grab what you can and put together a good old English fry up, don’t forget the tea and toast. Probably not practical or possible for all, but what about a good old fashioned roast. And there are plenty of alternatives out there for Vegans and Vegetarians. If you don’t fancy that, how about Bangers and Mash, Toad in the Hole, Shepherds Pie etc.  Apologies if this is too meat based!! Face painting is a great idea for the kids. You can access a live St. George’s tutorial here where you can learn to paint a dragon amongst other things. More activities you can do with the kids at home. For those good with your hands and creative types why not try making a wooden sword for the youngsters. I used to make these all the time when I was young. Why not cover it in tin foil to get that authentic steel finish. Why not put together an English playlist. There are so many artists to choose from you can tailor it to your own tastes. An afternoon tea is always a favourite, it can be as elaborate or simple as you want. I will for sure be baking a Victoria Sponge. For those with a little more know how in the kitchen (and if you can get the ingredients!), why not have a go at one of these classic English puddings. Apple Crumble Treacle Tart Bakewell Tart Bread and Butter Pudding For those into sport, why not grab yourself a drink and settle down to some classic English Sport. I have outlined some ideas here for you, but I am sure you know. Italia 90 Russia 2018 2019 Cricket World Cup Anything Ben Stokes Rugby World Cup 2003 World Cup 1966 Olympics 2012 (I know this was British!!!) How about getting involved with the Youtube Live Pub Quiz. It is held every Thursday after the clap for the NHS. We have a zoom call with our neighbours whilst the quiz is on and we have a running competition. Grab some friends and family and try it. What about a good old fashioned game of cards? The list is endless of what you can do to celebrate. The important message I suppose I am trying to get across is let’s try and forget about things for a moment if we can and celebrate something we rarely celebrate. You never know, it might catch on! Happy St George’s Day! Jerusalem –  why not sing along!? And did those feet in ancient time Walk upon England's mountains green? And was the holy Lamb of God On England's pleasant pastures seen? And did the countenance divine Shine forth upon our clouded hills? And was Jerusalem builded here Among these dark Satanic Mills? Bring me my bow of burning gold: Bring me my arrows of desire: Bring me my spear: O clouds unfold! Bring me my chariot of fire. I shall not cease from mental fight Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand Till we have built Jerusalem In England's green & pleasant land. (William Blake)     Follow @henrynicholas    

When you are next sat in an interview, or interviewing for a new member of staff, you’ll be in a much stronger position if you have an understanding of the Myers-Briggs temperament of the person sat across from you. If you’ve come across Myers-Briggs before, you may recall there are four personality types - ENFP, ISTJ, ISTP, and ESFJ.  These can then be further broken down into 8 roles and 16 role variations. It sounds complicated but, whilst many of us have more time on our hands than usual, knowing your own personality type and understanding how to use Myers Briggs in future recruitment could be time well spent. This blog is designed to help you gain a grasp of the four basic temperaments which in turn will help you improve how to communicate with people depending on their personality type, as well as develop a deeper understanding of your own temperament. Take the TEST now… it takes 10 minutes. The official Myers Briggs test is long and arduous and should only be administered by a professional but you can gain a basic unofficial understanding of your personality type by taking a simplified Myers-Briggs test.  This unofficial test will probably cause trained Myers-Briggs practitioners to roll their eyes with disdain, but it will give you a basic understanding of your personality type and work / communication style. You will be scored on 4 different metrics and given a classification: (E) Extrovert versus (I) Introvert, (S) Sensing versus (N) Intuition, (T) Thinking versus (F) Feeling, and (J) Judging versus (P) Perception. You can get a quick read of these personality types here. I’m an ISTJ, which Myers Briggs describes as “Takes pleasure in making everything orderly and organized - their work, their home, their life. Value traditions and loyalty.” Basically, I am a control freak! I have included a table at the end of this blog outlining each of the 16 personality types. The Four Temperaments Psychologist David Keirsey created the Keirsey Temperament Sorter in 1998, the results being the following 4 temperaments: SJ (Sensing-Judging) – These are classified as Guardians, the left-brained. Accountants, CFOs, military, and police often fall into this classification. They love detail and are all about safety and security. If you are dealing with an SJ in business they are very conservative and accept new ideas slowly, they tend to be risk adverse. When you are interviewing for a role, they do not want a cascade of revolutionary thoughts, they simply want to know you’ll maintain the status quo because you love it. SP (Sensing-Perceiving): This is your Artisan. Firmly the right-brained. They are often artists, musicians, writers, and other types of creatives. They hate detail and can be viewed as flighty. These are the types of people who will start a project and then abandon it in favour of a more exciting new project. If you mention in-depth processes they will switch off. The SJ and SP together make up 73.5% of the population. You have a 3 in 4 chance of meeting an SJ or SP so well worth getting to know these temperament groups. NT (Intuitive-Thinking): The Thinker. Again, a lover of detail coupled with being analytical. They pursue knowledge for knowledge’s sake. They will want to know as much detail as possible about a project simply for the sake of gaining knowledge as well as to aid in decision making. If you are being interviewed / interviewing for a role within data / insight or planning, you will for sure meet NTs. NF (Intuitive-Feeling): The Idealist. These are people within the helping professions – our wonderful nurses, social workers, etc. They want to make life better and change the world. They lean towards the Artisans, whilst the Thinkers are hanging with the Guardians. The Idealists and the Thinkers make up 26.5% of the population and although only account for 1 in 4 people you meet, they are arguably easier to spot. Now you are speaking my language When talking to any of these temperament groups, you must firstly understand your own temperament so you can tailor your discussion to the things that matter most to them. If you are in a job interview you need to speak to Guardians about how you will help the company remain stable. Guardians do not want revolutionary new ideas. The Thinker will also want to know this, but they are less interested in stability and more interested in how you are going to measure performance. You need to be on your A game (obviously) with these guys, they are obsessively detail driven. The Idealist will want to know more about how you can affect change and make things better, and the Artisan will want to know your creative ideas and thoughts for the future. Both groups will talk and talk about everything and anything during the interview. They will click with you, you will fall in love with the opportunity, believe you’ve got the job and can start right away… then you won’t hear anything for weeks. You must not take it personally. When they left the meeting, someone jingled some keys in front of them and they forgot what day it was! When speaking to people you do not have to pretend to be something you are not. You just need to understand that people relate to people who speak their language and the things they care about. Please do treat this as an introduction into this complicated but fascinating subject. I would recommend reading extensively before you start practising this subject. If you do need to practice do so on friends and family who cannot sack you! Below you’ll find a Temperament needs table and also a Temperament and Study Strategies document to help if you are studying. Get some interesting insights into your temperament type here. Temperament Needs - Summary Table Rationals (NT) Idealists (NF) Guardians (SJ) Artisans (SP) Need… Competence Authenticity Belonging Freedom Talk About… Power Recognition Service Impact Interactive Style… Competitive Nurturing Nurturing Competitive Communication Style… Conditionals Metaphors Comparatives Anecdotes At work, Promote: Efficiency Growth Structure Opportunity Career Focus Ideas Systems & Strategies Ideas Contexts & People People -Caretaking services Data monitoring Objects- manufacturing People – Entertainment Data manipulation Objects-promotion Work Strengths Designing Planning Promoting Training Administering Serving Producing Performing Work Weaknesses Over Complex Impervious Logic Lack emotion Many Tangents Light on Details Lack logic Wary of Change Rule Bound Lack vision Unstructured Unclear mission Lack plans Evaluation criteria Results Quality interaction Time on task Active Involvement Best Environment Innovative Intellectual Expressive Personal Organised Secure Stimulating Variety Learning Environment Lectures Clever questions Group participation Discussion Lectures Work books / structured learning Activity Hands on learning When Stressed Obsesses Disassociates Complains Retaliates Cures? Reconfirm competence A new project Nurture them  Start a new quest Appreciate them inclusion in news and activities Shared experiences Change/novelty Key Relational Role Fraternal Mentor Parental Guide Parental Guardian Fraternal Player As Dates/Mates Reciprocity Romance Stability Challenge As Parents Teacher Confidante Caretaker Playmate At Play Improve skills, Work as Play Fantasy, Relationships Observances, Rituals & Rewards Excitement, Life as play Motto Be excellent in all things To thine own self be true Early to bed, early to rise Eat drink and be merry David Keirsey identified 4 temperaments (which can be further broken down into 8 roles and 16 role variants) Artisans (SP’s) are observant and pragmatic. Seeking stimulation and virtuosity, they are concerned with making an impact. Their greatest strength is tactics. They excel at troubleshooting, agility, and the manipulation of tools, instruments, and equipment.  The two roles are: Operators are the directive Artisans. Their most developed intelligence operation is expediting. The attentive Crafters and the expressive Promoters are the two role variants. Entertainers are the informative Artisans. Their most developed intelligence operation is improvising. The attentive Composers and the expressive Performers are the two role variants. Guardians (SJ’s) are observant and cooperative. Seeking security and belonging, they are concerned with responsibility and duty. Their greatest strength is logistics. They excel at organizing, facilitating, checking, and supporting. The two roles are as follows: Administrators are the directive Guardians. Their most developed intelligence operation is regulating. The attentive Inspectors and the expressive Supervisors are the two role variants. Conservators are the informative Guardians. Their most developed intelligence operation is supporting. The attentive Protectors and the expressive Providers are the two role variants. Idealists (NF’s) are introspective and cooperative. Seeking meaning and significance, they are concerned with personal growth and finding their own unique identity. Their greatest strength is diplomacy. They excel at clarifying, individualizing, unifying, and inspiring. The two roles are as follows: Mentors are the directive Idealists. Their most developed intelligence operation is developing. The attentive Counselors and the expressive Teachers are the two role variants. Advocates are the informative Idealists. Their most developed intelligence operation is mediating. The attentive Healers and the expressive Champions are the two role variants. Rationalists (NT’s) are introspective and pragmatic. Seeking mastery and self-control, they are concerned with their own knowledge and competence. Their greatest strength is strategy. They excel in any kind of logical investigation such as engineering, conceptualizing, theorizing, and coordinating. The two roles are as follows: Coordinators are the directive Rationals. Their most developed intelligence operation is arranging. The attentive Masterminds and the expressive Fieldmarshals are the two role variants. Engineers are the informative Rationals. Their most developed intelligence operation is constructing. The attentive Architects and the expressive Inventors are the two role variants. Temperament and Study Strategies If you have strong Guardian (SJ) tendencies... 1.  Watch your tendency to get mired in the details.  Remember that some things matter more than others.  Particularly, when taking notes, don't copy everything down, but learn how to differentiate between what matters and what only seems to matter. 2.  Learn how to pace yourself so that you don't run out of time when the clock is ticking (such as during exams).  Don't think you have to read every exam question three or four times... some Guardians have doubled or tripled their exam scores simply by trusting their first impressions more. 3.  Don't just memorize information in a verbatim way.  Many college courses emphasize theory, not mere facts.  Practice rephrasing key concepts in your own words (not just memorizing formal definitions).  Try generating original examples (not just memorizing examples offered in lecture). If you have strong Artisan (SP) tendencies... 1.  Find ways to keep yourself engaged in boring classes, since courses with a heavy emphasis on theory and a "talking heads" approach may easily put you to sleep.  Ask for opportunities to earn a grade through real-world application of theories and concepts, like internships or field observation. 2.  Hold yourself accountable since it's easy for you to procrastinate around activities that aren't much fun.  Use the "Premack principle" - reward yourself for doing something you dislike by following it with something you do enjoy. 3.  Take the time you need to double-check your answers during exams... don't be in too much of a hurry to rush out of the exam room.  Beware your tendency to be overly impulsive.  Make sure you haven't missed important information on the exam. If you have strong Rationalist (NT) tendencies... 1.  Don't be confrontational in classroom interactions (especially not with your instructor, who may expect deference or at least common courtesy).  Learn how to disagree without alienating others. 2.  Don't neglect the facts... in some courses more than others, it's important to get the foundational facts right, even to be nitpickingly precise.  3.  Be sure to affirm, not just question... a balanced analysis spends as much time on what's right with something as on what's wrong with it.  Learn when (and how) to personalize, to develop and express a subjective opinion. If you have strong Idealist (NF) tendencies... 1.  Don't confuse enthusiasm with understanding.  Being excited about an idea is one thing; being able to articulate your comprehension of the underlying ideas is something else.  2.  Watch your tendency to nonlinearity, to chasing the rabbit where it runs, particularly in writing essays.  Don't ramble unnecessarily, which drives more linear types up the wall.  Work hard at maintaining a logical, linear focus with a clear beginning, middle, and end. 3.  Learn how to logically defend a point of view.  It's not enough to be passionate about something; you have to be able to make a rational case for it, which means looking objectively at both pros and cons, both strengths and weaknesses, both assets and liabilities. Follow @henrynicholas