One of the most exciting aspects of recruiting in the technology sector is that no two days are the same. In fact, no two conversations are the same. You don’t need us to tell you that we’re living in a fast-paced technological world that continues to evolve at breakneck speed. Just five years ago, who would have thought that drones would be one of the top-selling Christmas gifts of 2017? Or that ‘OK, Google…’ and ‘Alexa’ would become synonymous with AI-enabled devices that answer our questions, control elements of our home and even add things to our shopping lists so we don’t have to? The big question is, what’s coming next? Based on our industry observations, we provide a run-down of the technology we’re likely to see a lot more of in 2018. Alexa: The feeling’s mutual... 2018 is the year that AI-devices, like Alexa, Siri and Google, will step it up a gear. The evolution of AI means our devices will start learning our likes and dislikes in order to provide a more personalised experience. While having a full blown conversation with Alexa may seem like a creepy prospect, we’re not strangers to this approach. Programmatic advertising has been following us around for years now (as well as those suspiciously tailored social media posts), so Alexa selecting news stories, TV shows, music and even recipes we might like is the next logical step for consumer AI devices. Fashion gets a makeover Speaking of personalised services, online retail giants like Amazon have used AI to tailor recommendations to us for years and 2018 looks to be the year fashion catches up. Previously we’ve been treated to recommended products based on popular items other people have purchased, but this is set to evolve to products based on a range of criteria including our body shape, style and personal preferences. Smaller, mail-order businesses, like Fabletics, have been tailoring product offerings to customers, but it’s remained out of reach for large scale high-street fast-fashion brands. Until now. Fixing the plastic ocean There’s a movement going on and we’re not talking about clean eating. More and more social media influencers are pushing their environmentally friendly agenda in the wake of 2016 shock-documentary Plastic Ocean. What’s this got to do with tech? Consumers are increasingly demanding products be made from materials that have been ethically sourced. In order to achieve this ambition, emerging technologies are required to utilise alternative materials for the next wave of devices. Although it can be tricky to predict exactly what’s coming down the line and when, one thing’s for sure; 2018 will see the most consumer-driven technology markets ever and we can’t wait to see what develops. ​

Today’s data-driven landscape has led marketers to question whether a reliance statistics is compromising creativity. The question is, can you still be creative if you’re data-driven? At a 2017 Marketing Week roundtable, HSBC’s former head of marketing in EMEA Philip Mehl said: “Marketing used to be a creative challenge, but it’s a data challenge now.” Speaking on the same subject in an article for Campaign, chief creative officer of advertising giant TBWA/Singapore & Southeast Asia Edmund Choe stated: “When I speak to creatives, they don’t always see how data could be used in harmony with creativity. The problem is that they find data boring. To them, data is rational. And great creative isn’t.” Despite this, successful, modern campaigns prove to us that data-driven marketing and creativity are not mutually exclusive. With data historically used to drive performance, marketers are increasingly using data to enhance campaigns and drive greater creativity. In the same Campaign article, chief executive officer of global design and digital agency Critical Mass Dianne Wilkins said that “behavioural measurement shouldn’t lull us away from using the creative process to intuit and proactively experience what customers will experience and vice versa”. The best marketing campaigns have always been carved from ideas built on insight. After all, without insights, how could a marketer identify the right target audience, the elements that make them tick, along with what’s deemed as valuable brand interaction? CEO of tech startup Intelligent Operations (IO) Tom Bowman stated in an article for The Drum: “Science can unlock our art. But, to do so, we first have to answer the 'how?'” Wilkins agrees, stating that “meaningful success will come to those who can augment data with creativity to empathise with the customer.” It appears that creativity isn’t the compromise when it comes to incorporating data into marketing. Marketing director at Kellogg UK & Ireland Gareth Maguire told Marketing Week that he believed a change in approach was key to achieving campaign success in today’s data-driven world. Changing the brand’s traditional nostalgic approach, Maguire stated that its “marketing focus had to shift to reflect the way our consumers are digesting advertising messages.” It seems that instead of lamenting data as causing the death of creativity, it should be treated as the single greatest tool marketers have with the focus shifting on what can be done to extract more and learn how best to apply it to future campaigns. The more data at our fingertips, the better the insight into how customers think, behave and feel, leading to more tailored and successful campaigns all round.

It’s only March, but we’ve already been treated to a number of fantastic creative campaigns from a wide range of our favourite brands. The Henry Nicholas team is always on the lookout for campaigns that are memorable for all of the right reasons and we’ve put our heads together to bring you some of our favourites so far... We loved FCK! The KFC ‘chicken crisis’ It wasn’t like KFC was planning a campaign in response to its epic delivery fail, but you can’t fault the company’s masterclass in PR crisis management. Like everyone else in the UK, we wondered how the Colonel was going handle a crisis that saw the world’s most famous chicken place closing its doors due to a lack of chicken. Apart from the amusing banter between KFC’s social media team with rival restaurants, we loved the full-page advert in the Metro with its punch-to-the-face FCK headline. Lloyds Bank - Get the inside out We like adverts that make us think, so the focus on mental health in the latest Lloyd’s adverts caught our eye. Created by Adam & Eve/DDB, the ads feature a combination of celebrities, members of the public and Lloyd’s employees exploring some of the common misconceptions about mental health conditions. Squarespace - Make it happen Shown at this year’s Super Bowl, Squarespace’s offbeat, inspirational advert was directed by Jonathan Glazer and features Keanu Reeves surfing a motorbike (yes, really). While it might not sound like much, we like how reminiscent it is to some of the great Honda adverts of the last decade. Plus, any advert featuring John Wick gets the thumbs up from us. British Heart Foundation - Thank you Unlike a lot of awareness adverts, this little beauty created by Misha Newby and MullenLowe London is an absolute pleasure to watch. The ad shows animated hearts beating in the chests of people from a variety of backgrounds and we love it. The ones we didn’t get Twitter - Let’s go Twitter We love a bit of Twitter and we’re big fans of comedian Romesh Ranganathan who takes the starring role in this particular ad, but everything else has just got us scratching our heads. As adverts go, it’s perfectly fine but Twitter has been around since 2006 so do we really need to be introduced to the platform for the first time? On the Beach Holidays - Let’s get you to the beach We understand that Cheetham Bell JWT’s advert isn’t taking itself seriously, but does it really need to be that creepy? The weird sandcastle man was made as a joke (we hope), but the lingering shots after each ‘anecdote’ make everything a bit awkward and creepy. What are your favourite adverts of the year so far? And which make you want to switch off? We’d love to hear your comments.

It’s a day to celebrate the achievements of women, so who better to catch up with than our 2017 Employee of the Year, Emma Whitting? We managed to pry her away from her work for a quick coffee and a chat... What’s your background? I studied Media & Cultural studies at university and always loved marketing, video and creative work. I wanted a career that combined my passion for working with people with my marketing and sales experience but was conscious I didn’t want to be in a corporate environment. I’d loved my time as a retail supervisor, which gave me an excellent grounding in dealing with people, so when the opportunity at Henry Nicholas came up I jumped at it! I’ll be celebrating my three year anniversary here in April - it’s flown by! What about your Henry Nicholas journey? I started out as a Resourcer and made my first placement within a few weeks of joining the business and hit all of my development targets, so I progressed quickly to become a Consultant. That’s when I got the opportunity to learn more about the business side of recruitment and everything that’s involved with building a solid client base. Because Henry Nicholas covers a wide variety of disciplines across the UK, I was able to gain greater knowledge of marketing, PR, design and technology roles. Is there such thing as a typical day at Henry Nicholas? No! Every day is different, but typically I would take a detailed client brief, put together some engaging content, proactively source candidates using my contacts, LinkedIn and job boards, fully qualify the candidate drivers and match the right people to my clients. Additionally, I manage candidate interviews and the offer process, whilst also taking time to keep build my client base. What do you like about Henry Nicholas as an employer? The team are really supportive of one another, so collaborative working is the norm. There’s also a real buzz about the place, we work really hard but we try to have as much fun as possible, whether that’s having a quick game of ping-pong or drinks after work on a Friday. There are lots of amazing incentives, from company trips to Barcelona, Las Vegas and New York, through to the strong focus on development with regular salary reviews and one-to-one coaching. One of the best things is that the team have always trusted my work ethic, knowledge and ability, allowing me to work autonomously to deliver results. Follow the latest updates on International Women's Day by following the hashtag #IWD2018​ and visit our Join Us page today to find out how you can join Emma and the team to start an exciting career with Henry Nicholas.

It’s strange to think that just a few months ago, on a Friday afternoon (beers in hand,) we all sat down with our digital agency to plan the HN website re-design. It’s been a great journey, and we’ve certainly learned a lot from each stage of the project. Here’s how the story goes… Starting with a brief In an ever changing market place it was fundamental to develop our brand whilst remaining true to our identity. Over the past 9 years at Henry Nicholas, we’ve grown in numbers, matured in style and expanded our offering – something we were keen for our website to reflect. We wanted to take elements of our old, quirky “feel at home” brand and evolve to a newer, slicker site. Having a bold colour palette, strong company images and a clear navigation also needed to be a big part of the design brief. As well as a great design, a clear client and candidate user journey was another main objective in the brief. We want our visitors to navigate easily and to find relevant content. None of this was easy and it’s involved multiple strategy meetings, brainstorm sessions and plenty of cups of coffee… What were the objectives? So what other objectives came out of the brief? As we launched into competitor analysis, mapping out the wireframe and delivering a design brief to the digital agency working with us, we collectively agreed on some other principle objectives: Putting mobile first; 60% of people now use their mobile to apply for a job Showcasing the best content; from industry news, marketing insights, client interviews to candidate advice – what do we share and why? Being client AND candidate focused. Because we’re all about placing talent at the heart of business! To create an efficient candidate registration process so that candidates can access jobs quicker and update their profile regularly Standing out from the crowd – we know at Henry Nicholas, we’re a unique bunch of individuals, and we want our new website to say the same. We love a challenge! What were the challenges we came up against? Aside from the time spent creating the site map and wireframe, briefing in a design team, developing new and improved website copy and testing across mobile and web, the big hurdle came when due to unforeseen circumstances we had to change content agencies and source an alternative method of moving forward with our content. Suddenly, being the client seemed all the more challenging. The empathy of working to deadlines became real. Do we use a freelancer? Is an agency more beneficial? And what about optimising for SEO? Is this all within our budget? After a couple of challenging weeks with tough decisions made, things seemed to fall into place. We were lucky enough to start working with a great content agency who did a fab job and we’re very happy with the results! Phew! So, what have we achieved? Now the new website’s live, we’ve been able to take some time out to reflect on what we’ve achieved. Of course, big high five’s to the project team who have taken plenty of time out to focus on the website project. Although we’re super happy with the website and its offerings (and we’re chuffed to have received some great feedback), we see this as just the beginning! And what’s next? Next up for us, is looking at our content strategy and how we can continue to improve the content we’re sharing to candidates and clients so you’re getting the best bits. We’ll be continuing to update and add to the website and there’s lots more exciting things to come. Go on, have a look around! We’d love to hear your thoughts. Get in touch with feedback or have a browse using the links below: All blogs Submit your CV Client page

Talent is hard to find and it’s only going to get harder! Businesses are struggling to find the right people, fact. There is simply a lack of skills, new roles are being created with no understanding of what the right candidate looks like, and businesses are trapped in traditional hiring processes. In house recruiters rely on the varied sourcing model, complementing their capability with external recruiter’s support. Most businesses favour a PSL, but if asked about PSL effectiveness would the majority agree it worked? In today’s world we are seeing more and more collaboration between corporates on the delivery of large scale projects, doesn’t it make sense to collaborate with recruitment suppliers too? Would this not lead to improvements in quality, cost and time to hire? I see the major problem with the PSL model being the relationship between recruiter and client becoming transactional. In a tight market where skills are hard to find and candidates difficult to attract, there needs to be more of a strategic partnership. There is an increasing desire for recruiters to be able to provide insights such as workforce planning and innovative sourcing. This can only be delivered successfully through a collaborative partnership. What benefits are there to an in-house team to work collaboratively with a recruiter I hear you ask? Strategic insights – a good recruiter can become the eyes and ears in the market. Advising on remuneration trends, skills shortages, locational data and how to approach relevant candidates. Market intelligence and a view on what motivates job seekers in differing sectors can really help the client understand complexities surrounding certain roles. Employer brand exposure – in a close working partnership the recruiter will gain a detailed understanding of the client’s employer brand, values and purpose. They can communicate the benefits of working for their client and navigate the best candidates through the process. Improved candidate experience – the recruiter can be a trusted advisor that can let the client know if that experience is falling short, and impacting negatively on their chances of securing the best candidate. Recruitment becomes proactive – when the partnership works well and there is trust and belief in each other’s approach, then talent acquisition becomes proactive. In a market where there is huge demand for staff and only a limited pool to pick from recruiters (both internal and external) need to drop the “them and us” mentality and find ways to work successfully together. Partnerships need to be formed and commoditising recruitment must end! Does this resonate with you? At Henry Nicholas partnership is key to what we do. If you are interested in a chat, please drop me a line. Client page All blogs

Keeping a high level of engagement with candidates should always be a priority for employers, and this statement is all the more true of passive candidates. While the reasons for the significance of doing so very much state themselves, it is now more important than ever for a number of reasons. At present, it is believed that around 12 million adults lack basic digital skills, while 5.8 million have never used the internet. When you compare this to the fact that 90% of all jobs require digital skills to some extent and the digital sector’s need for 745,000 new workers by the end of the year, it becomes highly apparent that a conscious effort needs to be made to close this gap. The skills gap, as it is, costs the economy around £63 billion a year in lost income. For this reason and many others, “Digital exclusion has no place in 21st Century Britain,” the Commons Science and Technology Committee states. “The UK leads Europe on tech, but we need to take concerted action to avoid falling behind. We need to make sure tomorrow’s workforce is leaving school or university with the digital skills that employers need.” The recruitment process therefore becomes of vital importance. Of course, the responsibility of educating young people on the need for digital skills is not one that falls upon our shoulders. “Clients are becoming more aware of the need for digital operations and an online presence, so realise they need to recruit accordingly,” says Gordon Brown, MD of NineTwenty. Optimising candidate engagement will pay dividends when trying to do so. What’s more, 87% of tech businesses in the UK predict an increase in sales over the next year and thus, 83% of these expect to increase staffing during this period. Candidate engagement, then, is more important than ever. The more demand there is on the market for digitally skilled candidates, the less there will be available to you as an employer. This candidate-driven market can be counteracted by working closely with desirable candidates, ensuring that they are continually engaged and invested in the process at all stages. This is particularly true of passive candidates, i.e. – not actively looking candidates or candidates who are under no pressure to find new roles – as they will be naturally reluctant to leave their current positions or just hold out for something that really grabs them. It is important, then, to show passive candidates that the opportunities that you are able to offer them are better than those provided by their current role, despite how happy and comfortable they may already be with their employment. Where possible, a tight interview process will retain interest – being concise and efficient keeps candidates invested in the process. If this is not possible, as it may not always be, constant communication will help to bridge the gap and quick feedback will encourage more of an investment from the candidate. Playing a more hands-on role with passive candidates in this way is necessary and beneficial for all involved parties – not only will candidates be in the best possible role for them, employers who provide such engagement will be more likely to be able to fulfil their need for skilled (and specifically digitally proficient) staff than those who do not. Client page All blogs

If you're in charge of hiring new marketing, digital and creative talent then chances are you're experiencing the highs and lows of the current candidate-driven market. Some organisations are brilliant at nailing their recruitment process and others do it less well. Here are some of our thoughts based on what we've learnt from the companies who get it right. Set a CV deadline and get the job brief right Speed is the key. We're not saying that you should rush your decisions or hire people who aren't right, but keeping your interview process tight will prevent candidates from being taken off the market before you get chance to make them an offer. When setting out to fill a role it's a good idea to set a tight deadline on CV submissions. If you're working with a decent recruiter then it's perfectly reasonable to expect CVs within a matter of days - provided you've spent a bit of time at the beginning to give them a good brief on the job, you've explained how to sell the opportunity, and you've spoken about the skills and experience required. Of course you need to choose a recruiter who knows the market too! Commit to an interview timeline As well as setting a tight deadline for CVs you will get better results if you set aside time to interview. You should aim to stick to these interview slots. A good recruiter will be able to send you each candidates' availability when submitting CVs which will mean your interview timeline is achieved. The sooner you can get your candidates to first stage interview, the earlier they feel engaged with your employer brand and screening process. The sooner you reach the final interview stage, the more likely you are to be the employer that takes that amazing person out of the job market. Sell your opportunity at interview Nobody can sell a job opportunity better than the person who is hiring. Employers who hire the best talent are employers who get the candidates excited about their role at every step of the process - keeping candidates engaged throughout the process is very important. Whilst it might be your primary objective to get the info you need from the candidate, a successful interview should also result in the candidate leaving the meeting wanting your job over any others that they're considering. Sell the long-term opportunity, tell them about your ace your working environment, talk about how amazing your team is, and highlight all of the great projects that they'll get to work on. If you invest in people long-term then explain this to them. It's also about chemistry - employers look for good rapport with candidates and vice versa. Provide prompt and detailed feedback A good candidate will put lots of time and effort into preparing for your interview. Providing quick and constructive feedback will again keep candidates engaged with your interview process and help your job opportunity jump to top of their list - particularly if you think they're 'the one'. Be specific with your feedback; tell them exactly why you think they're a great fit, and if there are weaknesses that you'd like to explore further then it's fine to highlight these, delivering the feedback in a positive way. Be thorough, but keep the process as short as possible Waiting weeks between first and second interviews is likely to mean the candidate is gone and you're back to square one. If possible, make sure that all of the necessary decision makers get together to meet the candidate at that 'final stage interview' so that decisive action can be taken if things go well. An unexpected additional interview stage could mean that the candidate goes elsewhere. Make your best offer and provide good feedback In a candidate-driven market you can expect your desired employee to have other offers, so it's best to make an offer that is both competitive and fair. We're not suggesting that you pay over-the-odds or disrupt you internal pay scale unnecessarily, however it's worth being aware of the market rate for salaries as things change from one year to the next. It's a much safer outcome for you if your candidate accepts the offer as soon as it's made, instead of attending other interviews whilst you go back and forth negotiating over a couple of grand or a day's holiday. Not only is it important to make the right offer, but also worth noting that the feedback a candidate receives could be the thing that ultimately sways them towards your offer. If you've identified them as the ideal candidate for the role then it's worth telling them why they’re so special at offer stage. The candidate may have two identical offers, or it may not even boil down to the money for them - a good candidate will often decide on their next move based on where it'll take their career, what they're going to learn along the way, what they're going to be working on, and how welcome they feel at your organisation. Get your feedback right at offer stage and it will make a positive impact on the candidate's decision-making process. We hope this helps you hire some amazing candidates. If you'd like to talk to one our team in more detail about how we can help then please call the office on 0117 317 8103. Client page All blogs

You've landed the perfect role, congratulations! Give yourself a pat on the back, call your friends and family, pop open some Prosecco, eat some cake, or simply lay about basking in your own glory! However you wish to celebrate is up to you, but chances are, sooner or later the nerves of handing in your notice will kick in. As awkward as it may feel, it's a part of life so try not to feel bad about it. Whether you love your job and the people around you, or you loathe the lot of them, you should always aim to leave on good terms and not ruin it for the colleagues you'll leave behind. Here are some tips to help make it as stress free as possible: Check your contract Know what your notice period is. It may have changed since you first joined. Know how much holiday you have accrued. Unused holiday might mean you can reduce your notice period. Go prepared You will need to write a letter to inform your employer you are handing your notice in as well as doing it verbally. The letter should include the date of which you are giving your notice, your position within the company and it’s always good to thank your employer. Don't make it too fluffy but a thank you does go a long way. Be confident Know what you want to say, take a deep breath and say it. Be direct and to the point. If you come across unsure, you will open yourself up for a counter offer or a lengthy interrogation! Keep your new opportunity in mind. Confirm your end date Identify and confirm your last day at your current employer, as the first thing your new company will want to know is when you can start. Don’t feel bad about doing what’s right for your career Although your manager and the company will probably be sad to see you leave, they won't see it as a personal attack. Chances are your manager will have changed job in the past and will have had to do the same thing. Make sure you leave on good terms First of all you should want to be a good human, but you may also want a reference from your manager at some point. Reassure your manager you will provide a smooth hand over, and if you are asked why you want to leave, keep it professional; don't drag up any contentious issues. Remember you will probably still be working your notice period with them! As far as they are concerned, you are moving on to further your career. Be sympathetic to your peers You've landed the perfect job, perhaps you get lots of new perks and more money than them – woohoo for you! And maybe you are quite relieved to be leaving behind a few negatives at your current place of work, but it’s disrespectful to go shouting about it to your colleagues. It's not your job to make your peers start questioning their own roles within the company. Leaving on good terms means being respectful to everybody, not just your line manager. Good luck! All blogs Jobs Send CV

Competency interviews, or behavioural interviews, as they are sometimes also known, can sound scary if you have never experienced one before. Tackling them successfully is a dark art that requires some practice, and this post aims to give you the ammunition that you need in order to nail it during an interview, no matter what questions get thrown at you. What is a competency interview question? By telling the interviewer about past experiences and behaviours, you allow them to predict how you might act in similar scenarios if employed by them. ‘Competency interviews’ and ‘behavioural interviews’ can be interpreted as the same thing, but we can look at these two definitions as meaning slightly different things. Competency questions could be interpreted as being questions which relate to specific tasks, skills or expertise – usually outlined in a job spec. We can consider behavioural questions to be those relating to your personality and ‘softer skills’ and these questions will tend to be answered by talking about situations based around people skills. Companies will often base behavioural questions around their brand values and company culture, so if you can find these online or elsewhere, you can begin to picture the sorts of questions that may get asked. The terminology and their definitions are not important. The point is, whilst preparing for a competency interview, you should prepare examples that cover off both of these styles of question. How are you assessed in a competency interview? You are judged on the “quality” of the examples you provide. Basically, your story need to convince the interviewer that you can do the job, and the way that you structure your answers will have a huge bearing on this. It’s widely accepted that the STAR method is a good way to deliver convincing answers. Here’s an example of how it works: A candidate for a marketing executive role might be asked: "Tell me about a time that you solved a problem within a tight timescale." You could structure your response in the following way: Situation - set the scene for your story. "My marketing director and I were due to present on a new product we were launching at an industry conference, but the marketing director was held up by public transport." Task – what was required of you? "It was my responsibility to find an alternative so it didn't reflect badly on the company and we didn't embarrass ourselves." Activity – be specific about what you actually did and what your team-mates did. "I called the event manager to see whether they could change the running order. It took some gentle persuasion but they kindly agreed so we had a bit more time. I wasn’t sure whether the marketing director would make it in time, so I called our product manager and persuaded her to step in to deliver the presentation." Result – how well the situation played out. "The marketing director didn't make the meeting on time but we explained the problem to the audience and the presentation went well. Although the marketing director was late, they did manage to get there in time to answer some of the questions asked by the audience. As a result, the presentation was a success and we had 4 companies bid to buy our product." The structure of the answer helps you tell a clear and concise story, without tailing off or talking too much. Your answer should be engaging for the listener. The result of your actions should always be a positive one. The key is to show that you made a real difference. How do you give the right amount of detail? How much detail you give can have a real bearing on the effectiveness of your answer. You should try to give plenty of substance whilst keeping the listener engaged. By practicing your answers in advance you can strike a good balance. Whilst you won’t know what questions you will be asked, you can hazard a guess by using the job spec – have an example prepared for each of the points mentioned in the job spec. If during the interview you are unsure whether you’ve given enough detail, ask the person interviewing you. An interview is a two-way conversation after all! Likewise, if you think you’re giving too much info, check. What if you can’t think of an example? It’s a tricky one as some interviewers will prefer straight up honesty whereas others might appreciate an answer that isn’t quite spot on, but demonstrates a similar competency. You should try to limit the number of questions that you pass on. If you can’t think of your best example, then think of your most recent – people often take for granted the skills they use every day. If you are being asked for these skills in an interview then they must be important! Common competency based questions. As well as using the job spec as a guide there are some common competencies that you will be asked about time and time again. Know how to answer these and you should breeze through the interview… Teamwork Responsibility Communication skills Decision making Leadership Problem-solving Organisation Goal orientation Preparation complete? Now go and boss that interview! You may also find our posts on CV writing and general interview prep useful. All blogs Jobs Send CV