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Tips for Working With Recruiters To Find You a Great Job

Tuesday, December 8th, 2015|

Recruiters are here to support your job search, but it’s like they say in Jerry Maguire: “Help me, help you.” Here are some tips on how to work with recruiters so they can help you find the perfect role:

Recruiters have a good insight into a company’s open roles. Recruiters are a great source of knowledge about openings in the industry. They also have specific insight into what a hiring manager is looking for, so if you aren’t considered for a role, it’s because you’re not the best fit according to the hiring company’s needs.

Include an intro letter. A short email introduction highlighting your skills, leadership qualities, and why you’re interested in the position is a good way to get yourself noticed. If you have a website or online creative portfolio, include the link.

Apply to local jobs. If a job posting includes the phrase “local candidates only” or something similar, the company needs an employee to start immediately or will not pay for relocation. Look for local jobs or wait to relocate before applying — otherwise, it will be a challenge for a recruiter to convince the hiring company you’re a great candidate.

Find positive spins for unemployment. If you’re currently unemployed, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. However, it’s always better if you can fill in the gaps. Use your time to try consulting, working on freelance projects, taking a class, starting a blog, volunteering for a cause or organization you’re passionate about. Alternately, create samples for the types of jobs you want (like copywriting samples or mockups of websites).

Make it easy to find you. Let’s say you’re not the right candidate for a particular job, however, you want to have your profile discoverable by future employers. Create a website or creative portfolio, social profile, and samples so your recruiter can better promote your skills.

Trust the recruiter. Don’t contact the employer directly — that’s why they hired a recruiter in the first place! Trust that they’re doing everything they can to put you in that great position. Moreover, recruiters are experienced, so if they advise something like fixes on your resume or an improved online portfolio it’s likely your chances of landing a great gig will increase!

Build a relationship. Even if a recruiter isn’t able to place you immediately or your find an ideal job on your own, maintain the relationship and check in on occasion. You never know when you can use their services again–either as a candidate or as a hiring manager.

Recruiters are invested in your success. As long as you know what you want and how you best fit into a job, then it’ll be easier for a recruiter to assist you. Follow these tips, and you’ll be on your way to a new job!

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Interview Preparation Tips for Anyone in Any Creative or Design Job

Wednesday, October 7th, 2015|

Your resume is perfect. Your cover letter is amazing. However without a strong interview or without research and preparation, it can be a challenge to find your next perfect role. Here’s our quick guide to prepping yourself for any job interview, for any company, at any point in your career:

Do your research. No matter the company, become familiar with it before the interview. Understand the job description and what they’re looking for. Read over the mission of the company, as well as other company details. Are you interviewing for a position with a large digital agency that works mostly with fashion clients, or with an up-and-coming startup that needs someone who falls in line with their values? Does this company have product lines or do they offer services?

Anticipate questions. Come up with appropriate answers and practice them before the interview so you can be prepared. Align yourself with the prospective employer. Moreover, come up with 2-3 questions you want to ask about the team, the role, or the company. Do not ask questions about the salary, vacations, and other benefits in the first interview.

Consider image. Dress for the part—even if it’s a video interview. Wear what will best fit in with the culture and expectations of the company. You can always ask what that is before the interview, but it’s always safe to aim for business casual with a creative touch.

Remember nonverbal messaging. What you say without saying anything can make a big impact. Offer a firm handshake and stand tall. Pay attention to eye contact, tone of voice, posture, and gestures.

Keep your responses concise. Don’t ramble about a particular achievement when you can sum it up in a few sentences. Don’t talk over the interviewer. If they ask for more explanation, talk a little more, but your answers should still be to the point.

Know your metrics! Back up your answers with quantifiable data. Instead of mentioning how you grew a company’s social media presence to “a lot more”, make mention of how a specific Twitter campaign helped increase followers by 25 percent. Alternately, offer examples of your leadership skills with numbers. You weren’t just a manager — you were the manager of a 12-person team who helped the company succeed with innovative and collaborative ideas, or you managed X number of presentations.

Know your key strengths and repeat them. Don’t brag, but do praise yourself and your accomplishments. It’s essential to confidently articulate what you’re best at doing! It also helps the interview know whether you’re a great fit for the job.

Share your success stories. Oftentimes, interviewers ask about a project you were proud of or a role where you had to overcome adversity on the job. Reflect on your past jobs and write out a few times you set out to execute a campaign, presentation, or idea, and how you were able to demonstrate your skills. For example share how you won a pitch, achieved ROI, or reduced redundancy.

Visualize. Can you see yourself as part of the team or company? Use “we” vs. “them” as you discuss questions or specifics about a role. It helps to “see” yourself in that setting.

Bring your portfolio. Having a physical (or virtual, if you bring your laptop or tablet) representation of your work to show off your technical or design skills, as well as past projects. This will also help you explain those success stories in further detail.

Good luck on your next interview!

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5 Surefire Signs It’s Time to Find New Job Opportunities

Thursday, August 20th, 2015|

Quitting your job is a scary prospect — even if the economy is slowly but surely turning itself around, there’s never a guarantee that you will be able to find another position. Nevertheless, if you feel a shudder when you get to work, it’s unlikely you’ll regret quitting for something better. Here are five ways to evaluate whether it’s time to leave your current job for new horizons.

1. You dread going to work. You wake up in the morning and are filled with impending doom. You dream of quitting. You consider using up your sick time to stay home because you don’t want to go to work. Life’s too short — it’s time to start looking for a new job!

2. You know more than your supervisor. You want to feel good about the decisions being made at your company. If you feel frustrated that the leadership at your job is making poor choices, it could affect your job performance. Stay ahead of the curve and search for a new role.

3. You don’t know what’s happening. Are you the last to hear about major changes or events at work? Maybe you’re left out of important meetings or don’t know about big projects. Your bosses may only see you as a desk warmer rather than a valuable team member. Look for a place where they will appreciate your unique skills and insight.

4. You’ve lost that loving feeling. Even if you enjoy your boss, co-workers, and Friday happy hours with everyone, it’s time to move on if you have stopped caring about the work. Passion, especially in creative fields, is a key ingredient to success. A lack of enthusiasm won’t serve you or the work-family you love — but a new career move will invigorate your spirits.

5. You are not learning anything new. If you think you’ll spend the next five years doing the same thing, you’re doing yourself a disservice by staying in the same role. Challenge yourself to embolden your creativity and look for roles that will stimulate.

After evaluating, if you feel like the relationships you’ve built at your job are great or the rewards are significant, stay the course. However, if you dream of other opportunities for growth or feel a deep pit in your stomach thinking about your job, consider freelancing and searching for other roles. If you do choose to leave, don’t burn bridges. Just explain you want to pursue another opportunity, then leave on friendly terms. And remember — if you decide to look for a new role, Artisan Creative can help place you in your dream job!

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Using LinkedIn to Find Your Dream Job

Thursday, July 23rd, 2015|

Despite how much LinkedIn can help people find jobs, many people don’t necessarily think to start there. In fact, people may not even think about joining LinkedIn in the first place. The fact is that it’s one of your greatest assets not just in searching for new roles, but also in connecting with prospective employers. Whether you’re a freelancer or a full-time employee, LinkedIn is crucial for building past, current, and future relationships that can lead to work.

While you’re busy applying to jobs directly on your own or looking for work with Artisan Creative, LinkedIn can help empower your job search, reenergize your resume, reconnect with old colleagues, network, and more! Here are just a few ways you can use LinkedIn to enhance your chances to land that perfect role:

You help create or contribute to a personal brand. Your LinkedIn profile is part of your brand, just like other social media profiles. Don’t just include past employment or accomplishments. Showcase who you are and what you can do, as well as what you love doing.
You can make your research more efficient. If you’re asked to come in for an interview, LinkedIn will help you connect with the hiring manager and find interesting things only you two have in common. It also helps you get a sense for the company’s culture and who they are likely to hire.
You can build credibility. Join a members-only or open group and ask questions. Find out what people in your industry are talking about and become an influencer by providing insight. Interact with groups to display your expertise in a certain field. Comment and start discussions that let employers know you’re actively curious and looking to expand and/or share your knowledge base.
You can make new introductions. Grow your list of connections and monitor target companies or positions. However, remember that LinkedIn is a place to network with people you know from your work or personal life — focus on high-quality connections with people you actually know in real life, not just a high number of connections of strangers. Make those connections introduce you to new ones, and continue the networking party online or in person.
You can make a good impression before meeting anyone. Choose a profile picture that’s professional but personal. Make sure to update it regularly with recent educational advances like a class you took over the summer, volunteering work you do on the weekends, or personal achievements like running in a marathon or visiting Japan for the first time. Request recommendations from colleagues you’ve worked within the past to help you get started.

Have you used LinkedIn to help you find out a job before? Tell us about your experience!

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5 Tips for Getting The Job You’re Actually Qualified For

Thursday, July 16th, 2015|

Do you consider yourself to be a marketing manager, and yet, also a writer, but also a designer? Are you someone who juggles a dozen skills across multiple jobs? Ever heard of the phrase “jack of all trades, master of none”?

Maybe you are an excellent copy editor and graphic designer and technology manager. However, chances are you have a focus or interest in one area more than the other, i.e. an excellent copy editor who knows a few basics about graphic design who also had to manage an IT guy once. Having a lot of skills is great, but it makes placing people in a job that suits them best difficult. Imagine being an interviewer and seeing all these skills on a resume and unclear where someone’s interest lies, when you’re really just searching for someone who’s most qualified for this position.

In creative services, having a resume that isn’t focused can hurt instead of help. Here are five ways to improve your resume and the chance that you’ll be offered the opportunity:

1. Narrow down what you do best to two things. Talent managers (like the ones here at Artisan Creative) and hiring managers have to review hundreds of resumes. Make yours stand out by picking your top two areas of expertise, then highlighting them in your cover letter and resume. When you’re on the phone or in an interview, continue expanding on why you are so fantastic in these two specific areas of expertise.

2. Deliver your message consistently. Don’t change what you do halfway through. In your message to potential employers, keep hammering in those two things you do well. If a particular position doesn’t quite suit you, it’s fine. You’ll find the right one, and you’ll ace the interview and get the job because it’s a job that fits.

3. Be memorable. You want your resume and cover letter to call attention to your proficiency in a couple of areas. If you list yourself as someone who knows something vague (marketing) or as someone who does too much (marketing guru meets social media and website analyst by way of dog trainer), you’re of less value than someone who lists accomplishments related to one area (develops brand campaigns for Twitter).

4. Know what you want. Do you actually want a job proofreading? Would you rather be a content writer? Look for work you want, not work you could have. It’ll save both you and employers wasted time. Focus on the job you’d love to have, then take actionable steps to get yourself there, like taking a class or crafting portfolio samples.

5. Expand your skill set with other skills that go together. Certain skills are not mutually exclusive. Telling a hiring manager that you’re a graphic artist and account manager may be hard for them to determine a place for you, but learning how to blog helps improve your writing resume. Learn Maya and After Effects. Understand broadcast producing and agency producing. Know what it takes to be a communications manager as well as a public relations manager.

Take a look at your work history. What do you do best? Do your resume and portfolio exhibit the best of your personal mastery? Is there some unexplored yet related skill set you can acquire a firm knowledge of? Knowing what you’re actually qualified for is what will get you in the door!

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Your First "Real" Job Interview

Wednesday, May 14th, 2014|

Although you probably have had jobs during your high school and college years, if you are graduating from college in the next few weeks, you may be having your first “real” job interview in the near future. We hope our job search tips for graduates helped you land that interview. Here are our tips for your first time sitting across the desk from a hiring manager in your field:

Do some research–You might think you are done with research after you throw your mortarboard in the air, but all that work at school was preparing you for the research you need to do throughout your career. Look up that company you are interviewing with next week on LinkedIn and read everything on their website. Know their mission and everything you can learn about their culture.

Get a great outfit–You might be reading articles about how everyone these days has tattoos and wears jeans to work, but that hiring manager isn’t your friend yet. Dress up more than absolutely necessary and keep your individual style down to an accessory that shows your personality. You will have a better idea of what is acceptable at the company after your interview and may be able to be more casual at your second interview. Bide your time.

Practice–Can’t say it too many times! Don’t just think about your answers to typical interview questions, practice them out loud with a trusted friend. You need to know how to keep your answers to a good length, know your stories well enough to keep eye contact while you are talking, and get some feedback. If you have some options for “What is your greatest accomplishment?” or “Tell me about yourself,” a mock interview is the perfect place to give them each a tryout.

Everyone gets nervous before interviews, even those more experienced than you. If you know you are as prepared as possible, you will get into the zone quickly and be able to establish a real connection with the hiring manager and maybe it won’t take you too long to land the perfect first job after graduation.

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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Job Jenny and Why You Should Be Rethinking Your Resume

Wednesday, January 22nd, 2014|

In the first of a two-part blog, we speak with career expert Job Jenny and why we need to rethink our approach to resume writing and personal branding.

I was recently introduced to Job Jenny and her “ridiculously awesome resume service” by a candidate-turned-friend of mine who had used her services. It got me thinking about our approach to resume writing and personal branding. Resumes are essentially a marketing tool, right? So why is it that so many job seekers pay little attention to keywords, layouts, and job search strategies? As recruiters we see all types; from carefully constructed portfolios to formulaic textbook resumes. I took some time to speak with Job Jenny to discuss resume writing and how job seekers should be marketing themselves to recruiters and potential employers.

At this point, you may find yourself asking “Who is Job Jenny?” and wondering why she knows so much about resume writing and job seeking. Job Jenny worked for several years in marketing and communications at the corporate level before moving into recruitment and starting her own agency. Job Jenny came into being in 2010 offering job seekers a support service which includes: resume writing, personal branding, LinkedIn makeovers, and one-on-one consulting, job seeking and transitional strategies along with interview skills and e-books. She does it all!

If you’re faced with the daunting task of searching for a new job or if you’re applying online to multiple companies and getting nowhere, perhaps you need to rethink your resume. Are you having difficulty transitioning into a new career path? Are you wondering why you’re receiving little to no response when applying online? Take a look at these tips to get you started on the right foot:

Try to avoid approaching your resume as a list or a biography detailing every single responsibility and duty, but instead look at it as a marketing document that is a reflection of your personal brand.
Familiarize yourself with Applicant Tracking Systems if you are submitting your resume online. Does your resume contain industry-relevant keywords specific to the job you are applying for? Additionally, if your resume is over-styled it could get in the way of the ATS and may not be received at all.
Pay attention to the job you are applying for. If you’re applying for an Account Manager position when you have a Project Management background, pay attention to the common deliverables of the job and detail your skill-set for the recruiter to see and make a connection. Do not expect them to deduce your experience from your resume without you making a connection.
Be consistent and focused with clear goals in mind – how do you want your resume to be conveyed? Be consistent with formatting and don’t forget: spellcheck!
If you’re looking at divergent roles, have a resume specifically tailored for each industry to showcase your work that’s most relevant to the decision-maker. The easier you make it for HR to make a quick connection between what they need and what you do, the better the response

Your resume is your first (and often only) opportunity to sell yourself to recruiters and potential employers so investing time and effort into your personal brand is crucial. Your resume is a marketing document and a reflection on you (and often your recruiter.) Make it work!

In the second part of our blog, we’ll discuss LinkedIn strategies, social media branding, and interview tips so stay tuned and if you have your own tips to share or would like to know more about resume writing, get in touch.

Laura Pell, Talent Acquisition for Artisan Creative

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Time Off from a New Job

Thursday, November 21st, 2013|

With the short Thanksgiving work week coming up, we have some advice about what to do when you want to take some time off from your a new job. If you have been on the job less than 3 months, you are still getting settled and might not want to ask for any time off, but you might need a little breather–onboarding is stressful. A holiday is a great excuse. Here are our tips for success:

Ask, don’t tell–Your manager is still getting used to you, too, and you can make a good or bad impression here. Request your time off, don’t demand it or sound like you expect it.
Research–If your team has a big event or critical project deadline coming up, wait until after it is over to ask for time off. Take a longer view of the work calendar when making your plans.
Culture–Your new office might be very flexible or keep tightly to a a routine. Keep that in mind when asking for time off. Find out from a colleague what the typical policy is around holidays. Maybe everyone goes home at lunch on Wednesday and you just haven’t heard yet or maybe they have a tradition of working on a particular day.
Keep it short–Unless it was already booked when you took the job (and you told the hiring manager then), don’t plan an actual vacation until you have been in your new job at least 3 months. Even if your company doesn’t have an official “probationary” period, it’s a good idea to institute one of your own. And if you want to take a vacation in the first 6 months, make an appointment to discuss it with your manager before you make your reservations.

Artisan Creative will be closed on Thursday and Friday for the Thanksgiving holiday. We are thankful that you are here and hope you have a very happy one!

Wendy Stackhouse, Consultant for Artisan Creative

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Tweet Your Way to a New Job, Part 2: Companies

Thursday, September 12th, 2013|

Last month we talked about using Twitter as a personal branding tool. We hope that you have set up a handle that gives people an easy way to identify and remember you and populated your profile with interesting and relevant information in case someone decides to find out more about you. We hope that you have also been Tweeting great content and engaging with people in your field.

Now it’s time to look for that perfect role.

You could spend every waking moment on Twitter looking for jobs–like job boards, there are so many listings, so many companies, and only so much time. We don’t recommend this approach. A carefully limited strategy, however, could help you find the opportunities that are just right.

Target Companies

You’ve researched and found your favorite ten or so companies that you think will have the kind of culture you want, the right salary range, have a mission you could be passionate about and are in the right geographical area. They might have one Twitter handle or more; follow the accounts that are relevant to your search.

Search for hashtags to narrow your data even more. Some great examples to try:

#jobopening

#hiring

#HR

#employment

#jobposting

Engage with the people posting to your target company’s accounts. Retweet their content, comment on it and try to establish a relationship. It may feel tenuous, but it is real.

Every relationship has to start somewhere and Twitter is a great place to have a conversation with someone you want to meet but don’t know how or where.

And if you want to see all of the Open Jobs at Artisan Creative in your Twitter Feed, follow us @artisanupdates and search #jobs. We would love to hear from you!

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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Freelancers on a Job Hunt

Tuesday, August 20th, 2013|

At Artisan Creative, we often place people in contract and temp-to-hire positions, giving our talent a chance to test the waters, while giving our clients time to try out talent and find the perfect cultural fit. Freelance roles tend to be more short-term and a long list of them on a resume may make a job seeker who is also a freelancer feel like he or she looks like a job hopper, but those freelance gigs can help if you frame them well:

On your resume:

Instead of listing your freelance jobs by company, list them by category. If you have had consistent work as a Graphic Designer, for example, create a Graphic Design category and list your clients and how long you worked for them, as well as one or two accomplishments for each project as your bullet points.

Listing the projects you worked on as a freelancer between full time roles is a far better strategy than having an empty space in your employment history.

In an interview:

A hiring manager will ask about your freelance work if you have it on your resume. Talk about what you learned and the challenges you overcame working on your freelance projects. Remember–when a company brings on a freelancer, they have a problem to be solved. You solved it and that is a great story. Make sure you practice telling it.

If you have been spending your time between full-time roles as a freelancer, embrace the lessons you have learned and the relationships you have built. Those projects have more than monetary value to you if you don’t apologize for them, but rather celebrate the successes you have had, no matter where or for whom. Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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