1. Don’t worry too much about the qualifications
James Elias, CMO, AVADO: I never pay too much attention to the degree and qualifications – having worked in high-growth companies I’m actually more likely to be looking for people who also have experience of these high-growth environments. Such experience implies they know how to work in an agile way – that they’re athletes who can cope with change and ambiguity and pivot from one role to the next.
2. Don’t underestimate the power of your network
Rachel Smith, HR manager, JJ Marketing: Networking events and external training courses can be good places to find talent. We also have an employee referral scheme where existing colleagues are rewarded if they help us attract the best talent through their own networks. Keeping a candidate database is also helpful. Have you interviewed someone previously who didn’t quite have the experience at the time, but may have since developed further?
Michelle Huff, CMO, Act-On Software: When looking to recruit I always reach out to people I know first. Cultural fit is really important: it’s about more than looking good on paper and interviewing well. It’s always great to know someone who’s seen the individual in question in action.
3. Consider looking for candidates at your local college or university
Natalie Weaving, director, The Typeface Group: Forging relationships with the local college has been a godsend to us. We’ve employed two members of staff via the college, one as a copywriter and another as an apprentice, both of whom came recommended to us through the staff and faculties we work with. Having one in as work experience previously allowed us to almost have a trial period before committing. Apprenticeships are the way to go. They allow us to mould the employee into working how we work, which is different to your typical agency.
"Forging relationships with the local college has been a godsend to us: we’ve employed two members of staff via the college, one as a copywriter and another as an apprentice"
4. View interviews as a two-way street
Lynn Morrison, head of business engagement, Opus Energy: Interviews are as much about finding out if the candidate is right for you as they are a chance for the candidate to find out if your company’s a good fit for them; we structure our interviews to be a 50/50 split. While it’s obvious that it’s in everyone’s best interest to be honest, participants on both sides are often reluctant to do so. To find the best candidate for your opening, you have to create an environment that allows for healthy and honest conversation. We’re frank about what we can offer, and don’t overpromise when we know we will fail.
5. Ask for practical examples of specified skills
Aliya Vigor-Robertson, co-founder, JourneyHR: Test some key elements of the role by asking the individual to present a strategy and outcomes of a previous campaign, or content drafting. Consider facilitating a one-to-one meeting between the candidate and a senior executive to offer them a feel of the leadership team and to observe their ability to manage high-level business interactions.
6. Look for people who are both curious and enthusiastic
Kirsty Brice, director EMEA marketing, 4C Insights: While there are a number of good questions an interviewer should ask, I also think it’s important to take note of the questions a candidate asks. Marketing’s a people-orientated job and you want someone who’s naturally curious and asks questions about the people they’ll be working with as well as the company as a whole. For me, the most memorable interviews have been with candidates who are bright, charismatic and enthusiastic.
7. Remember that unusual backgrounds can bring useful skills
Kirsty Brice, director EMEA marketing, 4C Insights: Despite working in adtech, I’ve often found candidates from a brand marketing background to be invaluable to the team. They look at things differently to me, which means when we collaborate we think of fresh and innovative ideas. With this in mind, I often look at candidates from marketing and PR backgrounds as they have a unique set of skills, which can bring something different to the table.
8. Consider holding a recruitment bootcamp
Sarah Potter, content and marketing manager, Anicca: We’re a digital agency in Leicestershire and it can be often tricky to recruit people within digital marketing. One such way we combat this is by inviting shortlisted candidates to our very own recruitment bootcamp – a little like a nicer version of The Apprentice. We train them, give them a little insight and set them mini-tasks to complete. At the end of the fortnight we re-interview them to discuss what they’ve learnt and if it’s for them, and we make a decision based on that, plus their learning and application of the knowledge in the bootcamp.
9. Have a strong employer brand in place
Rachel Smith, HR manager, JJ Marketing: Make this evident from your job postings, discuss it through the interview process and be prepared to sell the company. Ask yourself what you can offer candidates that your competitors can’t. We regularly conduct benchmarking exercises to ensure our salaries and benefits are competitive. We also invest in our employees and listen to what they want.
James Elias, CMO, AVADO: At Google, where I used to work, the recruitment brand spoke for itself. But whoever you are, it’s important to tell a story of the interesting work that you’re doing and the people doing it. It’s essentially just that: storytelling – lifting the lid on the company and what it stands for.
