Caroline Palmer

Clients: Move quickly, or lose out

Posted Mon, 20/02/2012 - 10:28 by school

Caroline PalmerCaroline Palmer

With the constant barrage of media reports telling us how unemployment figures are rising and that the double dip is looming, anyone would think that it’s a client’s market at the moment – that they have their pick of the candidates on offer. However, the truth is, it’s a candidate led market, and a skills short one at that.

On numerous occasions of late we’ve had great candidates on our books, but clients have missed the boat with them because they’ve been unable to clear space in their diaries to meet them quickly enough. More nimble clients are acting quickly and securing the most gifted candidates.

Clients, while we appreciate you’re incredibly busy please can we ask that you make time to see candidates quickly. We want to secure the best talent for you, but we need to work together to move quickly and ensure we get them into your team, not your competitors.

 

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Don’t overexpose yourself

Posted Mon, 03/10/2011 - 09:17 by school

Caroline Palmer Caroline Palmer

Last week I received a CV and was rather taken aback by the covering letter…

“Please email me in the first instance and only if you have a position to fill - no need to reply if you can't help. Sorry to be blunt but this is heading out to 30+ recruitment agencies and I'm unable to take a phone call from each.”

While this is an extreme case, we are frequently seeing candidates who are spreading themselves very thinly and registering with a large number of recruiters. Don’t get me wrong, I understand that you need to ensure that you’re maximising every available opportunity, but all too often where candidates are registered with so many recruiters they find they are unable to build a strong personal relationship with each recruiter. They are then often put forward for roles which don’t suit their skill set or fit their desires, and most worryingly they lose track of where their CV has been sent.

It doesn’t look great to potential employers if they receive a CV numerous times, it tends to suggest a candidate cannot do something as simple as keep tabs on where their CV has been sent and can be viewed as disorganised or unfocussed.

My advice, pick your recruiters carefully, keep the list short and spend time talking to them and telling them about your hopes and dreams – it’s the way we work here at Direct Recruitment and it works for our candidates!

 

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Stand back, the graduates are coming!

Posted Mon, 18/07/2011 - 10:49 by school

Caroline Caroline Palmer

Last week Direct Recruitment were proud to sponsor The Shelf Awards (http://www.theshelfawards.com/) – a fantastic annual event which allows creative graduates to put themselves in the spotlight. It was an intense evening which saw six creative graduate finalists showcase their work to an array of guests including industry creatives, recruiters and other industry insiders. The guests later became the judging panel and at the end of the evening Jakob and Christoph from Bucks New University were awarded the coveted shelf award. 

Despite pressing deadlines and client commitments, it was great to see so many key industry people at the awards evening. And with the rate at which business cards were being swapped, I suspect the students who were lucky enough to make the final six won’t be short of placement opportunities. Good luck to them!

As for the hundreds of other graduates who didn’t make the Shelf Awards short list – I’d like to say to them that it’s all for the taking – get out there and meet people, there are plenty of high profile industry experts who love nothing more than nurturing new talent.

Oh, and it’s not too late for graduates to get involved in our Graduate Gallery – find out more here (http://direct-recruitment.co.uk/graduate-gallery)

Prize

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Calling all graduates…

Posted Mon, 13/06/2011 - 09:11 by school

Caroline Palmer Caroline Palmer

Portfolios at the ready, our Graduate Gallery is now open!

The Graduate Gallery is a space for young creative talent to be put into the spotlight and get the exposure it deserves. Showcasing graduates from art directors, to digital designers, copywriters and everything in between, the gallery will exhibit the cream of the crop and be shared with some of the brightest and most exciting agencies.

So, if you’re a recent (or soon to be) graduate then this is your opportunity to get your work in front of London’s best Creative Directors. It’s simple to apply, for more information visit our website www.direct-recruitment.co.uk/graduate-gallery.

We can’t wait to see your work!

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Giving creative graduates the exposure they deserve

Posted Mon, 23/05/2011 - 14:47 by school

Carlo Caroline Palmer

As an industry we cannot underestimate the value of young talent, after all, they are the future of the business.  Yet with the ongoing tightening of belts graduates are struggling to get the opportunities and exposure they deserve.

Here at Direct Recruitment we want to nurture this creative talent and help to bring the most gifted people out of the shadows. So, let me introduce our new project – The Graduate Gallery.

The Graduate Gallery is an online gallery where graduates get the opportunity to showcase their best work, and ultimately get their campaigns in front of some of London’s top Creative Directors.

So, how can graduates get involved?

With the gallery launching soon we’re inviting graduates to register their interest with us by emailing us on graduates@direct-recruitment.co.uk

Creative Directors, watch this space – once all the work is hanging nicely in the gallery we’ll let you take a peek.

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Getting your foot on the ladder

Posted Mon, 11/04/2011 - 11:12 by Anonymous

Caroline Palmer Caroline Palmer



It’s always incredible when I advertise a junior role as, without fail, I get a huge response – somewhere in the region of ten times the volume of applicants for a middleweight or senior role. It’s really quite amazing. That said, the number of those applicants who would get a foot in the door of an agency for an interview is quite slim.

With the vast numbers of juniors looking for roles, you need to make sure you stand out over and above the other applicants. Here are some ideas of how to make sure you get noticed…

Get some work experience

Employers simply love you to have some industry experience. It not only shows your dedication to working in the industry, but also gives them the reassurance that you know what you’re getting yourself into and won’t leave to become a policeman after the first month.

Shape up your CV

While CVs come in all shapes and sizes, it’s important that you make sure all the key information is included. Take a look at Katherine’s blog from a few weeks ago to see our top tips.

Share your portfolio

If you’re looking for a creative role, then you need to show us that you can be creative. Create an online portfolio which showcases your college/university work, freelance jobs, as well as projects you’ve completed in your own time.

Look in to graduate schemes

Many agencies run graduate schemes, and these are a fantastic way of getting into the industry. You’ll often get to experience all areas of the business – from planning, to account handling, to creative – so you can really find your dream role.

I’m not saying it’s easy, but with a bit of hard work and creativity you can find a role to suit you.

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Breaking through the marzipan layer

Posted Fri, 04/03/2011 - 15:50 by Anonymous

Caroline Palmer Caroline Palmer

A recent report by the Institute of Leadership & Management confirms that progress in gender equality in the workplace is making slow headway – the findings show that although women make up roughly half the workforce, far fewer women than men reach senior management and leadership positions*. Its disappointing reading to say the least. Don’t panic though, I’m not suggesting we all burn our bras, rather let’s take a more considered approach to righting this wrong.

Let me introduce you to Marzipan. It’s a new cross industry networking group aimed at women who form the layer of employee below the highest level in a company or organisation – hence the name – these are essentially the women to watch as the next generation of business leaders. The group has been set up to offer face-to-face networking opportunities for women at this level, with a view to exchanging ideas and inspiring one another.

The group plans to hold two events per annum, with it being supported throughout the year by an online forum where women can network, exchange business ideas and access tips and support to help them break through the Marzipan Layer.

If it sounds like something you’d like to get involved in then please register your interest and find out more at www.thomaseggar.com/ebulletins/marzipan

The first event is going to be held on Thursday 31st March. We look forward to seeing you there!

* Access the full report here: http://www.i-l-m.com/research-and-comment/9506.aspx

 

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Bring on 2011!

Posted Fri, 07/01/2011 - 16:34 by Anonymous

Caroline Palmer Caroline Palmer

Did you dread coming back to work on the 4th January? Are you getting itchy feet in your current role? Or have you made a New Year’s resolution to take on a new challenge? Well, I’ve got some good news…

Since we opened the Direct Recruitment doors for 2011 it’s been particularly busy. Agencies across London are charging into the new year with enthusiasm and positivity (which to be honest is a breath of fresh air), they have exciting and ambitious plans in place, and now need the talent to make sure they deliver.

We’ve got some fantastic roles, working on some huge brands, in some amazing agencies, all we need now is brilliant candidates. Creative or suit, we’d love to hear from you, so drop us a line today on 020 7287 1171 – we’d love to chat!

 

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Good portfolios win interviews

Posted Mon, 22/11/2010 - 15:56 by Anonymous

Caroline Palmer Caroline Palmer

A good portfolio is the key to getting an interview – so what should it look like?

There are several schools of thought here. I spoke to one Creative Director last week who said all she wants to see is your best three campaigns which can demonstrate your suitability for her agency, yet another told me he wants to see all your work in an online portfolio, enabling him to flick through and pick the campaigns which interest him the most. As you can see, it’s a bit of a mine field.

Personally, I’m a huge fan of Carbonmade.com. It provides creatives with a simple format for showcasing their work which is easily navigable, user friendly and (selfishly) won’t clog up my inbox. We can satisfy both of the aforementioned Creative Directors by sending them your website link and directing them to the campaigns which best demonstrate your experience.

This isn’t to say that the traditional portfolio is dead. Far from it! In an ideal world all my candidates would have both a website and a traditional portfolio which can be tailored for interviews. Whatever you do, do not underestimate the importance of your portfolio!

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It’s all in the presentation

Posted Fri, 08/10/2010 - 15:52 by Anonymous

Caroline Palmer Caroline Palmer

While this post may be more geared towards my creative candidates, I’m pretty certain that there are some thoughts in here which will be helpful to all our candidates.

So, I’d like you to take a moment and picture a future employer receiving and reading your CV… What expression is on their face? Is it confusion? Chances are it might be. I see an awful lot of CVs every day, and more often than not they’re a little tricky to either understand or to read. And it’s generally down to the way they are designed, believe me it varies drastically - fonts, colours, layout, images, content…

I would like you to really carefully consider your approach to your CV. As a creative who needs to represent themselves on paper this a wonderful opportunity to sell yourself and truly demonstrate your talent. It’s a chance for copywriters to show their ability to craft words (and also spot spelling mistakes). And it’s an opportunity for designers and art directors to show how they can create a visually arresting piece of work. However, while it is a blank canvas, please do remember that it is still a very functional piece of communication so needs to be clear and easily digestible. Get your CV right and you’re one step closer to an interview!

If you’re unsure about what information you should include on your CV, check out our CV tips page here: http://www.direct-recruitment.co.uk/write-a-killer-cv

Revisit your CV now, view it through the eyes of a future employer and try to see it from their perspective. And just in case there is any confusion - yellow copy on white paper will never work.

 

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