News | SCC Talent

Checklist for success

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 02:22:34 GMT

Interview tips:

Got an interview coming up?

We've pulled together some of the best practice tips we've seen by top performing candidates, to help you prepare.

Solid research, carefully crafted case studies and behavioural examples. This list will help you prepare in a comprehensive way and set you on your way to success:

☑️ Know who owns the company and how the company is structured. Private, Listed, Franchise network.. can impact culture and the talent they look for.

☑️ Look into who previously held the role (and how long they have stayed). Do you know anyone in the business? Can you reach out to anyone to gain insight?

☑️ See if you can gain a copy of the org structure chart (ask your recruiter).

☑️ Review the website & social media. Look for clues such as latest campaigns, how integrated is CRM or Loyalty?

☑️ Visit a physical store (if they have one).

☑️ Sign up for their email and SMS (and Loyalty Program if they have one). Analyse the experience.

☑️ Ask your recruiter for example EDMs if you can’t access them and have a POV on what’s working, what’s not, what you’d improve.

☑️ Understand any customer pain points or marketing challenge

☑️ Review key competitors — what are they doing better (or worse) in CRM and Loyalty?

☑️ Understand their tech stack (Email, CDP, ecommerce, data tools) and how your experience might relate (make sure your recruiter shares this with you).

☑️ Know your numbers: revenue, engagement, retention, LTV, conversion

☑️ Have a verbal case-study prepared about your best campaign or achievement

☑️ Practice common interview questions (use the STAR method, ask AI to suggest some Q&A)

☑️ Prepare thoughtful questions to ask them about the role

☑️ Look up the hiring manager on LinkedIn — and get a sense of their background. Ask your recruiter if they have any insight to their personality style or what they may be looking for.

Congratulations. You are on your way!

Important Alert

Sat, 10 Jan 2026 06:23:59 GMT

Recipe for success

Sun, 09 Nov 2025 22:47:16 GMT

The recipe for a CV that gets you hired.

When a recruiter opens your CV, it should feel enticing and attention grabbing, like a great restaurant menu.

And I believe one of the biggest secret ingredients for a great CV is.. RELEVANCE.

Think about it: when you’re hungry, you don’t want to be handed a list of every single ingredient in the kitchen. You want a clear, well-designed menu that shows you the signature dishes—the things that make you say “yes, that’s exactly what I’m after.”

Your CV works the same way. Too many jobseekers try to include everything they’ve ever done. The result? A cluttered menu list that forces the reader to dig around for what matters. And honestly—most potential employers and recruiters won’t bother. They’ll just “walk out of the restaurant.”

Here’s how to make your CV more enticing.

Lead with relevance – Put your most important “dishes” (skills and achievements) upfront. Don’t make people flip through the whole menu to find the specials.

Balance flavour and substance – Duties are the ingredients, achievements are the taste. You need both, but they should work together to tell the story.

Serve the dish they’re hungry for – Every job exists to solve a problem—more sales, smoother processes, better customer experiences. Read the job description carefully and make sure your CV serves up the “dish” that satisfies that hunger. Don’t just list what’s in your pantry—show them you’ve cooked (and delivered) exactly what they’re ordering.

Pair it with context – A great menu doesn’t just list “beef”; it tells you it’s slow-cooked for 12 hours in red wine. Likewise, don’t just say “managed projects”—explain how, and what impact it had.

Edit ruthlessly – No restaurant puts every recipe they’ve ever cooked onto the menu. Cut the clutter so your best work shines.

At the end of the day, your CV should be those carefully chosen dishes that will make the hiring manager say: “This is exactly what we’ve been looking for.”

So before you apply, ask yourself:

Am I serving up a menu that makes my skills irresistible?

Or am I just handing over an ingredient list and hoping they figure it out?

Key Industry Events 2025/2026

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 02:02:30 GMT

It's networking & event season. Key event dates for your diary.

Looking to stay ahead? Well, then it’s time to jump into some of the key industry networking opportunities.

Below is a curated list of industry events, perfect for those working in, or looking to get into the digital, marketing, creative, product and tech industries. There is huge value in being part of these shared experiences. Make some new connections, learn from expert thought-leaders or simply have a bit of fun.

October 2025

SXSW Sydney , 13-19 October, Sydney

The SXSW Sydney Conference is where the world’s brightest minds and boldest ideas converge in the Asia-Pacific. Across five days, creators, innovators, and leaders from every corner of the globe gather to share insights, spark collaborations and shape the future of their industries.

CX Retreat : 21-22 October, Victoria. Ashton Media

Following in the footsteps of the longstanding and highly respected Customer 360 Symposium in NSW, the CX Retreat will host 80 of Victoria’s most senior CX leaders for two days of intimate networking and idea sharing located in the beautiful Mornington Peninsula.

Melbourne Marketing Forum , 23 October

We are big fans of this intimate, insightful and cost-effective event held regularly in Melbourne. We always come away with great insights and the formal networking time allows you to make wonderful connections.

Ecommerce & Marketplaces Round Table, 23 October, Melbourne, Power Retail

This round table involve a light lunch, a content-rich half day workshop, followed by networking drinks and a relaxed 3-course dinner. The boardroom format and the pre-work to curate the workshop agenda ensures that it is a very interactive session.

Marketing Leaders Summit , 29 October, Crown Melbourne

Gain actionable insights for addressing the industry’s most pressing challenges to date. This event is designed with brand strategy, tactics and data insights at its core, equipping professionals with the tools, creative vision and connections necessary for optimising operations, bolster engagement and driving growth – all while achieving key business priorities for the future.

IAB Brisbane Market Update , 29 October, State Library of Queensland

The IAB Australia team are returning to Brisbane for our third year to provide a market update together with a range of local industry colleagues. IAB members, agencies and marketers attended this session with over two hours of content followed by networking.

2025 Loyalty Insights Networking Event , 30 October, W Sydney

Gain early access to key industry-specific insights from the 2025 Loyalty Insights Report — the most in-depth research of its kind — followed by facilitated roundtable discussions designed to spark ideas and collaboration.

March, 2026

2026 Asia Pacific Loyalty Awards, 19th March 2026, Sofitel Melbourne.

Customer Experience Symposium , March 31- April 1st 2026, Hunter Valley, Ashton Media.

The Customer 360 Symposium returns to the beautiful Hunter Valley from March 31 – April 1, 2026. Now in its 13th year, this exclusive two-day event combines the CX Symposium and the Customer Insights Symposium.

May, 2026

Cairns Crocodiles , 12-14 May 2026

Asia-Pacific’s premier festival. bringing advertising, creativity, marketing and media together. Super early-bird tickets available now.

Mumbrella 360 , 26-28 May, 2026

Australia and New Zealand’s biggest media and marketing conference, Mumbrella360, brings together the biggest and best speakers from all over the world.

Check out these events and jump in. Whether it’s your first or 1000th industry event, lifelong learning is important to amidst rapid technical change in the industry. We hope to see you there!

If there's an event you'd like us to feature or promote to our network an event please reach out to email@scctalent.com.au

In the press: CX Job Market Demands

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 06:45:19 GMT

Featured Article: CX FOCUS Magazine

The Australian Customer Experience (CX) job market is evolving quickly with organisations looking for talent that can bring both strategic insight and hands-on technical expertise to the table.

Recently, SCC Talent’s Managing Partner, Fiona Gilfillan, sat down with Mark Atterby, Editor of CX Focus Magazine , to share insights into how the market is shifting and what this means for candidates and employers.

In the conversation, Fiona highlighted the increasing value placed on professionals who can balance big-picture CX strategy with data-driven execution. While competition remains tough for senior roles, there’s a growing recognition that businesses need adaptable talent who can work across strategy, analytics, and delivery.

It’s an exciting time for CX as the function cements itself as a driver of growth, customer loyalty, and business performance. We’re thrilled to contribute to the conversation and to see CX Focus shining a light on the opportunities and challenges shaping the industry.

You can read the full interview with Fiona on the CX Focus Magazine website.

Retail Media: Opportunities and Roles in Australia

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 05:03:17 GMT

Retail Media: Roles & Skills in demand.

The Australian retail media market in 2025 is marked by rapid growth, and teams are chasing talent who understand in-store retail, cross-channel digital marketing, media planning and buying, strategy, audience segmentation, commerce, data and insights, ad tech — the list goes on.

Once considered a niche channel, retail media has exploded into a multi-billion-dollar global industry and Australia is quickly maturing as an industry. As major retailers build their own media networks, brands are realising the potential of connecting with shoppers at the point of purchase, using rich first-party data to deliver more targeted, measurable campaigns.

For talent, this growth means a wave of new opportunities from specialist roles within retailer-owned networks, to agency teams, vendors and tech platforms supporting the ecosystem.

We’re seeing demand across multiple skill sets:

1. Retail Media Managers & Specialists

Focused on campaign delivery, ad inventory management and liaising with brand partners. These roles require strong stakeholder management and a mix of media and commercial acumen.

2. Data & Insights Analysts

Experts who translate first-party shopper data into actionable insights informing targeting, creative and campaign optimisation.

3. Partnerships & Sales Managers

Building relationships with brands and agencies to drive media revenue. Often these roles seek talent with a background in media sales or publisher environments. rom a sales perpective, the ability to present compelling stories with customer data is vital.

4. Ad Operations Specialists

Hands-on delivery roles managing ad trafficking, QA, reporting and troubleshooting. Experience with retail media ad tech is a bonus.

5. Strategy & Product Roles

One of the most challenging roles to find in the current market, the product manager shaping the offering, pricing models and product roadmap of a retail media network. Often involves cross-functional collaboration between marketing, eCommerce, and technology teams.

Skills in Demand

Media planning and buying experience (particularly from publisher backgrounds)
Advertising Sales (being able to tell a compelling story with customer data insights)
Knowledge of retail and eCommerce ecosystems
Stakeholder engagement and partner management
Data literacy — ability to interpret and act on insights
Ad tech know-how (DSPs, retail media platforms, attribution tools)
Adaptability – can cope with the level of change and ambiguity in a growing industry

Opportunities for Talent

If you’re coming from media, advertising or eCommerce, retail media could be your next big career move. It can be a perfect opportunity for agency talent to move to an in-house environment as big retailers start to build in-house teams and the perfect opportunity to combine marketing, data, technology, and retail capabilities in a dynamic and fast-growing sector.

Is AI Changing CRM & Loyalty Jobs?

fiona@scctalent.com.au (Fiona Gilfillan) — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 02:35:22 GMT

Is AI changing CRM & Loyalty jobs

If you are a CRM or Loyalty marketer, you’ve probably heard it already: AI is going to change everything . But what does that actually mean for your role—and should you be worried?

The short answer? Yes, AI is changing CRM—but you won’t be out of job.

If you work in CRM or Loyalty, automation has been a big part of the role for some time. AI features in CRM platforms to automate, predict and personalise. From smart segmentation and predictive modelling to dynamic content generation and performance forecasting, Tools like Emarsys, Salesforce, Klaviyo, and HubSpot are advancing automation to help users decide who to talk to, what to say, and when to say it – so it’s not an entirely new feature.

But while the tools may advance rapidly with their use of AI, the strategy still needs a human . CRM professionals who understand audience behaviour, lifecycle thinking, and how to interpret the why behind the data will remain irreplaceable.

AI in Loyalty:

In Loyalty marketing, predictive AI is typically applied across three key areas:

1. Propensity analysis:

AI can assess how likely a customer is to take a specific action—like referring a friend or redeeming an offer—and trigger the right message at the right time.

2. Proactive insights for marketers

Predictive AI doesn’t just respond it can recommend. Whether it’s suggesting a tweak to loyalty tiers, rebalancing reward thresholds, or flagging campaigns that are underperforming, AI provides marketers with smart prompts to optimise performance in real time.

3. Fraud detection and mitigation

Loyalty fraud is a growing concern, especially internally. Predictive AI can track behavioural patterns to flag unusual activity, pause suspicious redemptions, and help protect the integrity of a program.

Where to focus your AI efforts:

You don’t need to become a data scientist but it is time to get comfortable with AI-powered tools. Here’s where to focus:

Understand your CRM platform’s AI features. Chances are, there’s functionality in your stack you’re not yet using.

Learn the language of prompts. Keep your personal skills sharp and learn how to ideate using prompts or gain efficiencies in your daily work. It’s less about becoming technical—and more about becoming AI fluent. Know what questions to ask, understand what’s possible, and stay curious.

Deepen your understanding of lifecycle strategy AI might tell you when someone is likely to churn, but you still need to know how to respond and what message will matter.

Keep across new developments like Agentic search. Savvy marketers should keep across the impact of AI agents and audit their loyalty offerings for AI discoverability. Stay close to this industry topic through industry talks, events and articles – it’s something your business will need to know.

Stay human . AI doesn’t replace empathy, creativity or brand voice—it amplifies them when used well. Your role as a marketer will be to control and guard the brand voice and message relevance in your customer communications.

AI is here to stay...and it’s going to make CRM and Loyalty roles more interesting, not less. The marketers who thrive will be the ones who know how to use AI as a tool , not see it as a threat.

Your future CRM and Loyalty toolkit? It’s still data, empathy, and strategy just with a few smarter tools in the mix.

How to break through in a competitive market

fiona@scctalent.com.au (Fiona Gilfillan) — Wed, 28 May 2025 06:52:44 GMT

How to break through in a competitive market.

It’s no secret that the job market is tough right now. Whether you’re in CRM, customer experience, loyalty, or digital marketing, you’ve probably noticed roles are more competitive, hiring decisions are slower, and there are less opportunities than a few years ago.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Great people are still getting hired. Candidates who are prepared and proactive are still landing fantastic roles—even in this market.

So, how do you stand out in a competitive market of professionals?

Be visible.

In a world where most hiring starts online, your digital presence is doing a lot of the heavy lifting before you even have a conversation. LinkedIn continues to be a critical platform where hiring managers, internal talent teams, and recruiters form their first impression. A strong, current profile that clearly articulates your experience, impact, and expertise can genuinely make a difference in how often you get approached—or even noticed.

And it’s not just about your profile. Engaging with content, sharing industry updates, or commenting on others’ posts keeps you top of mind. You’re not just looking for a job—you’re showing up as someone connected, switched on, and informed.

Deeply address the job description.

Next comes the application process. In a competitive market, tailoring your application is essential. That means really reading the job description and using the language and criteria outlined to guide how you position your experience. If you’re applying for a CRM Manager role that emphasises loyalty strategy and retention, make sure those are front and centre in your CV. Use metrics to back up your impact, and write a cover letter (or intro note) that connects the dots between your background and what the business is looking for.

Pick up the phone.

It’s also worth picking up the phone (if appropriate) to speak with the recruiter or hiring manager. A quick, well-prepared conversation can help you understand whether the role is the right fit, and it puts your name and voice to the top of the pile. Just be sure to keep the call concise and relevant.

Prepare and practise.

If you’re invited to interview, preparation really is everything. Do your research. Learn what you can about the company—its mission, clients, competitors, recent work—and think about how your skills and experience align. Prepare examples of your work using the STAR method, and be ready to speak to your business impact. Hiring managers aren’t just looking for someone who can do the job; they’re looking for someone who can add real value. The more clearly you can communicate your achievements, the more memorable you’ll be.

Bring curiosity and energy.

Also, come with questions. Interviews are a two-way street, and thoughtful questions show you’ve invested time in the process. Ask about the team, the company’s direction, the challenges the role might tackle. Curiosity and enthusiasm are qualities that often leave a lasting impression—and we’ve seen many clients lean towards a slightly less experienced candidate because of the attitude they brought to the table.

And of course, in this new era of hybrid work, being comfortable on video is key. That means making sure your setup works, your background is clean, and you’re presenting yourself as professionally as you would in an in-person interview. It’s a little detail that adds up.

Play the long game.

Finally, we encourage job seekers to be pragmatic and play the long game. Sometimes the perfect role doesn’t appear straight away—but that doesn’t mean you can’t make a smart, strategic move in the meantime. A contract or interim role might buy you time, keep your skills sharp, and lead to new opportunities. A role that’s a slight step back in title but offers long-term growth could actually catapult your career forward. It’s about making decisions that keep you moving, even when the road looks a little different than you’d planned.

No matter what, don’t let the current climate knock your confidence. If you’re landing interviews, it’s because you’ve got what it takes. Focus on what you can control—how you show up, how you tell your story, and how you connect with people along the way.

And if you ever want advice, a second opinion, or a connection into the right business, we’re here. Helping people get hired—strategically and confidently—is what we do best.

Retail Media in Australia - An American's perspective

fiona@scctalent.com.au (Fiona Gilfillan) — Tue, 13 May 2025 01:41:48 GMT

Retail Media Perspective:

Dennis Gesumaria is a seasoned media and technology executive with a strong background in ad-tech and sales gain in the US market - working with Walmart's Retail Media offering Walmart Connect. After relocating to Melbourne last year, Dennis shares his insights on the evolution of retail media in Australia, offering a unique perspective.

How would you describe "Retail Media"?

Retail media is often misunderstood as something entirely new, when in fact it’s a convergence of many technologies developed by the adtech industry over the years - enhanced by retailers’ first-party data and closed-loop measurement. This combination creates a unique and powerful proposition for advertisers across channels like programmatic, search, social, and digital out-of-home. It’s where commerce and mediaintersect in a highly targetable, measurable and impactful way.

What’s the key difference you see between the state of Retail Media in Australia compared to the US?

The biggest difference I can see is in maturity and scale of the market. In the United States, retail media is highly advanced and built out. Players like Amazon, Walmart, and Target offer full funnel solutions that have been around for years and continue to be enhanced with new features and capabilities. In contrast, Australia is still in an early growth phase, with retailers like Coles, Woolworths and Bunnings building out their offerings, but capabilities are more limited.

Working with a big retailer like Walmart, how was Retail Media structured across the different brands?

Given the size of a retailer like Walmart, the retail media division (called Walmart Connect) was complex. Partner managers were assigned to the various supplier accounts and organised based on store category (Personal Care, Food and Beverage, Apparel, etc.). The partner management teams were expected to educate suppliers around retail media offerings, negotiate Joint Business Plans (JBPs) and ensure retail media marketing dollars were being spent in a way that achieved the goals of the brand

and ensured their products were top of mind - and in the shopping carts - of the Walmart customer.

How close was the relationship between the Retail Media division and the Trade area?

Partner managers work very closely with the Walmart merchant teams. Walmart merchants are the buyer and category managers responsible for sourcing and managingproducts sold at Walmart. The retail media team, retail advertising/in-store team, and the merchant team work as a cohesive unit to meet the marketing needs of the advertiser and ensure all goals are being met - especially for new product releases or products the team wants to emphasise that season.

What do you think it takes to build a successful career in this space?

As retail media continues to gain momentum in Australia, success in this space requires a unique blend of skills drawn from adtech, data, and commerce. Professionals need a strong grasp of programmatic advertising, search, first-party data, and closed-loop measurement to navigate the evolving landscape. It’s essential to understand how media channels like display, search, social, and digital out-of-home can be strategically leveraged to drive commerce outcomes. Equally important are data literacy, client

management, and the ability to connect media performance to business results.

Familiarity with retail operations, tools like CDPs and CRM systems, and an understanding of the Australian retail ecosystem are also beneficial. As the sector matures, innovative thinkers who can collaborate across commercial, marketing, and tech teams will be well-positioned to lead.

What has been the biggest technological innovation you have seen in the industry?

I would say the use of AI in optimisation of sponsored search campaigns is a huge innovation. So much work goes into optimising campaigns and reaching ROI goals - and I was happy to see the huge progress made by ‘Auto’ campaign settings at Walmart, eliminating the need for many of the manual optimisations.

What are your predictions for the growth in this industry?

The retail media industry is forecasted to growth exponentially - both in Australia and globally. Some of the biggest growth areas I think we are going to see are in AI and automation, expansion of off-site capabilities, increased reporting capabilities, and smaller, more focused retail networks appearing (and subsequently most likely consolidating - which is always a trend in adtech).

For the Australian market in particular, I am expecting to see the emergence of more sponsored search and offsite capabilities, as well as non-endemic advertisers making use of the plethora of data options available from retail networks.

Thinking of Moving from Agency to Client-Side?

fiona@scctalent.com.au (Fiona Gilfillan) — Tue, 13 May 2025 00:45:22 GMT

Thinking of Moving from Agency to Client-Side? Here’s What to Expect.

If you’ve been in the agency world for a while, chances are you’ve thought about going client-side. After a few years of juggling multiple accounts and a lifestyle where your client controls a lot of your time, a more focused in-house role can sound pretty appealing.

But before you make the leap, it’s worth knowing how different the worlds really are—and what hiring managers are looking for when bringing agency talent into client-side marketing roles .

1. You’ll go deep, not wide

One of the biggest shifts is depth. Agency life is fast and broad—you’re across multiple clients, brands, and industries. It’s such a great way to gain a lot of experience and exposure early in your career. On the client side, you’ll usually be focused on one customer journey, one brand ecosystem, and one long-term roadmap.

That means more and more long-term planning, reporting, and optimisation. If you love building, refining, and owning your work—client-side could be a great fit.

2. Internal stakeholder management is huge

In an agency, the client is the client. Internally, you’ve got your account service team members and your specialist creative, media, production department relationships – all focused on delivering for your client – there’s a common goal.

Client-side, you’ll often have to manage multiple internal stakeholders—Sales, Product, Digital, IT, Finance—all with their own priorities. Soft skills like influence, communication, and internal education are just as important as your marketing expertise.

3. You might need to “unpack” your experience

This one’s key— hiring managers often struggle to understand agency titles and transferable skills.

If your CV says “Account Director”, but you’ve been leading the CRM or Loyalty strategy for your client, make that crystal clear. Talk about the tech, the data, the outcomes. Strip out the agency jargon and frame your experience in a way that’s relevant to marketing role.

4. Tech and tools are important.

Client-side marketing teams are often looking for hands-on experience with specific tools—Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Braze, Adobe Campaign, HubSpot, etc.

If you’ve been strategy-side in agency and never touched the platform, consider getting certified or asking for exposure before you leave. It’ll help bridge the gap and open up more roles.

5. Prepare for the culture change

Agency life is fast, creative, social, and exhilarating. No two days are the same. Client-side teams tend to have more structure, clearer processes, and a bigger focus on long-term outcomes.

If you’re ready deeper ownership of your work—it might be the right move, but it’s always good to do your research and be aware that it will be a different work experience.

Thinking about making the switch?

If looking for your next challenge, we can help you figure out what’s next.

Drop us a note—we’re here for honest advice, not just roles.

Hiring in CRM, CX or Loyalty? What You Need to Know Right Now

fiona@scctalent.com.au (Fiona Gilfillan) — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 01:51:52 GMT

Hiring in CRM, CX or Loyalty? What You Need to Know Right Now.

For Melbourne & Sydney Marketing Teams building data-driven functions.

If you’re trying to hire a CRM Manager, Loyalty Specialist, or Customer Experience lead right now, you’ve probably noticed it’s competitive for top talent.

Even though there’s plenty of talk about a “softening” market, when it comes to data-driven marketing roles —particularly across CX, CRM, Loyalty and Automation —it’s still competitive.

Here’s a quick snapshot of what we’re seeing in the market right now, and what you should keep in mind if you’re planning to grow your team.

1. Strong talent is still being snapped up.

Top candidates in CRM, Lifecycle and Marketing Automation aren’t sitting around waiting for job ads. They’re being tapped on the shoulder—and often have multiple conversations on the go.

If you’re hiring, it’s important to move quickly and have a tight, engaging process. Long delays or unclear briefs can easily cost you the best people.

2. There’s a real shortage of Junior to Mid-level candidates.

There’s been a noticeable gap in the market for junior to mid level candidates. This is making it hard for businesses that want someone hands-on but not too junior.

Hiring managers are often faced with two choices:

�� Invest in more senior talent with proven strategy + leadership

�� Hire junior and up-skill internally.

University’s have identified this gap and new courses such as RMIT’s Marketing Technology major is aiming to prepare job ready candidates in a few years’ time. We've been delighted to help provide market insight and support for this course.

3. Senior candidates are looking for their next challenge.

Senior CRM or CX leaders are having conversations about getting exposure to the right experience. They’re looking for purpose, smarter tech stacks, and a seat at the strategy table.

4. Consulting is popular.. but competitive.

We’re seeing a shift towards consultancy for many senior CX and CRM Strategy candidates as they await the right opportunity. The market is competitive and we have a strong pool of candidates we can align according to business need/problem.

5. Location still matters (but flexibility is key).

Most candidates desire some degree of in-office connection and hybrid work is the sweet-spot offering the best opportunity to attract great talent. Location is a key consideration as travel-time and cost are factored into decision making.

Does your CV need a makeover?

fiona@scctalent.com.au (Fiona Gilfillan) — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 23:13:34 GMT

Does your CV need a Stylist?

CV’s have amped up their style game over the last few years. As pro-level graphic design tools have become more accessible through programs like Canva, your CV style can play a role in painting a picture of the type of candidate you are, so there’s value in giving your CV a bit of style-love and finesse using the very latest CV design templates.

Should I choose a bold creative design and colour. Will it help me stand out?

If you work in a creative field then a bold, striking CV can be a great way of demonstrating your design skills and give a sense of your creative personality but may not be suitable if you are applying for a corporate role. Also be aware that most companies and recruiters use software (ATS) that will screen for key words and your files need to be easy to scan and upload. Complicated designs can sometimes not parse successfully through this software and put you at risk of missing out.

Should I include a photo?

This was once the most commonly asked questions about a CV design, but is now irrelevant. Most recruiters will check against your LinkedIn profile and will see your headshot so it’s really a personal preference if you want to include a photo on your CV or not. If you have a wonderful, professional looking headshot that represents you well, then it can help you stand out and leave a good impression.

How many pages?

The general rule of thumb is that a CV should be two pages long. Whilst it can be a challenge if you have a lot of experience, remember that your ability to present information with clarity is a great reflection of your communication style. There are ways of cleverly condensing information on your CV with design, so explore your options.

What’s the most popular CV design?

As recruiters we see 1000s of CVs – it’s our job to review them day in, day out, so we’ve seen just about every possible design format around. These days 80-90% of CVs are a Canva templated CV usually following a familiar format of a vertical side bar featuring skills, education and contact details. Given the prolific nature of designed CV’s, those that represent an older word format style can look a bit dated, so a style refresh is a good idea! Most people have a standard format that they update every time they move jobs but if you have a template originally created in 2010..it might look a bit dated.

If you are struggling with your CV design and want some expert advice, feel free to get in touch with our team. Whilst we aren't CV designers we are more than happy to give advice and helpful suggestions.

Top resources to help you up-skill in AI

fiona@scctalent.com.au (Fiona Gilfillan) — Sun, 19 Jan 2025 23:07:18 GMT

Level-up your AI knowledge.

"AI won't take your job. It's somebody using AI that will take your job".

It's that sentiment that has most of us scrambling to learn as much as we can about AI as quickly as we can. Can I be working more efficiently? Do I understand how AI is currently being used in my industry? How can I future-proof myself?

We've spoken to Marketing and Advertising practitioners for some top resources on where you might start getting up to speed quickly:

AI and its application in the workforce:

University of Sydney - AI Fluency : This short course is designed for Executives & Managers curious about the application in the workforce. It will help you to build an understanding of the opportunities, capabilities and challenges of artificial intelligence and engage confidently with key AI stakeholders.

RMIT: Artificial Intelligence in Marketing : Over 6 weeks this short course will elevate your marketing skills with real-world AI martech and ethical strategies to keep pace with the rapidly evolving landscape.

TAFE NSW: Free, micro-courses introducing you to AI literacy

AI and your personal productivity:

Inventium AI Productivity Masterclass : In this one day in-person masterclass, you will transform your productivity, enhance decision-making, and lead with AI-powered insights. Next session is 11th March, 2025

AI Masterclass with Justin Kabbani : Justin Kabbani is an ex-Agency founder and has specialised in AI productivity. He runs engaging courses for business teams and individuals around Australia.

Coursera : A list of great resources to help you refine your ChatGPT prompting skills.

Human Edge AI Training : An online video course "How to train your AI Dragon" run by AI training expert Leanne Shelton helping your team to embrace AI to improve productivity.

IDEO U AI and Design Thinking : A three-part, self-paced workshop to help you integrate AI into your idea generation, research synthesis and prototyping skills.

Your Summer hot list: Books & Podcasts

fiona@scctalent.com.au (Fiona Gilfillan) — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 03:38:07 GMT

Great summer reads to set you up for 2025.

Revenge of the Tipping Point: Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering by Malcolm Gladwell.

Small actions lead to big results. Gladwell, also known for Outliers, Blink, and David & Goliath, digs into the power of social influence and shows how small shifts can have massive ripple effects on people, organizations, and movements.

The Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking About by Mel Robbins.

Let go of what you can’t control. Robbins’s guide shows you how to empower yourself by stepping back and letting things unfold without micromanaging. For founders, this approach can lead to growth by focusing energy where it matters.

Uptime: Laura Mae Martin

Every day, tens of thousands of Google employees, from executives to interns, rely on Laura Mae Martin’s tips and best practices for how to make the most of their time. As many of us have moved to a hybrid environment blending work and home, managing our time efficiently and remaining productive is more important than ever.

Uptime explains how to make technology work for you and make “productive Zen” your new normal. It’s a blueprint for operating at the highest levels of productivity while enhancing your own personal wellbeing. .

Great podcasts for CRM/Loyalty.

Let's Talk Loyalty: Paula Thomas

Created for loyalty marketing industry professionals around the world, who design, run, and optimise marketing programmes in order to drive customer loyalty . A weekly podcast for loyalty marketers.

Customer Confidential : Bain & Company: Untold stories of Earned Growth

The Customer Confidential Podcast unlocks a world of unparalleled customer and employee loyalty insights. Take a deep dive into discussions on CX, customer journey, customer insights, Net Promoter Score, and more. Every episode is a master class in loyalty.

One to One Leadership Conversations : SCC Talent

For home-grown insights into leading Australian loyalty and CRM talent: who they are, how they achieved success and unique perspectives on the industry, spend some time going through the back-log of interviews on our SCC Talent podcast. There's a treasure-trove of career insight!

Loyalty Wired : Loyalty Wired

The latest loyalty news and best practices from around the world.

Black T-Shirts : Mik Made

Hosted by Adam Ferrier lading CMO Brent Smart, showcasing creativity in marketing.

The CX Cast : Forrester

Provides recent research, analysis, and news from the entire customer experience (CX) community.

The Diary of a CEO: Steven Bartlett

One of the highest-ranked global podcasts, Steven chats with influential people, experts and thinkers in thought-provoking episodes.

Catherine Hooson: empathy and courage the ingredients for a successful CX career.

fiona@scctalent.com.au (Fiona Gilfillan) — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 04:57:28 GMT

Introducing Catherine Hooson

Working in the field of Customer Experience takes a degree of empathy – the ability to place yourself in the customers shoes...but it also takes a fair bit of courage to really challenge the status quo.

Listen to our latest episode with Catherine Hoosen, who's desire to stand up and make things right for the customer have underpinned her incredible career. She is an Australian CX powerhouse who has spent the last two decades transforming Customer Experience for leading brands in her roles with Accenture, CHEP and Deloitte Digital.

Our chat offers some great advice for anyone building or considering a CX career – full of industry insights, study suggestions and actionable career tips.

Spotlight: Growth Marketing

fiona@scctalent.com.au (Fiona Gilfillan) — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 04:57:12 GMT

What is Growth Marketing?

You may have heard the term recently – or even seen roles in the market for “Growth Marketers”. It’s certainly becoming more common, and consistently ranks in one of the fastest growing roles worldwide. But what is it and how does it differ from traditional marketing?

Essentially Growth Marketing is about optimising the entire funnel—from awareness to conversion and retention—with a data-first mindset, and recognising that the modern marketing environment is constantly changing. Rather than just focusing on brand awareness or lead generation as traditional marketing often does, it covers every stage of the customer journey. It’s about continually adapting strategy based on real-time data and feedback, so an agile and dynamic approach is key.

We recently say down with Will Nichols of Primrose Consulting to chat about what Growth Marketing is:

“Growth marketing is really about having a tighter, closer focus on the outcomes we are trying to achieve. So, if we are looking at customer experience, it might be about improving acquisition and reducing churn. Growth marketing looks at focusing on those outputs much more closely”.

The other key component is ensuring profitability according to Nichols “but we also look at things like increasing profit as well because ultimately we’re in the business of driving profitable and sustainable growth”.

In the rapidly evolving marketing landscape we’re expecting the need for Growth Marketers will continue to expand as they can help a company drive customer acquisition, convert leads, and expand market reach through tested, data-driven strategies.”

What makes a great Growth Marketing hire?

Data-Driven: Bases their decisions on data, rather than just gut feeling.

Innovative: They can come up with fresh and unique ideas, which are crucial for driving growth.

Curious: Desire to learn and understand how things work, which is important for spotting opportunities.

Agile: They have the ability to adapt quickly and effectively to changes in the market or business environment.

Persistent: They never give up easily, and consistently push towards achieving their goals.

Collaborative: They work very well with others, understanding that teamwork often leads to better results.

Take a closer look at what it's like to work as a Growth Marketer in our One to One Leadership Podcast with experienced Growth Marketer, Will Nichols . You can listen on Spotify here.

Introducing: Matt Zimmerman

fiona@scctalent.com.au (Fiona Gilfillan) — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 08:16:25 GMT

Podcast Guest: Matt Zimmerman

If you are building your career in Loyalty - this is a must listen! ��️

Matt Zimmerman – Head of Loyalty at the newly launched Pub+ program, has great insights for aspiring Loyalty Marketers, from gamification in loyalty programs, comparisons between the Aust/US markets to the future impact of AI.

Matt’s career in Loyalty has spanned working with Caesars in Las Vegas to building a brand new program from the ground-up with Endeavour Group and he generously shares his career learnings and insights with us.

A great tip for candidates starting out: “You must bring something to the table – it might be something in your background, it might be art, it might be math, but apply it, have a point of view. We want people who can do.. but also people who can think!”

Listen to our latest episode with Matt here

Emerging Roles: AI Prompt Engineer

fiona@scctalent.com.au (Fiona Gilfillan) — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 00:46:47 GMT

A new breed of Creative.

Bella Baker , one of the first Prompt Engineers in Ad-land, proves that creativity and technology can go hand-in-hand.

Not your stereotypical tech nerd.

Working my way through LinkedIn, I spotted an advert for Junior AI Prompt Engineer with a leading creative agency and it grabbed my attention. This was one of the first AI based roles I’d spotted in the Advertising industry and I had to find out more. What skills does a Prompt Engineer need? – a tech nerd, someone more akin to an “engineer” type? Will the sparkly, creative skills of advertising talent be lost in this new world order?

A unique and multifaceted role.

Chatting to the hiring manager for the role, Bella Baker – a Prompt Engineer, who works with the BRX team, my fears shifted around the impact of AI on the advertising and communications industry. Creative, curious and articulate she’s just the type of talent any agency would jump at, but her role is new and totally unique. Bella has a two-fold role in her agency:

Ultimately, she’s hired to be a subject matter expert so it’s her responsibility to follow thought leaders, trends, conduct experimentation and testing that can be applied to her work. She’s also responsible for sharing her knowledge and educating her broader team in AI. There’s no existing template or University course she can attend, so it’s all about her own research and connectedness – and her curiosity and drive is infectious.

Secondly, she has a commercial role to play in the development of effective campaigns. Her team have a client who is “all-in” on AI so her role is to craft campaigns utilising AI to the polished point of publication. She works on live briefs with AI applications, chooses the tools and designs the workflow to achieve results and at the end, casts a human eye over the work ensuring the brief is met accurately.

The skills you need to be a prompt engineer.

While a background in tech is helpful, it's not essential to be a prompt engineer. Bella believes that creativity is and always will be, vital. A prompt engineer needs to be able to visualise ideas, communicate effectively, and tell a story (backgrounds in film direction, copywriting and art direction would be highly transferrable). They also need to be good problem-solvers and persistent. Bella's own Art School background working across a wide variety of mediums from ceramics to 3D printing gives her a unique advantage in her work.

"Often in AI experimentation and design you will hit brick walls or undesired outcomes, so you need to be able to think your way through, ask the right prompts, curate and seek alternate solutions. And, of course, they need to have a thirst for knowledge and a passion for staying ahead of the curve..the rate of change is mind-blowing."

AI is here to stay, and it's not all about weird imagery.

AI will have a major impact on the advertising industry. But Bella believes that AI is not a replacement for human creativity. Instead, it's a tool that can be used to create even more effective advertising campaigns.

“I think in a lot of people’s minds AI generated imagery in advertising is going to lead to things looking a little weird – like 6 fingered hands, but in the reality is that the tech has improved so quickly that you have to work harder to create a 6 fingered person these days. The imagery can be polished to a point that it can be taken to market – and why wouldn’t you”.

From a strategic CX perspective, there’s going to be growth and new possibilities in applying AI to pain points or designing for unmet and ignored customer needs.

After chatting with Bella, I felt a bit clearer on the impact AI might have on future roles. I got the sense that the role of human creativity will remain vital and may even become more important. The skills and tools will certainly shift but AI will assist the efficiency, personalisation and amplification. Whilst it feels like we are on the precipice of change in the industry roles like these are starting to give shape to roles of the future.

Podcast: One to One Leadership Conversations.

fiona@scctalent.com.au (Fiona Gilfillan) — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 04:30:26 GMT

Introducing Kristie Atkins

Listen in to our podcast series: One to One Leadership Conversations, where we chat to industry leaders sharing insights on how to build your career in CX, CRM and Loyalty roles

In our first episode we chat with the incredible Kristie Atkins - multi award winning marketer and Managing Partner of Wink, a high-profile customer acquisition and retention marketing company. The agency has had an amazing trajectory in just a few years and has been honoured as APAC Loyalty & Engagement Agency Team of the Year two years in a row.

Kristie has had a really interesting career, starting in radio broadcasting and now serving on various boards so has a great story to tell. Listen out for some wonderful tips and tricks to build your career in data-driven marketing.

Listen on Spotify here

The impact of Onboarding.

fiona@scctalent.com.au (Fiona Gilfillan) — Thu, 16 May 2024 06:31:13 GMT

How good is your onboarding process? Steal some of these great ideas:

So, you’ve gone through the expensive and time-consuming process of finding the ideal candidate to join your team – how do you ensure they make the best start, feeling inspired and engaged?

We’ve been lucky enough to work across a variety of businesses and observe best (and worst) practise onboarding experiences and can tell you it makes an enormous difference to how well new employees settle in to their new role.

Here’s some thought-starters on how you can elevate your onboarding process:

Keep the conversation going: When you are in the midst of employing someone, there's often regular points of contact and communication. Meetings, interview scheduling, back and forth on negotiation and contract signing which generates lots of engagement and excitement. However we often see a big void of communication between the contract signing and the start date. Fill this vacuum with communication – maybe a video from the CEO welcoming the new team member, a photo of their desk setup, a virtual tour if they haven’t already seen the office. Just a few regular points of contact to make them feel welcome and excited about their start with you.

Welcome to the neighbourhood: One of our clients likes to provide a snappy guide to the local area – a map of where to get the best coffee, cheapest lunch, nearby public transport, gym amenities, parks to escape to for a quick break, car parks - we think this is a brilliant idea!

Buddy up: Partner your new employee with another team member who is charged with shepherding that new employee for the first few weeks – someone they can go to ask all the silly questions about the photocopier and the meeting room procedure.

Meet and greet: More than just a general intro around the office, schedule a solid amount of one-on-one time with key people in the office. This should include time with senior leadership to ensure that new employees feel valued and included.

Welcome Pack: Everyone loves free merch, but ideally your Welcome Pack holds more than just a branded coffee cup and provides a thoughtful swag of gifts or information related to their role and the company. A great opportunity to re-enforce the company values too – for example if the EVP is focused on learning and development an insightful book would be great.

Quiz: A fun way for new hires to not only find out more about the company but also a way for them to connect with the team. Include a variety of questions eg "What is the office dog name?", "How long has David been at the company?", "Who is a champion surfer?" and so on to add a sense of personality and connected culture.

The first few weeks of a new hire’s career with your company is a one-time chance to re-enforce the company culture and let them know how welcome they are - an easy way to set them up for success!

So you're having a baby.. and you work in Advertising.

fiona@scctalent.com.au (Fiona Gilfillan) — Wed, 01 May 2024 08:09:03 GMT

Can you keep an Advertising career going after having a baby?

Let’s be honest. When they built Adland, pregnant women, working mums and family life in general weren’t really drawn into the blueprint. The mad pitch deadlines, the late nights, the working weekends, the anti-sick-day culture, the mid-week booze sessions... It’s a bit at odds with the life of a new parent.

The good news is that there are certainly positive signs that the industry is shifting culture to ensure that droves of talented women don’t walk out the door in search of something more suitable, flexible when they have children (Cue: “I think I’d like to go client-side”…). In short, having a baby doesn’t mean the end of your hard-fought, much-loved advertising career.

Just like working parents in any other industry, it takes willingness, endless energy, sharp organisation skills and a strong support network to make it work. The industry still has a long way to go, but it is possible.

So what can you do if you are having a baby and work in advertising?

Carefully build your support network

Ask any working parent and they’ll tell you that the key to their working success is their support network. Support in the form of the other parent, the immediate family, paid childcare – those resources you call on to steady the juggle of working life and looking after a baby. But crucial to your career success is identifying your supporters in the workplace – the boss who will enable you to get out on time, the team colleague who will work alongside you to ensure that a child’s sick day isn’t detrimental to your project, the client who will be willing to flex on meeting times to ensure you’re able to be present. It takes clear communication, along with building a strong rapport and trust with these people, to get the flexibility you need as a parent, especially in a client-serviced based industry like advertising.

Ask for advice

While the numbers are not as high as we’d like, there are still plenty of parents in leadership positions in Adland. Reach out to mentors in the industry who have managed to combine babies and careers, and ask their advice. Everyone’s circumstance is different so collect the ideas that might work for your lifestyle - be it how to set your boundaries around part time work, or practical tips on making life easier at home.

Define your working parameters and work to make them happen

In going back to work, you will probably have a clear idea of how you want to make the juggle work. Be that part-time days, working from home or set working hours. You will also probably feel strongly about maintaining the boundaries between the home and the office. If being home to put your baby to bed is a must for you – you need to commit to making that your reality. If weekend work is something you can only do in exceptional circumstances, you need to lay the ground work so that this is possible – getting it done in the week, making it known to people when you really can’t be on call for anything but urgent items. Drawing these boundaries and doing the hard work yourself of adhering to them will help you achieve the balance you’ll be happy with. There's multiple scenarios you might consider - compressed work hours, 9-day fortnights, job-sharing, work from home days, part-time, a slow build up of work hours.. think through all ways of working.

Be realistic

Leaving the office for childcare pick up at 5pm may be your necessity but you need to be realistic and expect that some days you will need to be available for work, calls and email after hours. If you are working in a part-time capacity, you may miss some critical meetings on your days off, or find yourself dialling in to be there. The reality is that advertising doesn’t suddenly become a normal 40 hour a week job for you after you have kids. The key to flexible work in advertising is the give and take of flexibility - being flexible yourself along with asking for flexibility from your agency.

Check in with yourself

Amidst the ‘busy-ness’ of life in advertising as a parent, and the reality of mortgages and bills to pay, you might forget to assess your happiness. It’s important that you stop now and then to make sure that you’re still enjoying your work. If you are struggling to make the balance work, it might be time to consider alternative career moves. Reaching out to recruiters at this point can be really helpful – while you’re busy juggling, let people like us do the hard work in helping you find a job that uses your talent in a new and rewarding capacity.

Start your search early

If you are looking for part time work after maternity leave, it can be daunting. Thankfully there are tremors of change in the industry with brilliant programs like Part-Time Pitch by Mums In Ads championing the need for more part-time opportunities – this is a great place to start. Your network and the recommendation of people who know you, will also go a long way in securing a part time role. We also suggest partnering with a recruiter and making enquiries on roles advertised on a full-time basis – you never know if there’s a level of flexibility that can be built into a role.

So congratulations on your pregnancy! Rest up and eat well – you’ll need the energy. Know that with the right support and some careful planning, you can achieve the best of both worlds.

Personalisation - "A journey not a destination"

fiona@scctalent.com.au (Fiona Gilfillan) — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 04:51:34 GMT

Ask the expert: Darshana Patel on the popularity of "Personalisation" and who is doing it well.

Businesses are constantly finding ways to connect with customers on a more personal level, which has given rise to the art and science of "Personalisation" aimed at forging stronger relationships with customers and ultimately higher engagement and increased conversion.

We chatted with Darshana Patel, Lead Client Partner at The Lumery, to gain her expert perspective on the role of Personalisation in marketing strategy.

Let’s start with definitions. How would you describe “Personalisation”. Is it a tactic, a marketing strategy, company-wide philosophy?

Personalisation is the art and science of harnessing a company’s internal capabilities to tailor experiences and create customer intimacy.

The challenge with Personalisation is that its used in varying contexts –
On one hand, personalisation is a tactical lever. It looks like an ‘abandon cart’ email, a high velocity marketing program, driving conversion or hitting 20x ROI for each change.

On the other hand, personalisation is a company’s pathway to customer centricity. It looks like a change to your operating model, new skills in your team, every part of the business thinking customer first.

Neither use of personalisation is incorrect, but we often see a lot of investment can go into tactics while an organisation falls short of customer centricity; equally, effort can be squandered on transformation because it’s an industry buzzword .

Personalisation seems to the “holy grail” in marketing these days with entire teams being created around the personalisation function. Why has it become so important?

There are specialist skills required across a range of disciplines to deliver Personalisation; Data, Analytics, Marketing, Marketing Automation, UX/UI to name a few - Personalisation requires cross functional collaboration which is why entire teams are being created around Personalisation.

Additionally, I think the outcomes of Personalisation speak to why it’s so important. There are a tonne of stat’s out there, the two that that stick with me are:

Personalisation drives growth and better customer outcomes – high growth companies drive 40% more growth than those that don’t leverage Personalisation.
And most importantly; over 80% of customers expect Personalisation and being served a personalised experience is seen as a key differentiator of brand.

Do you think a successful personalisation strategy is the domain of big tech and corporate companies (ie Nab, Netflix) who can invest in tech, or does every company have the potential and resources to implement this.

No, I don’t believe Personalisation is only reserved for big tech or corporate companies. Personalisation is accessible to every organisation – however organisations who aren’t actively looking to invest in capability across People, Process, Tech and Data can’t expect the Netflix approach to Personalisation. Whilst customers expect Personalisation, I implore organisations to understand what Personalisation looks like for their customers and start with working to meet those expectations – Personalisation doesn’t need to be synonymous with complexity.

With growing privacy concerns, how can companies ethically collect and use customer data for personalisation? Where would you suggest they seek advice?

I think privacy and consent is a whole other topic to deep dive into but there is strong need for organisations to balance the collection, storage and usage of data in return for a favourable brand experience.

To ethically collect and use customer data for personalisation amidst privacy concerns, organisations should prioritize transparency by clearly communicating data collection purposes and obtaining informed consent. They should minimize data collection to what's necessary, anonymise where possible, and prioritise security to safeguard against breaches. Implementing robust data governance practices ensures compliance with regulations and ethical standards. I personally love when brands offer customers control over their data, including the ability to access, edit, and delete it, I believe this alone, fosters trust. Additionally, regularly auditing data practices, seeking ethical guidance, and staying abreast of evolving privacy regulations are crucial.

In my opinion, if organisations integrate these practices, companies can balance personalization goals with respect for user privacy, fostering trust and loyalty.

At The Lumery we consult and provide direction for organisations to proactively take steps to ensure they’re compliant and future proofing their privacy and consent practices.

What are some common mistakes companies make when implementing a personalisation strategy?

When companies dive into personalisation, they often hit some familiar roadblocks. First off, there's the risk of overlooking user privacy, which can lead to trust issues and legal headaches. Then, there's the temptation to lean too heavily on algorithms or data models, forgetting the importance of human input and feedback. Related to this; if customer context & data quality isn’t taken into consideration; suggestions and recommendations could miss the mark entirely.

Things like, not adopting a test and learn culture, ignoring customer feedback, prioritising a personalised experience over an enhanced user experience are other roadblocks that often appear but I’d say one of the most common mistakes is not aligning Personalisation to broader business objectives – making it hard to demonstrate value and justify investment.

What exciting trends do you see emerging in the world of customer personalisation?

I don’t think it would be any surprise that I respond with leveraging AI to drive personalisation. AI is everywhere and not only is it being used to analyse data or build out a 5 day holiday itinerary; it’s also being used in hyper-personalisation efforts to really tailor experiences and content to individual preferences and behaviours, alongside advanced data analytics and machine learning.

What brands do you have your eyes on in terms of “best in class” personalisation?

I think brands like Netflix, Spotify, Amazon are always top of mind but I don’t always think their examples of personalisation are relevant to every business nor does every business operate at

a maturity to deliver personalisation like Netflix etc do. Some local examples that leverage impactful personalisation are:

Adore beauty : advice to customers who experience skin and hair concerns by leveraging a customers recent onsite behaviour browsing data.
NRMA: deliver Hyper-personalised content to customers informing them of common claims in their area as part of their onboarding experience.
AusPost will automatically add your deliveries to their app and send push notifications to inform you of the delivery status.

Do you have any final advice for businesses looking to leverage customer personalisation in their marketing efforts?

Start with being clear on whether you are employing your personalisation strategy as a tactical lever or a pathway to customer centricity and ensure there is strategic alignment top down and bottom up.

Then I would consider your customers requirement for Personalisation as well as the capability you currently have across People, Process, Tech and Data & perhaps what gap you need to fill, to fulfil those requirements.

Last but not least, i’d remind organisations out there that Personalisation is a journey, not a destination and with the growing demands of Personalisation from data savvy customers, there’s never going to be a time when you’re done, so test, learn and enjoy the process.

Demand for data.

fiona@scctalent.com.au (Fiona Gilfillan) — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 04:57:53 GMT

The rise and rise of the data team.

Have you noticed your data team slowly expanding their presence in the office? The rise of the Data Scientist has been a phenomenon over the last few years with demand rising with the explosion of AI and machine learning. Data Science is now amongst the top 5 in-demand jobs in Australia.

So what does a Data Scientist do?

Data Scientists are responsible for analysing large sets of data and creating insights based on analytics. Their findings may inform critical business or marketing strategy. We’ve spoken to a number of current practitioners to gain insight into life as a Data Scientist to understand the importance and power this role plays.

What’s driving the demand for Data Scientists?

The focus on customer data and the sheer volume of data collected and retained by companies has meant an increased need for people who can make sense of it all and build actionable insights and business strategies. It’s opened up a world of opportunity for people with these skills. Whereas there’s traditionally been a need in pharmaceutical, finance and market research, there’s now demand from retail, advertising, media and even sports. Data Scientists can work across a diverse range of industries and apply skills across a broad range of challenges, which is very appealing for candidates. Australian Data Scientists are also in-demand internationally as data regulations and programming languages are remarkably consistent across countries. Whilst we saw a large volume of data experts leave our shores during covid, the numbers are now building with a heavy reliance on skilled immigration.

What’s the typical pathway for a Data Scientist?

Traditionally Data Scientists came from a background of mathematics, economics, statistics or finance but increasingly there’s a new generation coming from computer science or analytics. Many candidates complete a Master of Data Science or Master of Computer Science to enter the industry and will be skilled across Tableau, SQL, Python, R, Power BI. On top of technical skills, a Data Scientist must have curiosity and imagination to ask the right questions and build innovative solutions to problems. They must also have strong communication skills to effectively communicate insights and findings to the business.

What do Data Scientist’s love about their work?

Data Scientists are passionate about what they do. There’s scope to be creative and innovative, design experiments and solutions to deliver real business value. There’s also abundant variety in the work – projects change frequently and skills can be applied to a wide range of data sets and different organisations.

Is there a shortage of females in the industry?

At the moment female Data Scientists are in the minority but this is changing quickly. It’s an industry where progression is merit based and the gender pay gap is low. As one senior female Data Scientist said “others in the profession care far more about the elegance of your code than whether you are wearing a skirt or pants”.

What benefit does a Data Scientist bring to an organisation?

More companies are realising success as a result from more data driven strategies and approaches, and a good data scientist will deliver a deeper understanding by asking the right questions and providing solutions to those answers. Many organisations are just beginning to realise the power of their data and beginning their data science journey - and the role will evolve and grow with this journey. There’s opportunity for Data Scientists to influence across strategy, capability and innovation.

What should aspiring Data Scientists consider?

A background in analytics and mathematics can be a ticket to an exciting and rewarding career. Aspiring Data Scientists should consider getting a mentor, attend as many meetups as possible and participate in collaborative projects to broaden their experience. The path to the top can take patience. There’s a huge component of unglamorous ‘grunt work’ to prepare data and set up environments for modelling. You need to do the groundwork of sorting, prepping and interrogating the data in order for elegant solutions and complex models to actually work, but the pay-off in the end is a career that can really take you anywhere! The rise of AI will also push Data Scientists to analyse data and make business suggestions and operational improvements so more focus on problem solving and application in the future.

CX Conversations

fiona@scctalent.com.au (Fiona Gilfillan) — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 02:53:12 GMT

A strategist's viewpoint on AI and it's application to Customer Experience.

Grant Smith is a CX Strategist who has worked with some of Australia’s largest brands to help embed CX thinking into their communication and advertising programs. As a strategist, he holds a deep interest in Artificial Intelligence and is he currently studying an MBA at New York based Section with a focus on AI and its intersection with Customer Experience. We caught up with Grant to chat about AI implications for CX practitioners:

What do you think will be the long term implications of AI on CX?

Long term I think the largest impact will be personalisation and targeting at what is an indescribable niche. Predictive analytics, deeper customer insight and tailored persuasion will shift CX planning to lead from personas and segments to planning based on individualised traits. Beyond the planning implications I believe we are just 3-5 years away from knowledge centres taking center stage in the design of customer contact. This will result in virtual assistance likely outshining traditional support for troubleshooting and shopping/exploration with more focus on conversational journey planning.

Do you think that the repercussions of AI will change the skill-sets required by CX practitioners?

Very much so, I believe that the impact of AI will drive a shift toward a more data-driven aptitude among CX practitioners. It's crucial for our strategies to effectively target, interpret and adapt to data signals, including; Net Promoter Score, Conversion Rates, and Customer Satisfaction metrics. Proficiency in predictive analytics, AI-driven forecasting, and the utilisation of company and research AI will become highly sought after. I think our team sizes will reduce favouring skills like data engineering, audience orchestration and marketing automation.

What can CX professionals do right now to incorporate AI into their approach?

I recently invested a year in upskilling through an online mini-MBA on AI in marketing. While valuable, the best investment for CX professionals is hands-on experimentation. Challenge your own assumptions, learn how to write effective prompts for your field, and initiate conversations with your stakeholders about prioritising valuable data into future state AI enhanced data lakes. For those not aiming for roles in emerging CX AI, I still recommend building a foundation of AI Ethics, Data and most importantly Prompt writing. Exploring the integration of freeware AI tools as a co-pilot in your daily tasks, validating and extending your initial thinking will be an AI fundamental.

Should we be thinking of AI as opportunity or threat?

While AI may pose a macro-level risk with potential workforce reduction, viewing it as a threat overlooks the immense opportunity it presents. AI has the ability to strengthen CX capability for brands and professionals. Committing to invest to grow with AI development in our field will see strategies more reasoned, CX initiatives more insightful and persuasive and tactics more automated. I think being optimistic about how AI can enrich the CX profession is the most reasonable path. Technological change is always hard for those who embrace the challenge, but most difficult for those who refuse to grow with the times.

What areas of concern or caution should we consider when applying AI to CX?

Despite my strong advocacy for AI, the biggest caution lies in putting the cart before the horse—over-reliance without proper investment and validation. Balancing enthusiasm with a strategic approach to AI implementation is crucial for successful integration into CX practices. Concerns related to ethics, bias, data privacy, and regulation are all substantial during the emergence of AI in our field. From a professional standpoint, it's essential to recognise that the best CX is built on empathy, which isn't easily engineered. Successful AI outcomes are achieved when knowledge workers train and co-develop the tools with the highest standards of professional practice. Developing AI tools that inspire confidence requires transparency and a commitment to iterative improvement.

Hybrid work: the debate continues

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 02:53:10 GMT

WFH or In Office?: the debate continues.

There is no doubt that Covid has changed the workplace environment permanently. Employers were forced to offer working-from-home and employees learned how to navigate Zoom, pet interruptions and online team-bonding exercises. Most companies have now returned to mandating at least some days in the office each week. For some businesses we are seeing assigned days where all staff need to be present in the office – for others it’s flexible and employees go into the office on the days that suit them best.

A minority of companies are resisting WFH though and are expecting staff to be back in the office full-time. There are many reasons for this – expensive real estate, a belief that culture needs to be developed face-to-face and client expectations too.

What do candidates want?

Overwhelmingly candidates want flexibility. Most prefer the mix of collaborating with their colleagues in person at least two days a week, and then working from home the rest of the time. Many have cited that they find time at home more productive without the office interruptions, and the time saved in commuting gives them more hours to work also.

Plus, there’s the money savings. In the current cost-of-living crisis one of the other reasons candidates suggest is that it is so much cheaper to work from home! No lunch costs, travel costs and in some cases reduced childcare costs too.

There is no doubt that candidates feel strongly about this too. We have a number of candidates turn down roles where WFH was not available. At the end of the scale, candidates also generally don’t want fully remote working scenarios. Most enjoy the opportunity interact with colleagues in person and feel it enhances their career development too.

So, if your business is looking for top calibre candidates, it’s best to offer flexible, hybrid working which combines the best of both worlds.

Build a successful Freelance life. Tips from those who know.

fiona@scctalent.com.au (Fiona Gilfillan) — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 06:13:00 GMT

Build a successful Freelance Career. Tips from those who know.

Many people at some point in their life, consider the option of moving to freelance work. To some, it might offer the ultimate opportunity to gain some control over their time choosing when, where and how they work. To others, it might be an interim period of freelance work before they commit to a full-time position giving them the opportunity to trial different work environments and sharpen their skills on a variety of projects. We spoke to some of our regular freelance candidates on what seasoned and sage advice they’d give to someone considering taking the plunge into the freelance lifestyle.

1. Do your research.

An experienced Account Service freelancer suggested to have a coffee with someone who has been freelancing to get their perspective. They said it can be quite a shift from agency life. “On one hand you are free from agency politics and gossip – which is liberating, but you also do have to be self-motivated and resilient with the ability to hustle, cope with quiet periods and self-manage your time. Learning not to “over-commit” can take time”. Ask friends who are freelancing and recruiters you know what the market is like – is there demand for freelance talent? When are the peak or slow periods? What daily rates can you expect?

2. Build a network.

Don’t expect to change your Linkedin title to “freelance” and expect the work to roll-in. You need to have a good network base of people who can recommend you. It’s great if you can build a bank of “regular” clients you work with and align yourself with trusted recruiters who can keep you across opportunities – keep them up-to-date on times when you might have availability. One of our Freelance Digital consultants stressed the need to keep up your network alive not only for prospective jobs but to also keep your skills relevant and fresh – keep up to date with the latest technology as well as trends and projects that are happening in the industry.

3. Get an Accountant.

A number of Freelancers strongly suggest speaking to an Accountant and having a good understanding of how to set yourself up initially. You need to understand your personal tax implications, apply for your ABN Number, understand day/hourly rates, invoicing (are you covering yourself for superannuation and GST?) Ensure you have a buffer of funds for quieter periods or delays in payment.

4. Ask the right questions.

Long term freelancers point to a few things that they recommend to people starting out. Such as knowing the questions to ask before embarking on a contract term – these include:

Clarifiying the day rate so you are clear if GST is included or additional to your day rate.
Ensuring you are covering yourself for superannuation, sick days, public holidays in your fee (particularly for longer term contracts).
Asking if equipment such as a laptop/phone will be included.

5. Hone your business skills.

A thriving freelancer often needs to have an ability to use quieter times effectively and maximise the busy periods. It often takes a bit of a hustle to keep an eye out for the next role so keeping a broad network, highlighting availability on LI and using your recruiter network is vital. Having a pricing “range” or being flexible according to contract length and your own “demand” can also be beneficial.

Negotiating Flexible Work

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 11:15:41 GMT

Flexible work arrangements have become increasingly popular in recent years, as more and more employees seek a better work-life balance. It often sits high on a candidate’s agenda as it can have a significant impact on your career and personal life.

Below are some things to consider as you plan to negotiate flexibility in your role.

Know your options

Before you start negotiating, it’s important to know what your options are. There are many different types of flexible work arrangements, including part-time work, telecommuting, job sharing, compressed workweeks, and flexible schedules, working from other locations. When you are applying for a role, try to find out early on what options are currently available to you. Work with your recruiter to uncover what level of flexibility the business offers and discuss some of the options you are considering.

Identify your priorities

Once you know what your options are, it’s important to identify your priorities. What is most important to you? Is it working from home a few days a week, or having a more flexible schedule that allows you to attend your child’s school events? Knowing your priorities will help you negotiate a flexible work arrangement that works for you. If there are specific personal reasons (childcare, commuting), that you are comfortable sharing with your recruiter/employer then an open approach often helps build a rationale for the flexibility.

Be prepared

When you approach your employer about flexible work arrangements, it’s important to be prepared. Write down the reasons why you want a flexible work arrangement and how it will benefit both you and the company. Be ready to provide examples of how you will be able to maintain your productivity and meet your work responsibilities. If you are working with a recruiter, be open about your need for flexibility early in the process rather than a late-stage negotiation, so they can advise you on the best approach, investigate what options are currently in-place in the organisation, or help with negotiations.

Be open to compromise

Negotiating flexible work arrangements is all about finding a solution that works for both you and your employer. Be open to compromise and be willing to consider alternative solutions if your employer cannot accommodate your initial request. Remember, the goal is to find a solution that benefits everyone involved.

Follow up

Once you’ve negotiated a flexible work arrangement, it’s important to follow up and ensure that everything is going smoothly. Keep your employer updated on your progress and be open to feedback. If there are any issues or concerns, address them promptly and work together to find a solution.

Our ways of working have changed dramatically in recent years and it’s thrown up some significant challenges for employers. Whilst flexibility may be high on your agenda, be mindful that individual flexibility arrangements may be difficult for your employer to navigate. Ultimately the goal is to reach a solution that benefits everyone so a carefully considered, open and balanced approach is key.

Reflections & Predictions 2023

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 06:50:53 GMT

In 2022, the topic of the "talent shortage" dominated news headlines. We went from The Great Resignation to The National Talent Shortage, and businesses were focused on finding good talent. As we begin the new year, let's reflect on the big recruitment themes of 2022 and what we can expect for the year ahead.

Boom-time for candidates:

The market in 2022 was driven by candidates. Generally, salaries increased 7.6%, with some companies reporting increases of up to 20%*. Although this created a wonderful opportunity for candidates on the move, it also resulted in high budget pressure, high turnover within teams, and false economies of wages and inflation. There’s always a flip side!

Highly competitive recruiting:

To attract talent, businesses and agencies need to raise their game. The result has been clearer job descriptions, innovative benefit structures, and quicker recruitment processes, as well as the ability to think laterally about talent (part-time, returning to work, remote work). These have been some of the positive side-effects of robust competition.

Flexibility:

Welcome to the post-covid workforce! Never before have we had so many briefs with a “work from anywhere” option listed on the brief. Flexibility has been a contentious issue for many businesses as they find their optimal working arrangements, but we are certainly seeing a greater number of remote working options, and we have been recruiting beyond the traditional Melbourne/Sydney talent pools this year. It’s been a big win for candidates living in regional areas and of course, working parents have also benefited from greater flexibility than ever before.

No Brits?

We certainly noticed a lack of international talent. Before Covid, there was steady supply of specialist skills (CRM, Digital, Analytics) often covered by international talent coming into the market. Contract roles were often filled with talented backpackers looking for short-term work. Whilst we are starting to see a slight increase in international talent over the last few months, there’s also been a recognition that we can’t rely as heavily as we once did on importing talent.

It’s been a fascinating recruitment year and one we consider “out-of-the-box”. As we start 2023 we foresee:

A softening market due to more international talent hitting our shores (migration intake has been reset from 35,000 anually to 195,000). Unemployment forecast to rise by 1% to 4.5%
Some shifts starting to emerge with senior candidates coming back into the market.
Increased number of candidates wanting roles with that offer the opportunity to work overseas.
Flexiblity and hybrid work policies refined. A continued focus around how people can integrate work with their lives.

What does all this mean for you?

We feel that there’s still tremendous opportunity for candidates in the market and this should continue into 2023, albeit perhaps not at the frenetic conditions we have seen this year. We encourage you to keep close to the market, understand your worth in the market and think about your next career steps.

If you want to kick off the next year with a focus on your career, book some time for a Career Chat with us. Take 15 minutes to re-fresh your market understanding, gain a recruiter perspective on your CV or answer any burning career questions! We’d love to hear from you.

Update on Visas and Sponsorship

Thu, 05 May 2022 07:11:33 GMT

During the pandemic the number of working holiday makers plunged from 141,000 to just 2000 workers putting pressure on the domestic talent market. We are now slowly seeing signs of recovery with 41,000 new visa’s granted and expected to arrive in the next few months.

Now is the time to get up to speed with the latest changes in visa’s immigration and sponsorship if you are one of the many businesses looking to hire international talent.

The good news is the Government has relaxed the rules (slightly!) around Working Visas.

Here are some of the highlights:

Whereas previously Visa holders could only work for one employer for six months, they can now work for employers longer than this period. This currently holds until December 2022, but may be extended after this. For more information click here

Another change has been the extension of hours permitted to be worked by candidates on Student Visas. Previously these candidates could only work 20 hours per fortnight – but in recognition of the talent shortage this has been relaxed and they can now work 40 hours or more. See more here:

If you choose to Sponsor an employee, be aware there is likely to be a rush and consequent delays on processing these applications. The most important thing to have organised in advance is “labour market testing”. This means that your role must be featured on specific national websites for at least 28 days. To ensure continuity of employment, it is recommended that you start the Sponsorship process two months in advance of the Visa expiring.

If you do require any assistance or advice on working with Visa candidates or advertising your roles for correct labour market testing, please get in touch with SCC Talent.

What role is that?

Wed, 04 May 2022 06:59:04 GMT

Have you noticed a wave of new roles popping up on LinkedIn but are not quite clear on what they actually do? Are they traditional roles re-purposed into the buzz word or are they completely new?

We thought we’d break down some of the more popular roles that might require some explanation:

CX Designer (Customer Experience Designer).

This is generally a strategic role for someone who loves design thinking and is passionate about providing better customer experiences. They are deeply curious, understand human-centred design principles and are brilliant at navigating broad stakeholders within an organisation. Day-to-day they may be conducting consumer research, discovery workshops with stakeholders, exploratory conversations and building artefacts such as experience maps, user journeys and personas that will help improve customer experiences throughout a business. Salaries for CX Designers range from $120 – 150kinc

Journey Planner

No this is not another title for a Travel Agent but it is someone who is focused on the way a customer and gets from A to B. A Journey Planner usually has skills across digital analytics, digital media, CRM/Marketing automation platforms and has a strategic mindset. Day to day you may be auditing and mapping customer journeys, providing recommendations and strategies to enhance the customer journey or lifecycle (across website, app or CRM). You may also be setting up tests to validate new changes to the customer journey and using customer insight and data to refine experiences. You may also contribute to content suggestions and to creating compelling customer experiences. Salaries for Journey Planners range from $85- 120kinc depending on experience.

Customer Success

Customer Success roles were initially popular in start-up/tech environments but are becoming increasingly popular job titles, and in some workplaces are interchangeable with Account Manager roles. Essentially a Customer Success Manager must ensure that the customer has a positive customer experience. Usually, they are engaged after the initial Sales process and takes a customer through the on-boarding phase. In a SaaS environment they might take a client through training, analyse usage and data, ensure clients are using features and achieving the goals they had set out to reach with the product. There’s a very broad range for Customer Success roles depending on the product and technical skills required.

Let us know if there’s a new job title you’d love to know more about!

How to make the job market work for you.

Tue, 03 May 2022 07:18:19 GMT

You may have seen the headlines– “The Great Resignation”, “Greatest Talent Drought in History”, “Massive Labour Shortages” – the list goes on. As a recruiter, whilst a tad overdramatic, these headlines do reflect the reality in the labour market right now. The market has been flipped on its head and many candidates do have a lot more choice and opportunity.

Should you be using this as an opportunity to push for promotion or pay rise at your current work? Or take the opportunity to look for a new, elevated position in the market? How can you make this work for you?

1. Think long-term.

Our advice is to take a deep breath and think long-term about your career. The temptation is there to leverage this environment to move roles for a quick salary bump. The danger is that this leads you to jobs which don’t necessarily reflect where you are currently in your career – which can expose you when things eventually revert (which they certainly will!).

2. Plan

We recommend that you use this time to really “audit” your career. Think deeply about whether your current role is offering you the challenges the excite and fulfil you, if your workplace is supportive and nurturing, and if you are getting the right exposure to skills and projects. Most importantly if you wake each day and want to go to work!

Now is the perfect time to map out your career and revisit your long-term objectives and have an honest appraisal of whether you are on the right journey. And if not, this is the time to act. Make a move sideways to broaden your skill set. Identify the right company to help you progress along your career path. Ask for an investment in training and education rather than more money. Chase the job that will excite and fulfil you. If you have the choice of roles available, choose the one that ticks every box, don’t settle for the fastest, easiest option.

3. Don’t chase the $$

As tempting as it can be, make a move for the right reason. Remain true to your career vision and goals, not simply to chase more money or a new title. When the talent drought ends, you want to come out the other side further along your career trajectory with skills that will position you for the next talent cycle.

4. Be aware of the market.

Many candidates miss out on opportunity and progression simply by not being open to opportunities. This is the time to keep an eye on things. Even if you are completely content in your role, sometimes an informal discussion or exploratory chat about a role can help you formulate “what’s next” for you.

Finding it hard to find talent?

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 07:37:33 GMT

The question we are being asked more than any other: “Why is it so hard to fill roles right now?”

Perhaps you’ve had a role advertised with barely a trickle of applicants, or maybe you’ve found a great candidate only to find they’ve been offered a gob-smackingly generous package to stay in their role. You’re not alone.

The first half of 2021 has witnessed a swifter economic recovery at a macro level compared to the Global Financial Crisis recovery. According to the latest SEEK statistics, Corporate and SME job postings have already returned to pre-pandemic levels. However, unlike the GFC climate, we are faced with a with a talent pool that has been decimated by:

- a lack of international talent

- reduced flow of transient/contractor talent

- a candidate preference for stability and “nervousness” around job security.

Whilst the volume of job postings is buoyant and the outlook is positive, SEEK report a 29% material decrease in application rates. Candidates report a continued level of uncertainty around job security and this sentiment towards applying for new roles and particularly contract roles may hold out for some time. Employers are also well aware of the talent short-fall and have moved swiftly to retain star employees with promotions and pay rises in a bid to ensure loyalty in a competitive climate.

What does this mean for you?

In 2021 the job market demand/supply equation has well and truly been flipped on its head – particularly in the Marketing and Advertising sector. The candidate is now a position of power and we are advising our clients to consider:

1.Ensure that the recruitment process is short, seamless and fast.

Candidates are often juggling multiple offers - so speed and momentum are critical. Many clients are now working hard to ensure a one or two-step interview process rather than stretching the process through multiple rounds of meetings. Timely video meetings, early preparation of contract documents and employing DocuSign electronic signatures all help the process.

2.Know the market.

Unicorns don’t exist. Don’t waste valuable and time and money holding out for the rare candidate who can combine multiple unique skill-sets. Be clear on your core needs for the role and research or work with a recruiter to confirm the likely-hood of finding those skills readily in this market. Be prepared to adjust the brief if you find you find a candidate that fits your culture but not 100% of the job criteria.

3.Candidate engagement.

More than ever it’s important to demonstrate to candidates how valued they are, and how working with you will help them achieve their career goals. Incorporating training budgets, fast-track development plans or involving the CEO or Senior Leader as part of the recruitment process helps candidates feel valued and we’ve certainly seen some great hires simply due to the fact that the candidate felt a great connection with their prospective leadership.

4.Pre-pare for the counter-offer.

The war on talent has never been so brutal. Most employers are aware of the time and cost involved in replacing an employee, and are prepared to offer generous counter-offers to retain good talent. We are seeing counter offers of up to 20% to retain valuable talent. Ensure that you are offering a market sensitive package – it’s incredibly hard to hire at the lower-end of salary bands at the moment.

How can we help?

We know that employee attraction and retention is a key priority, particularly during this phase of economic recovery and growth.

There’s been a world of change in the world of recruitment and the traditional method of advertising, sadly, is no longer working. The focus is now on relationships, strong networks, head-hunting and nurturing candidates with detailed briefs and company insight – presenting potential candidates with a compelling reason to move.

There’s never been a more important time to work with trusted recruiters who have built deep relationships within the industry and can identify and engage with the right talent.

We welcome you to chat with us about some of the key changes in recruiting, our future predictions, and how we can keep you informed of market conditions and the best available talent.

Should you try before you buy?

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 07:24:22 GMT

It’s never been more difficult to find good candidates with the post-COVID talent crunch, so should you be including a task as part of your recruitment process?

Many of our clients include the completion of a small project as part of this process. This takes various forms:

· Providing datasets and requiring a response showing analytics and insights

· Describing a marketing situation and asking for a strategic or communications plan to address and solve

· For creative projects, providing a brief and then requiring candidates to present back their creative response

Sometimes these projects are timed and in other cases candidates are given a few days to prepare a presentation and deliver.

Is this a step you should be skipping given the current situation?

We recently conducted a poll to assess candidate’s feelings around this and the results are a little surprising. 64% of respondents felt it was still a great way to assess fit and to ensure that both parties feel skillsets are aligned and meet expectations. Comments included:

· “I was hired by a company that used this process. It was great”

· “I don’t really see any problem and think it is a fair process. It’s like us going to buy a product”

· “I loved this process. It was not dependent on other candidates, but on your ability to showcase your craft based on new work that you created for the interview”.

There are a few caveats though, that we recommend keeping in mind. The task should not be too time consuming ( a maximum of 2-3 hours is about right) and no task should require candidates to take time out of their current employment, for example spending a day on-site is not reasonable. Tasks should never require divulging confidential information and using this process to source unpaid expertise is unfair and unethical, and will only reflect badly on your brand.

It is also worth considering that, according to our poll, 19% of respondents would withdraw from the recruitment process if asked to complete a task. So, if you do set a task, bear in mind you do run the risk of losing candidates.

Our thoughts? Tasks are a great way to peek beyond the CV, and really understand the proficiency and capability of candidates. Keep the task simple and use their presentation to get an insight into how they think and tackle problems. But in this market, always move quickly and keep the recruitment process as fast and efficient as possible.

If you’d like any advice on the types of tasks to set for candidates or would like us to share examples of what we have seen in the market, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Back to the office?

Fri, 29 Jan 2021 07:47:25 GMT

2020 was certainly a momentous year for businesses, and almost twelve months on the repercussions are still unfolding. One of the biggest changes has been the move to working from home, creating a seismic shift in workplace culture and structure. After a lot of pain and technological challenges, most businesses have now adopted this model and employees are accustomed to Zoom meetings, barking dogs and working in trackies.

The recent relaxation of COVID restrictions, however, has meant that many businesses now have the choice between employees working from home or from the office. Which opens up Pandora’s box – what model suits your business and your employees best?

We recently posed the question to our network, with respondents asked to nominate their preference between full-time WFH, full-time in the office or a hybrid model combining both. Perhaps not surprisingly the results were very clear-cut – 85% preferring the hybrid model, 13% wanting to work from home full-time and just 3% nominating working in the office full-time.

Of course, each business has its own individual needs but here are some thoughts to keep in mind:

Can you force an employee to return to the office?

It all comes down to whether it is a “reasonable” request. To be deemed reasonable, firstly the office must be completely COVID-safe, following all Government guidelines and socially distancing with limits on gatherings.

You’ll then need to consider the individual circumstances of each employee – for example if an employee is medically vulnerable it may not be reasonable for them to be working from the office.

Companies need to be very clear that their request is “reasonable” and fair to employees before mandating return-to-work.

Should you force an employee to return to the office?

Putting aside legal considerations, is it a good decision to insist that people come into the office?

In most cases, the answer would be an emphatic “no”. Many employees have relished the work/life flexibility that working-from-home has generated, and appreciated the chance to avoid the daily commute and spend more time with family. There's also been a level of goodwill and trust between employee/employers as teams quickly adjusted to remote working conditions.

To force a return to the office could run a risk of disincentivising and create an impact on productivity, but also even prompt employees to look at other companies who are offering this flexibility. SCC Talent is aware of at least two cases where employees have left roles based on a forced return to the office full-time.

What should companies do next?

The changing nature of the workplace towards flexible and hybrid arrangements throws up some critical questions for leaders including:

- How do you nurture young staff members who benefit greatly from shadowing and observing senior team members?

- How do you maintain a strong sense of culture?

- How do you monitor productivity?

- How do you inspire collaborative creativity through spontaneous interactions?

The next year will no doubt involve a level of experimentation, creativity and a “test and learn” mentality in order to find the best working model for each business.

If a company does choose to ask employees to return to the office, whether it be full-time or part-time, the office needs to be COVID-safe and policies put in place to protect worker’s health. If possible, parking, or bike spots for employees should be considered so workers can avoid public transport.

If employees are being asked to work from home, ensure technology works seamlessly, remote environments are safe and healthy and there are clear policies in place as to expectations. Note under Work Health & Safety laws, companies do have a duty of care for all workers, even remote.

Most importantly companies need to develop robust, creative ways of maintaining their unique work culture wherever employees are working. There needs to be fun, engaging tools and habits in place to ensure employees continue to feel connected and valued.

There’s much work to be done, however there is a huge opportunity to co-create a workplace and engage your staff, experiment and find a model works for all.

Resources:

You can find specific information at Safework Australia - COVID-19 – Public health directions and COVIDSafe plans | Safe Work Australia

Should I move roles in a pandemic?

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 09:13:22 GMT

Covid has frozen most career plans for the time being. For many of our candidates, promotions have been put on ice, hours reduced and salaries flat-lined. Job security has become the holy grail, over career progression and salary.

So the question is - should you be considering a role change during this time?

Here’s our thoughts:

The market has changed, but you haven’t.

It’s true that the market has changed. There is less movement, less opportunity and hiring managers are waiting and being more selective. On the flip-side, candidates are also being risk averse – putting aspiration on hold over stability.

However, it’s important to remember that the fundamentals of managing your career have not changed. You should remain proactive about your future, map your skills and consider your capability into your next role. You also need to consider the how the market may evolve over the next few years and consider areas of demand and opportunity.

Macro trends have accelerated.

Macro skill trends such as digital and e-commerce have experienced rapid growth throughout Covid-19. Australian e-commerce grew 80% (YOY) in the 8 weeks after the global pandemic was declared, and this has been reflected in the roles that have remained in demand throughout the period. Specialist skills across digital, e-commerce, social, marketing-automation, data analysts have remained consistently in demand whilst generalist roles have waned – so think about where your future opportunities may lie over the next few years and areas to upskill in.

Relationships are more important.

Relationships between employers, recruiters and employees are more important than ever. With the number of applications for roles hitting record highs, many roles are being hired through networks and recruiter head-hunting, so connecting with a recruiter to let them know of your goals even though you may not be “actively looking” is ever more important - as roles that become available are filled quickly. Keep across changes in the market by chatting with your recruiter about trends, in-demand skills and sectors that are hiring will help you plan into the future.

What about security?

We’ve spoken to candidates through the pandemic who have turned down opportunities as they “just can’t imagine moving now”. Whilst it’s natural to feel uncomfortable in uncertain times, there’s no guarantee of security if you stay, however companies actively hiring and growing at the moment are likely to be in a strong position as the economy re-boots.

The hiring and onboarding process have also adjusted successfully. In Victoria, candidates who have not met their employers in-person have successfully started in new roles and have reported seamless experiences connecting with their new teams. It might not be as daunting as you think.

It’s natural to feel a bit frozen, and keen to burrow down in what you know – but keep an eye on your future and the skills and opportunities that you’ll need for the years ahead.

Always remain open to opportunity.

2020 Salary Guide

Wed, 02 Sep 2020 11:53:26 GMT

Bushfires, Coronavirus, Brexit…..there’s myriad reasons why the economy is off to a stuttering start in Australia. The big question for our industry though is whether this will slow wages growth in Marketing and Advertising?

Sadly, our crystal ball can’t give us a definitive read on whether this growth will continue, but we can give you an update on what the average range is for salaries is as at January 2020. This salary guide is based on our own review of current candidate salaries and client expctations, and doesn’t include the additional perks such as training and education, car parking, wellness packages and phone/computer packages that some employers provide.

Below is a quick snapshot of in-demand roles and salary guides.

Advertising Agencies

CRM, CX & Digital Roles remain in demand.

Specifically talent who have strong working knowledge of marketing automation platforms (Salesforce, Adobe, Marketo).

Virtual On-boarding Success

Fri, 17 Jul 2020 09:26:15 GMT

Over the last 6 months we’ve seen candidates take on new roles without stepping foot in an office or meeting their employer in-person. We’ve been amazed at the flexibility and adaptability demonstrated by both candidates and clients alike.

In our follow up conversations, we have been interested in the elements that have aided the success of a “virtual” onboarding process. How have candidate’s felt joining new teams under these circumstances? What has helped new employee’s feel part of a team? How have they built relationships and understood role expectations?

Setting up for success.

Leading into the first day it’s important to ensure your employee has all the tools to start in their role. This may take a bit more planning and liaison compared to the office environment, such as checking computer hardware, connectivity, support devices as well as providing a checklist on how to keep the home environment safe and ergonomic.

Sending a Welcome Pack with goodies that help employees feel part of the team is a great touch to help them feel “at work”. To adjust for the times, you might get innovative with items that might be helpful in a work-from-home set up – work stationary, energy boosting snacks, comforter cushion, wi-fi booster anything that can make your remoter workers’ lives easier.

Contact lists, organisational charts or any guidance around managing work at home such as expectations around dress codes in client meetings, flexibility managing home-school commitments, as well as reminders around well-being and support as work and home-life collide.

Early Introductions.

Whether new remote employees join you for a brief training period or don’t come into the office at all, it can be difficult for them to make lasting personal connections. Give them a head start by facilitating early introductions.

Introductions can be as simple as a “Get to Know You” email with fun facts about the new employee sent out or as personal as a one-on-one lunch with a manager. The more face time a new employee gets with their teammates, the better.

Regular check-ins.

You really can’t over-communicate when integrating a new member into your team. A phone call from the CEO or MD on the first day may not have been part of the onboarding process previously, but it’s a great way to extend the welcome and encouragement within the team from the very start.

Creating a schedule of one-on-one video meetings with team members to build relationships and help explain different roles in the business and what projects are underway, helps a new team member build up relationships. Junior team members won’t gain the same learning experience that they would in an office environment – observing, listening and shadowing the team around them, so extending opportunites to sit-in on senior level video meetings or scheduling regular peer catch ups are vitally important.

If you have a group of new team members starting at the same time – creating a co-hort who can meet regularly together, share the experience and feedback any concerns or new ideas as a group is also a great idea to help them feel part of the process – as it’s new territory for everyone.

Mentors.

Mentor programs and buddy systems are another way to help guide the new employee as they start in the role. Along with more formal lines of support from line managers and HR, an internal mentor and buddy can help navigate the start of a new “virtual” role and offer a more informal, relaxed point of reference for support and guidance.

Culture.

Keep the heart-beat of office culture alive with the regular weekly drinks, trivia games, quizzes or whatever brings the team together. We’ve seen some great ideas out there: Weekly trivia sessions, ISO baking contest, celebrity dress ups, share your workspace photos, Christmas in July, team yoga classes. Be conscious of how hard it is to pick up the culture of a team outside of the office environment – create opportunities to interact in an informal and friendly way.

Think about balancing the more work-based sessions with some informal chats and fun ice-breakers. If you have employees who live near each other, they can meet in person for coffee or lunch. Or you can get food delivered to two people who can share a meal “together” over video as they get to know each other.

Language.

It might seem a minor thing, but the language you use with new employees can help them settle and feel part of the future of the business. Starting a new role, particularly in these times, can come with a level of anxiety and uncertainty about the road ahead. Positive language about your employee’s role in the future of the business can help alleviate anxiety, phrases like “next year you will be working on X project”, “When you are back in the office, your desk will be next to X” can help a team member feel more positive about the future.

Onboarding new employees remotely is as much about teaching and training for the job as it is making people feel included and sharing the culture of the business. Remember that once your team’s return to the office new employee’s may need to be on-boarded again to gain their bearings and get established in the physical office space.

CX Coffee Conversations with Jane Merrick

Tue, 14 Jul 2020 09:29:27 GMT

Introducing Jane Merrick - CMO & Customer Experience expert.

We loved our chat with Jane Merrick - an accomplished CMO and Customer Experience expert, who gives her insight to the Customer Experience state of play in Australia at the moment.

Jane also highlights the need to think differently and move out of your comfort zone during this time. Faced with the prospect of finding a new role during Covid-19, Jane took up the challenge of completing 100 Coffees with her network. Her idea was based on the notion that it can take 100 networking coffees before you find your next role.

A heartfelt and honest post on LinkedIn generated 55,000 views and 180 offers of virtual coffees and offers of help, and through her network she learnt that now more than ever, you need to be open to new ways of thinking (even if they are uncomfortable) as well as the incredible power of relationships.

You can listen to Jane's experience and her expert views on the Customer Experience below.

Social Media Salary Guide 2020

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 09:40:56 GMT

Social Media specialist roles first emerged back in 2008 and are now one of the fastest growing employment categories in 2020. Candidates with experience across developing content, measuring campaign performance, and engaging with customers are in high demand as this channel becomes an integral part of any marketing strategy.

To ensure your business attracts and retains top talent in this space, it’s essential that you offer salary packages commensurate with the market. Roles have also become increasingly fragmented so it’s also important to ensure that you are hiring the right type of talent for your business needs.

Social Media Salary Guide 2020

Community Manager:

Junior role covering all aspects of community engagement via social media. Responding directly to customers via social media, ensuring brand and community standards adhered to, dealing with or escalating problems and complaints and moderating comments. Salary expectation: $55 - $65kinc

Social Media Coordinator:

One to two years’ experience, usually working with a more senior Social Specialist. May also have broader digital responsibilities. May help source and prepare content, schedule, and deploy content and general campaign management. Salary expectation: $55 - $65kinc

Social Media Manager:

Three to five years’ experience, managing day-to-day social media across multiple channels. Will develop content, create content calendars, manage paid and organic campaigns, influencer outreach provide social analytics, campaign reporting and manage suppliers. Salary expectation: $60 - $90kinc

Paid Social Specialist:

This growing specialisation is focused on creating campaigns across paid social channels such as Facebook advertising. It requires a deep understanding of the media landscape and how to execute and optimise PPC campaigns. Salary expectation: $70 – 80kinc

Social Media/Content Producer:

A hands-on role developing content for social media channels. This may be in the form of videos, articles, animations or photography and will usually involve project management of creative, copy and technical specialists developing content. Salary expectation: $80 - $100kinc

Social Media Analyst:

A specialist in generating insights into Social Media channel and campaign performance using variety of tools. Usually requires experience across multiple channels to provide recommendations on channel selection. Salary expectation: $80 - $100kinc

Social Media Strategist:

A more senior role developing the strategic framework for Social Media activity. May liaise closely with Marketing or Planning departments to ensure integration. Will set objectives and provide ongoing monitoring. Salary expectation $100 - $120kinc

Head of Social:

Leadership role usually managing a team of specialists. Overseeing Social Media strategy, production, and performance. At least eight years’ experience with a broad and robust understanding of creative, strategic and technical aspects of social media. Salary Expectation $130 - $150kinc

How to stand out on LinkedIn

Thu, 18 Jun 2020 10:01:59 GMT

LinkedIn Key Word Tips.

LinkedIn can be a land of opportunity – be it potential job opportunities, building a network or creating new business. So here’s some simple ideas to tweak your profile so it’s optimised for success and stands out against the plethora of job hunters right now.

One of the most important things to think about on LinkedIn are key words. Recruiters and employers are always searching for talent based on specific search words, so if your profile isn’t stacked with the key words people are searching for – you might as well not have a profile. It’s that important!

It’s also a key reason your LinkedIn profile shouldn’t be a duplicate of your CV, but more of a strategic description of your skills that ensures you get profiled in the right search areas.

1. Your Professional Headline

The phrase that sits just below your name is the most highly rated index for search on LinkedIn, so it’s important to use this to your best advantage. Don’t think of this as your job title – but as a personal description in 120 characters. It should convey your USP (Unique Selling Proposition).

Think of how you’d like to be searched and the roles you’d like to be considered for. For instance, an aspiring Account Manager wanting to build a career in Social Media would amend their headline as follows:

Account Manager

Account Manager | Social Media Specialist | Content Creator

Here are some other examples of how key words are utilised in the Professional Headline using key words:

Account Manager at XYZ, specialising in Social Media and Content Development.

Applications Developer | Senior Programmer | 10+ Years Specializing in Programming Mobile & Web-Based Applications

Account Director: Advertising | Digital | CRM | Social Media

By making this change and incorporating key words, you are more likely to be found in search around key words “account manager”, “social media” and “content” and be approached for these opportunities. You also show up in a narrower, more targeted search selection. To ascertain key words, it’s a good idea to review job descriptions of “target employers” to see what skills they are looking for.

Also note this is not the area of your LinkedIn profile to showcase soft skills eg leadership, team-building – this is the area to really hone in on the technical and industry skillset you have.

2. Your LinkedIn "About" Section

In this area (formerly called “Summary”) you have 2000 characters to describe yourself. Again this area needs to cover all your key words, but in an engaging way that describes your skills and experience. Think of this section as your “elevator pitch” and give particular thought to the first 2 sentences as most readers will only see the first 90-150 characters when viewed on mobile. Highlight any key technical skills you have By putting keywords up front in your About section, it also helps with SEO.

Also utilise the ability to highlight your work using the “Featured” section – add any media, documents, folio’s, video or publications to your profile. You can also add these to specific jobs in the Experience section of your profile. It all helps to build an engaging LinkedIn profile.

3. LinkedIn Skills & Endorsement Section

LinkedIn has a Skills and Endorsement section which you should utilise. It makes it easy to create a snap-shot of skills and to be searched for those skills, particularly in LinkedIn Recruiter. You can have up to 50 skills listed and be endorsed by first level connections. Carefully choose (or re-order) your first 3 skills as these will be most visible on your profile. Choose skills most relevant to the job you have and the job you want next.

Make sure you include any technical skills as well - (Salesforce, Marketo etc). Analysis suggests that candidates with 5 or more skills listed, get 27 times more profile views.

So there you have it. 3 simple things to review on your LinkedIn profile to ensure you stand out and get noticed. Who knows where your next opportunity lies..

Marketers Lending A Hand

Thu, 18 Jun 2020 09:51:12 GMT

Marketers donate time to impacted SMEs.

During the difficult COVID-19 period, it’s been uplifting to see stories of ingenuity and generosity.

One such story was a wonderful initiative created by Megan Milne, a lovely candidate of ours, who has collaborated with a small group of specialists to build a virtual Digital agency, named Howdy!Helper who provide expertise to small businesses free of charge who have been impacted by the pandemic. Their services cover all aspects of Digital work including UX, eCommerce, Brand Strategy, Web Development, Digital Media and Design.

We asked Megan what inspired her to launch this service, “So many businesses in Australia were impacted very quickly when Covid-19 hit. Many of them weren't set up to pivot to an online model quickly. I figured that I had the time and skills so I wanted to help. The more businesses we could help survive then they could continue to keep their employees, who would in turn continue to spend money and keep the economy going.” A focus of the agency is also helping clients develop Digital skills so they can maintain their online presence an ongoing basis.

Megan was able to reach out to her network of digital specialists, many of whom had lost their jobs or had significant pay cuts and were very open to continuing to hone their skills and excited to spend their time working in their area of expertise. Howdy Helpers! provided the structure of a workplace, as they run projects in teams, do weekly happy hours, have a really active job board. As Megan says “I got a lot of volunteers that said they were grateful for Howdy! Helper because it gave them a reason to get out of bed”.

The response was incredible - within 3 weeks they had over 30 volunteers in 5 countries. It allowed small businesses to have access to agency quality work that they would otherwise never have access to. “To many small businesses it was the difference between them surviving or losing everything they had worked so hard to build” says Megan.

This is such a great example of helping others, and we encourage anyone that needs assistance – or can help out- to contact Megan via https://www.howdyhelper.com/

CX Coffee Conversations

Tue, 12 May 2020 10:05:29 GMT

CX Coffee Conversations with Ben Sainsbury

Introducing our new cuppa-sized series with some of the leading CX specialists in Australia. We'll be exploring insider tips and knowledge plus some fascinating CX case-studies over coffee so you can keep up with industry trends.

Today we talk with Ben Sainsbury - CX Innovation and Strategy Director exploring CX best practise and advice to businesses during Covid-19.

Curated content: Free courses, great reads.

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 10:25:33 GMT

There's no shortage of interesting industry content available right now, so we've curated a snap-shot of some great reading and training you might want to dip into. Many Advertising Agencies have quickly adapted to innovate and support the community with free access to webinars and podcasts to help you think, learn and keep connected. Here's a selection of top picks:

New industry podcasts, webinars and websites:

CHE Proximity have released a program of webinars called "One Step Ahead" aimed at tackling issues that help marketers adapt quickly in these times. Register at onestepahead@cheproximity.com.au
Junior - a team inspiring the next wave of creatives, has released a great new podcast series interviewing key industry players. You can find it here .
Dentsu Aegis Network are running a webinar series called Socially Distant Dialogues. You can register for the discussion here .
Independent agency PENSO have released a new website examing case studies of businesses that have pivoted during this time. Fascinating innovation tales. www.covots.com
TBWA network have released a strategic report on how brands can navigate through this time. Available for download here .

Free online courses. A great opportunity to up-skill.

TAFE NSW is offering free courses from small business to digital skills. Check out the courses at www.tafensw.edu.au
Coursera – one of the largest online learning providers is offering 100 free online courses during Covid19 many of which would normally have a cost associated. Fancy learning Beginners Guitar? Check them out here .
Learn how to code with freeCodeCamp . Start with the basic HTML and CSS, and proceed learning the programming language of your choice.

Up-skill in Digital.

Many of your may have used Buffer to schedule your Social Media posts – it’s an all-in-one scheduling and analytics tool. They also do a fantastic podcast covering all aspects of social media, with a new episode released each Friday. Really practical and entertaining too.
For real life stories from the front in Social Media – listen to the Social Pros Podcast . With over 300 episodes available, you can listen to experts talking about everything from becoming a TikTok influencer to the psychology behind Social Media.
6 week online course available at RMIT – Customer Experience Strategy & Design . This is a paid course ($990) and runs over 6 weeks but looks great – taking your through how to build a CX strategy step-by-step. Starts 4 May.
FutureLearn - offers online courses from top universities you can explore free and paid courses and gain micro-credentials. There's an interesting CRM and Salesforce training certificate starting in September here
Or perhaps you are up for more intensive study with a Mini MBA in Marketing with Mark Ritson.

Why do we need Mental Health Minimum standards?

Sun, 09 Feb 2020 05:46:17 GMT

Over the last six months, 70 Australian Advertising and Media organisations have signed up to the concept of Mental Health Minimum Standards, signalling a wave of change against the silent, often overlooked, problem of mental health of employees.

A 2018 study into Mental Health within the Advertising and Media industry indicated notably higher measures of mental stress against the general population with 56% of participants showing signs of depression, anxiety and stress. Off the back of this study, a group of industry leaders – The Mentally Healthy Change Group (MHCG), established to elevate the issue and create industry wide change.

It’s true, the Advertising & Media industry can be a tough place to be. Whilst there’s undeniable joy to be found working in a creative industry, there’s also an innate pressure that comes with creative work - deadlines, big personalities, high adrenaline, and crazy hours over extended periods of time. It’s competitive, cut-throat and sometimes toxic combination that has been compounded with greater speed to market and financial pressure across the industry. The MHCG group rallied together to produce The Heart of My Sleeve Story book – revealing stories from a range of industry leaders, highlighting the fact that mental health impacts all level. It’s a courageous and honest insight designed to help people feel more comfortable speaking up and consider the importance of their own mental health.

The next step, more boldly, has been to instigate Minimum Standards for mental health – shining a light on some of the industry practices that can significantly impact employees such as:

The inability to “switch off” off from work
Protecting privacy around disclosure of mental health conditions
Recognising the impact of unpredictable work hours – weekend works, pitches, overtime and recognising the need for balanced time in lieu
Creating a culture of consciousness around mental health issues and supporting/making adjustments for those with mental health conditions.

The group – now led by UnLtd, Never Not Creative and Energx have formulated a group of standards that they describe as the “bare minimum” and welcome businesses to sign and incorporate them into their own policies. They ask businesses to take a stance, sign up to the minimum standards, and prepare for social backlash if they don’t abide by the standards. You can read the full list of minimum standards here.

Andy Wright co-chair of the MHCG, suggests that the younger generation coming through the industry are more aware than previous generations about mental health and will vote with their feet. “People don’t want to work for agencies or organisations that are going to damage their health”. It’s a small step but he believes the balance will swell to change.

As recruiters we work closely with hundreds of candidates and have seen first-hand the negative impact poor mental health practices can have on people. Not only does it result in poor retention rates in the industry, but it can have long-term effects on employee’s self-esteem, relationships and career. We’d urge our clients to look at supporting this great initiative. To find out more and sign the Minimum Standards, visit mentally-healthy.org

The Communications Council

Wed, 23 Oct 2019 06:35:15 GMT

So what exactly does The Communications Council of Australia do for the Ad industry? And for you? We sat down with Victorian State Manager, Amy Lee, to find out.

Amy, can you tell us about the role of The Communications Council in our industry?

The Communications Council is the peak professional body representing companies in the Australian advertising industry. We help grow member agency business and develop individual careers through professional development, advocacy and support. Our mission is to make advertising the most valued service in Australi

What does your role as State Manager involve?

My role as the Victorian State Manager is to represent our Communications Council Victorian members by championing creativity, developing careers, promoting the commercial impact of industry and providing guidance and industry leadership.

You worked in the advertising industry for many years, how do those skills you develop assist you in this role?

I have worked for local and global agencies in Account Service, and been directly involved with some of Australia and New Zealand’s most successful campaigns. Clients have included Coles, Woolworths, A2 Milk, Dulux, Sakata and BMW. Working in account service has prepared me very well for this role. I can utilise my skills to drive multiple projects and events on time and budget, to manage stakeholders, network, and represent and lead the industry.

What are some of the initiatives run by the Communications Council you are most excited about?

I have a strong passion for the industry, particularly fostering the next generation. I am lucky to have a very involved relationship with those looking to crack into the industry across all disciplines. I have really enjoyed launching a pilot regional program for AWARD School. Great to see creative talent outside of metro Melbourne!

What are some of the key resources provided by the Communications Council our candidates should tap into?

We run a number of industry recognised training courses, taught by the industry for the industry such as Adschool and AWARD School. We also run a number of events throughout the year that provide a fantastic insight in the industry and great networking opportunities. I would encourage under 30s to attend Youngbloods events including Speed Mentoring. It is a great opportunity to meet likeminded people in the industry, as well as senior leaders.

You play a mentor role to many in the industry. What advice would you give to candidates starting out in the industry? Where should they look for information?

As a starting place, visit youngbloods.org.au and view the Adventure Guide. This has everything you need to know about the industry. I would encourage those looking to crack into the industry in Account Service or Planning to read the trade press and understand when accounts are switching agencies. This is where the jobs are. Pick up the phone and contact the Heads of Account Service or Heads of Planning. Also, volunteer to help with industry events – this is a great way to network with the industry. For creatives, consider applying for AWARD School. 70% of people in creative departments have completed AWARD School before they started their career in advertising.

Creativity Needs Diversity

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 07:05:51 GMT

It’s no secret that advertising in this country functions within a small and affluent bubble. If you’ve worked in advertising in Sydney, it is most likely that you are well-off and live within a 14km radius of the CBD. Sure, the same can be said of other industries, but what are the implications for a creative industry? And an industry that works on behalf of brands who seek to reach a broader Australian market? The disconnect here is a worrisome one.

Enter Sydney Creatives and Industry Legends Rocky Ranallo and Matt Smith, who are rolling up their sleeves to try to address the problem. We caught up with Rocky to hear all about the Western Sydney Ad School.

Tell us a little bit about the Western Sydney Ad School

It is an intensive 12 week once a week course. The students get a brief each week, 10 briefs in all, and at the end have 2 weeks to relook and usually redo their work so and then prepare their portfolios for presentation to prospective employers. The top student will get an internship at a Sydney agency.

In the end it’s really about getting these kids a job. I found that over the years the other Ad Schools have gradually become out of reach for the less affluent and the less connected. There’s a lot of diverse and different thinkers in the Western Suburbs that aren’t getting a look in when it comes to a career in advertising because of that disadvantage so the real aim is to build them a book of ads so they can get a job and make a living.

There was research produced by Adshel, some years ago now, that found the amount of Sydney Agency people who had dined at North Bondi Italian was more than double those who had ever gone to Parramatta. In your opinion, has the Adland bubble in Sydney gotten worse over your career? Or has it always been this insular?

I saw that article and in fact posted it on our social page last month, as we all know there is a Red Rooster line separating the outer suburbs from the CBD. But look I think it’s hard to say whether the insular cliques of advertising is worse now than it has been historically, but I think there is definitely an overabundance of talent from the East and Lower North Shore than there is from the West or Southern suburbs. I’m not saying they don’t deserve to be there, but wouldn’t it be advantageous for the industry to have more creatives that come from different backgrounds and cultures.

Semester 1 kicks off this month – Have you seen a good intake of students? What does the first cohort look like?

The enrolments have been very slow, and we have had to delay the start of the course but I am encouraged by the amount of support from the industry I’ve had. Everyone sees this as a long overdue initiative. Also, Western Sydney University has shown interest in developing some sort of partnership. I must thank George Betsis for the introduction. Like any new venture we have had our teething problems but I know this will work and flourish into a well-respected and must do course.

There’s an agency internship with The Hallway up for grabs for the top student. Are you looking for more agencies to jump onboard with internship offers?

I’m so grateful for Simon Lee at The Hallway to offer this internship and George has also offered a position at his agency WECOLLECTIVE. I would love more offers but because I hope to run this course every 3 months for as long as I can I will need other internship from other agencies later. I’ll be hitting up some of my old friends throughout the year so I think we will be ok on that front.

Do you have any future ambitions to expand beyond creative school? We know the industry could use new and diversified talent across the board, especial

ly strategy and media.

At this stage our long-term business plan is the get Western Sydney Ad School up and running well…2 classes a week with 12 students a class would be fantastic then there’s no reason we can’t open in Melbourne in the future. Geelong looks the right area to target. In fact, I have had some interest in setting one up in Melbourne from a couple of advertising people there.

To find out more about the Western Sydney Ad School, to enrol or get involved in the initiative, visit www.westernsydneyadschool.com.au

More Than Just Perks

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 06:47:36 GMT

Company work-life is changing. The struggle to attract and retain top talent has seen many of our clients put more thought, planning and effort into creating a “great place to work”. We are seeing some Agencies take great strides in this area – thinking beyond the benefits of free food, games rooms and Friday night drinks, to initiatives that really manifest company values and encourage staff to strive for greatness. There’s more consideration around how benefits and perks can take care of their people and remove barriers that hinder growth. We wanted to explore some of the most interesting initiatives we’ve seen recently in the market.

Aligning benefits to core values

Over recent years we have seen more Agencies get clear about their culture and how they can align company benefits to their core values. A successful Melbourne boutique digital agency that has a values policy around environment and sustainability have moulded a team that really shares values on these issues. The benefits provided by this agency all centre around sustainability and “giving back” from the carbon neutral office, re-cycled paper, wind power energy, and emphasis on riding bikes or catching public transport to the office to the additional mental health and flexibility to be the best in your role. These values have helped the agency form a very cohesive team and an attractive proposition for potential candidates (and clients).

Another Sydney based independent agency puts “curiosity” at the forefront of their values and hiring policy – imploring their staff to continually question and learn. This extends to a unique benefit called “Library Hour” – where each staff member is given one hour per week for personal development. These values and benefits are included in all recruitment briefs so candidates are clear on the cultural measures through the hiring process.

On a larger scale, Dentsu Aegis Network has created Innovation Champions – a program to enable all employees to become more innovative by using design thinking methodologies in an 8-week online “problem solving” training platform. The concept is designed to help all employees work with an agile approach and create amazing ideas and solutions together.

Wellbeing – Mental Health

One of the big trends in company culture has been a focus on staff wellbeing, particularly around staff mental health. With 1 in 5 working Australian’s suffering a mental health issue it is no longer a fringe issues for businesses and many are taking action. A leading Melbourne media agency offers all staff Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training to empower all staff to be aware and take action on Mental Health. Another large independent is aiming to look at root causes of mental health concerns amongst staff. For instance, they have identified that a leading cause of stress amongst younger staff is management on personal finances – so they are offering specialised training to help support them in their personal lives. WPP has implemented an agency wide Wellbeing Ambassador program with 1-2 employees getting centralised training and resources to roll out wellbeing initiatives across themes such as stress, fitness, environment and sleep.

Flexibility

Flexibility is another area where Agencies are starting to challenge traditional ways of working. The battle to stem the flow of talent to client-side roles offering more manageable conditions around working hours, have seen some agencies make bold moves in this area. Digital agency Versa have gained a lot of press over the last year for its decision to implement a 4-day working week for all staff. After struggling with a variety of flexible working options, they moved to a standardised approach for the entire business where everyone takes Wednesday’s off (so long as workload is managed). The results have seen the business improve revenue and profit quite dramatically as well as staff retention and higher quality of candidates applying for roles. According to Versa, they have noticed that people are interested in more than just money and the impact that additional time makes to their lifestyle. Staff use the Wednesdays for personal errands, exercise, spending time with children and come back to work energised.

Versa is part of small but growing group of businesses looking at innovative ways to allow for more flexibility in the workplace. A successful agency in the fundraising sector, Flat Earth Direct, has a unique remote-working model with a network of account service and creative staff who collaborate through technology across different locations in Australia, allowing staff to work in regional areas.

Whilst not all agencies are taking such dramatic steps, across the board we are seeing more companies addressing flexibility to attract better talent – from additional days of personal leave such as Birthday Leave, Doona Days and Mental Health Days, reduced working hours through Summer months and more options to work from home. Continual innovation around how best to support employees to be their best in the workplace and attract the best talent is slowly changing the environments we work in and helping businesses position themselves to talent in the market.

2019 Career Predictions

Tue, 01 Oct 2019 13:01:26 GMT

Welcome to 2019!

As we draw ourselves away from the beach and BBQs, we turn our focus to the year ahead and consider some of the employment and recruitment trends we are likely to see in 2019. Here are our top picks:

Social-centricity

2018 saw many creative agencies re-configure planning departments and creative teams to ensure a “social-first” approach. Social media skills across strategy, content development, and analytics were in high demand and we expect this trend to continue in 2019. Agencies will adjust team structures, collaborate with social platforms and create hiring demand in this area to ensure innovative prowess in this space. We may also see new specialist roles emerge in the customer messaging, AI and chatbot space.

#metoo continues to have impact

The #metoo movement which put a spotlight on sexual harassment and inequality in the workplace continues to have impact in the industry and we will have more sophisticated discussions in this area as agencies and businesses sharpen their HR practices and taking greater responsibility in protecting employees. In 2018, there was a rise in sexual harassment complaints with victims more likely to speak up.

Scarcity of international talent

In 2018 we saw the impact of government changes to the 457 Visa’s hit the marketing and advertising industry as it became harder for international talent to find short stay contract work and sponsorship arrangements. This has stemmed the flow of international talent particularly from the UK who have historically been a ready source of talent in account service, digital and strategic roles.

Change of government.

A Federal election this year may herald a change of government to Labor and some of the key themes in industrial relations proposed by Labor include - clarifying the position on permanent and casual workers and a review of legislation that impacts the gig economy. Last year Fair Work Commission concluded that a Foodora worker was an employee - so we can expect to see more discussion that defines and clarifies this type of work.

Areas of demand in advertising and marketing roles

This year we predict that candidates with strategic social and content skills will be in demand by creative agencies. Data Scientists continue to remain in demand as more and more agencies see analytics as an integral part of their offering. Across agency and client side marketing roles there will be demand for candidates with strong skills in areas of customer data, analytics and digital performance. Account service candidates will need to continue to gain skills in digital and social as these skills are no longer seen as “specialist” skills.

If you are thinking about your skills in relation to the employment market or would like to chat about your career this year, feel free to give us a call to have a confidential chat. We’d be happy to support you in decision-making or give insight into current trends of demand.

Wishing you a safe and successful 2019!

Making Flexibility a Reality

Wed, 25 Sep 2019 07:22:57 GMT

We take a look at three different real-life flexible work scenarios to uncover what flexibility can look like and what it takes to make it work.

What’s a landline?’

That’s what my 5 year old daughter asked me yesterday. After I explained that the landline was a phone attached to my wall at home as a kid and to my desk as a working adult, she looked bemused and said ‘Why?’.

And what a question!

There will be so much that mystifies the next generation as we move away from outdated modes of living and working. In this day and age, why would a person need to be locked to a desk with a landline phone and a desktop computer?

Right now, it feels as though we are on the cusp of the turn of the tide when it comes to flexibility. The arguments in support of flexible work are compelling – happier employees, increased engagement and productivity, longer staff tenure and greater workplace loyalty. And when we look at our towns and cities – the ever-sprawling suburbia that decentralises CBDs and adds time and pressure to our everyday commutes, it is a no-brainer that all of us – employers, employees, town-planners – we need to reframe the way we work. There can be no doubt that we have the technology to enable the shift to a revised model of work for pretty much all people, it is most often only in our attitudes that we lag.

In the age of the employer brand, it pays to shift thinking about flexibility. The top employee brands in this country know that you shouldn’t call flexibility a “perk”, rather it is inbuilt to the culture of a company and the mode by which employees can deliver their best work. And they reap the benefits with recruiting and retaining the country’s top talent.

We think it’s fair to say that Adland has not been leading the charge when it comes to making flexibility a reality – where balancing client service, shrinking retainers and old school mentalities has seemingly put flexibility in the ‘too hard’ basket. But there are signs of change. We at SCC Talent have witnessed an increase to in the amount of people looking to freelance in the marketing and advertising realm. Yes, this coincides with more project-based work in the space, but it also speaks to the appetite of people to do their jobs in a less rigid format – for whatever reason, some have a side business, some are part-time Instagram influencers, some are in training for a marathon and yes, some are parents.

We hear people, often mums and dads, saying of their flexible work set ups that they are really lucky to be able to work the way they do. We are looking forward to a future where it’s no longer lucky, it just is.

We recently spoke to some of our colleagues and connections about some of the ‘best’ flexible work arrangements we know of. We have kept their responses anonymous, to get better insight to how they’ve made flexibility truly work for them.

Enjoy!

Matt* is 37 years old and works in Sydney for a global consultancy. He recently took advantage of a flexible parental leave policy offered by his work.

How much leave did you take?

An initial three weeks when Luke was born and then fifteen weeks towards the end of his first year.

Often policies like flexible parental leave can feel more token than real. Did you hesitate in taking the leave? Were you genuinely encouraged to use the leave?

It was relatively easy to take the leave as one block and I was encouraged to do so. The flexibility in consulting probably makes it less costly for staff to do so, i.e. it is relatively easy to move people around and replace people on leave. A number of senior staff around me have also taken paternity leave so I didn't feel pressure to do otherwise.

Was there any setback to your career in taking time off?

It probably delayed a case for promotion. I don't think this would have been a problem if it were a year earlier/later. Mostly a timing issue and it's difficult to complain given the generosity of the leave.

What did you learn during your paternity leave? Work-related or otherwise?

That I had underestimated the level of attention required, even for one baby. Also that, on balance, it is easier to be the one balancing work and parenting (i.e. going to the office each day) than solely parenting.

Would you recommend other dads take time off if they can?

Of course. Obviously, that leave time equates to any number of mornings and afternoons where I would only have seen Luke briefly in the morning and evening.

Having returned to work, what is it like now? Have you managed to strike a decent work life balance?

I've gone to four days a week since Luke started daycare which has worked well so far but it is very easy and common to end up working on that day or for longer on the other days, defeating the purpose somewhat.

Josephine* is 35 years old, a mother of two young kids and jobshares a Senior Client service position with a Sydney-based media agency.

Tell us about your job share arrangement – how does it work each week?

My jobshare and I are Senior Client Directors at a media agency in Sydney, where we both work 3 days a week, with one day overlap. That day is essential for important meetings which we both want to attend, and also for both of us to catch up face to face. On the days we are not in the office together, we email or call at the end of the day, with detailed notes to set the other up for next day.

What have been the benefits for you?

The main benefit has been the ability to work 3 days a week in a client facing role, which has allowed me to have more time with my young family. It also means I didn’t have to be relegated to a behind-the-scenes role as many returning mums end up doing (not by choice). On the days I’m not at work, I have complete peace of mind, knowing my jobshare is there to handle everything.

What benefits have you found in the arrangement for your clients?

Apart from the fact our client has a senior person in the office on their business the whole week (they previously only had a 3 day a week client lead), they are also able to leverage on our different background, experiences and skills that we each bring to the table. Also, my jobshare and I have not taken our holidays at the same time, so having someone in the office while the other is on leave has been an added bonus.

It goes without saying that you need people from your company and your clients to be on-board with different working arrangements like jobsharing. Have you come across anyone who’s been less supportive of it? If so, how have you handled that?

It’s been great - both the agency and clients have been very supportive from the get go. For a few reasons - both my jobshare and I have had long tenures at our agency so they knew how we worked as individuals and also that we would work well together. Furthermore, the clients we work on also have a jobshare arrangement, in fact, we knew it could work because these clients of ours have been successful in their jobshare for many years.

My jobshare and I are often on the same page with the big things, and aim to get on the same page if we are not. However, we had encountered a few instances where members of our team received slightly different instructions from my jobshare and I, and were frustrated with the set up. From that we have learned to over-communicate on both big and small issues, ensuring that any instructions given is also covered off in our handovers so both of us are aligned.

Did you have to “sell” the job share model into your agency? If yes how did you do it?

Getting the jobshare across the line with our bosses was not difficult, but once we were up and running, my jobshare and I wrote a detailed document - outlining the benefits, team structure and processes to ensure our team, clients and management were all across the the way it would work. It was a useful exercise for my jobshare and I to do and also great to have something tangible we could share.

Jess* is 28 years old, a creative agency Account Director and a business owner on the side.

Building your own business as a side project, how have you made flexibility work for you?

I initially started my side business as a passion project in my own time. I was working fulltime for an agency and learning so much about my client’s businesses and thought ‘why not give my own business a proper crack?!’ I decided to change agency, and in that move I changed my criteria for what I wanted a bit. I decided to freelance for a while to get more committed periods at my paid work, then more dedicated time for my business. I was also then keeping an eye out for an agency that might support a more permanent but flexible role. The role I finally landed on has been amazing! I asked to work 4 days a week for the agency, and 1 for my business, and they were happy with that. In fact, I think they liked seeing that I have things that I’m passionate about outside the agency. I’m also able to work from home as much as I like and is feasible. This gives me the freedom to work the hours I like and, without the commute, I am far more productive.

What have been the benefits for you?

I’m finding that I’m way more efficient, in both my employment and my business. I get the satisfaction and security of a permanent paid position, the benefits of an agency team and vibe, while still pursuing my own passion project. And importantly, I get my weekends back for something other than work and business!

Did you find it difficult to balance a client-facing role while working remotely and part time?

I haven’t found it difficult in this role, because this agency fully supports remote working. We have a brilliant tech set up, so I’m video-calling in to the rest of the team and the client as often as I need to. The clients I work with are fantastic and pretty forward-thinking – they literally see no difference to any other format of client/agency relationship. We do have set face to face meetings each week which helps to cement the relationship. And I come into the agency as many times as is needed for the strategy sessions or conversations that are trickier and need that hands-on sort of catch up. It took a while to build the same agency rapport as the other more traditional roles I’ve had, but we are all really close now. We have a system in place where my boss is able to handle any overflow work on my “day off”.

What advice do you have for someone looking to work flexibly?

I’d just say that they need to ask for what they want. Some agencies were not interested in making roles more flexible for me – which I understand of course - but I was surprised by how easily my current agency agreed to flexible work. And I think more and more agencies are catching up to people’s needs for non-traditional work set ups, especially in account management where it has maybe lagged behind a bit.

And I would say that flexibility goes both ways. I know that on my “day off” I’ll sometimes need to be online or on the phone for something for my job. If you accept that and roll with it (within reason), then it can really work.

SCC Snaps - Five minutes with Energx's Sean Hall

Sat, 29 Jun 2019 07:49:30 GMT

Feeling like you don’t have enough energy to get through the day? Feeling distanced or cynical about your job? Not feeling as productive as you know you could be?

Well, you’re not alone.

These are the key characteristics of burnout. And literally millions of Australians are suffering the same symptoms.

In May this year, the World Health Organisation officially classified burnout as a syndrome "resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed”. This classification confirms what health professionals have long known – that wellness in the workplace is crucial to our mental and physical health, productivity and professional success.

Finding work-life balance and the energy to tackle all fields of life today has become increasingly difficult – something we at SCC Talent know first-hand and hear day-in-and-out from candidates we meet with. To explore what we can collectively do to address this energy crisis, we chatted with Sean Hall, the Founder and Chief Energist of wellbeing company Energx. Using assessments and an approach endorsed by The University of Sydney Business School, Energx specialises in burnout risk identification and prevention, to increase the collective energy and creativity in teams.

1. As you’d imagine, we meet a lot of candidates who are on the verge of burnout. What advice would you give a candidate showing signs of burnout who is considering resigning from their role?

Great question!

When we are depleted our ability to make great decisions is seriously impaired and we can be emotionally impulsive. Making a big life decision when we are already depleted could actually make things worse before it makes things better.

If I was in this position, I’d ideally take a week off to completely remove myself from the situation to get a clear objective perspective on what is really going on. During this week I’d really focus on self-care to put you in the right headspace to make a great decision.That simply means sleeping 8 hours, staying hydrated, moving every day and getting some daily Vitamin D. Remember the purpose of this week is to focus on you, so avoid making yourself busy or wasting energy and time unnecessarily.

Spend the week reflecting an answering questions like these before you make the final decision:

- What is contributing to me feeling burned out that I am responsible for or can influence? If you look at the seven burnout or ‘energy crisis’ indicators we measure, most of them are within your control.

- Do I love my job too much or too little? Both can burn you out.

- Do I feel valued by my boss/workplace? If so, what changes do I feel I can ask for?

- Is the grass actually greener? Do I know what I’d like to move towards in my next job or am I just focused on what I’m moving away from?

- If I choose to leave, what will my transition plan be? It’s always easier to find a job when we already have one.

2. We frequently meet Agency candidates who express the wish to move Client-side for better balance. Is that a true reflection of the market? Do Brands understand the importance of workplace wellness better than Agencies?

Energx data shows that there isn’t a significant difference in burnout risk indicators on either side. The difference is what drives them.

All of my clients on both sides are early adopters when it comes to really investing in the wellbeing of their people. If there was any real difference, I’d say that Client-side is better for women as they’ll often have much more advanced policies in place around flexible working and parental leave.

Having worked on both sides I can tell you that it’s important to weigh up the pros and cons. One of the main reasons I moved Client-side was because I wanted more ownership over what I created. In the Agency world I was an Account Director. Little did I know that Client-side would mean an exponential increase in stakeholder management. The time and energy it took to get an idea across the line Client-side was both frustrating and depleting. You also need to be prepared for the fact that you don’t actually make anything Client-side, you brief and pay Agencies to do this for you.

The Agency pace can be non-stop however there’s the excitement of the creative process and being surrounded by other ‘makers’. It’s probably one of the reasons why so many of my clients are Agencies because I’m drawn to this energy.

3. We’ve seen a great rise in the number of people wanting to freelance. More often than not, they tell us it’s because they are able to maintain a better work-life balance through contracting rather than fulltime roles. Do you think we will see more of this and more flexible work options in future?

I’m a board advisor to Transition Hub which specialises in helping people transition to the future of work whether this is through things like redundancy, new jobs being created within businesses or for personal choice.

One of the scenarios we help people prepare for is exactly this which can take the form of a portfolio career, freelancing, consulting or becoming an entrepreneur. I think we are definitely seeing more options available to people in terms of the way they want to work.

I think one of the big reasons for this is that people also want more meaningful work that doesn’t come with the processes, bureaucracy and politics that can be a drain with permanent employment. You’re enabled to take more control over who you work with and what you work on.

The tough part is that you give up the security and benefits that come with full time work and freelancing can also be a bit lonely at times so it’s important to jump in with your eyes wide open.

4. The energy crisis in our workplace is affecting women in particular. Does your research tell you why?

It’s actually my clients that tell me why. I see women wearing multiple hats, trying to be perfect in every role and constantly comparing themselves to each other. This means they’re essentially putting up this persona that they’re thriving, when they’re barely surviving. It’s also not uncommon for me to hear that women are dealing with male partner mental health issues at the detriment of their own.

The foundational problem here is that many women put everyone else’s needs before their own which is impossible to sustain. If we choose to look after others, it’s essential we look after our own energy first. This isn’t a selfish act. It’s actually kind and generous.

5. What can employees do to encourage their employers to push the workplace wellness agenda?

Firstly, it’s important to understand that all employers and managers are legally obliged to take appropriate steps to eliminate and minimise health and safety risks in the workplace. In terms of mental illness, as an employer or manager you are obliged to:

- identify possible workplace practices, actions or incidents which may cause, or contribute to, the mental illness of workers.

- take actions to eliminate or minimise these risks.

Beyond this I’ve had to learn that we all need to speak “CEO speak”. This means having real data and presenting both risks, costs and opportunities.

We’ve created a calculator that determines the cost of loss productivity when employees are not at their best through sleep deprivation, being disengaged, being stressed and through working when they are sick which is called presenteeism.

This can be around 21% of salary costs which is huge proportion of the budget to be wasting. And that’s before considering direct staff turnover costs.

On the positive side we know that healthy engaged employees deliver better customer experiences, are more productive, stay longer, are more creative, expend more discretionary effort, and are just generally nicer to be around. The businesses they’re employed by are also more profitable.

Sean and his team at Energx are working with The University of Sydney Business School to elevate this conversation and look into the maturity of wellbeing strategy in Australian businesses.

You can help by completing this short survey on your wellbeing experiences.

And if you want to find out more about Energx and their work in improving energy, visit https://www.energx.com.au

Get Poached

Tue, 04 Jun 2019 09:23:06 GMT

A recruiters’ perspective on how to increase your chances of being approached for your dream role.

The higher up in your career the less likely it is that you’ll be applying to a job that has been advertised versus finding roles through your network or being approached directly via executive search recruiters or “Headhunters”. Digital technology and social media have made the process of identifying and contacting candidates much easier, so there’s every chance you’ll be “tapped on the shoulder” at some stage in your career.

Here are some recruiter tips on how to increase your chances of being noticed and how to manage the process:

1. Have a social media presence.

Social media is a key tool for identifying candidates and it’s important to have a presence on some of these platforms. An up-to-date LinkedIn profile is the first step you should take. Research how your peers are presenting information, and take a look at some of the job advertisements in your field. Take note of the key words being used and ensure your profile is using the latest terminology. Your overview on LinkedIn is an opportunity to ensure all searchable criteria is found – category experience, key words (ie. CRM, Customer Experience, e-commerce) brands you’ve worked on, training you’ve undertaken, and technical programs (ie. Salesforce, Marketo), that you’ve worked with. As these are all points of information used within recruiter search.

A broader social media profile can also help you be identified. Twitter is searched for job titles, contribution to industry discussion and attendance at industry events. On the flipside, it’s true that social media plays a part of the recruitment process and may be checked by your future employer so ensure there’s nothing online that’s going to work against your future job prospects.

2. Have a USP.

By being an expert, or specialist and having a clearly defined personal USP will help someone looking at your social profile get a clear idea of what are passionate about and looking for in your career. For instance, someone in the property marketing sector may regularly post and share about key development projects or innovation in the industry. It demonstrates your interest and opens the door for conversations within your network. Candidates in the social media space should have a body of work on their own platforms that demonstrates their skills, passion and interest in social media as employers may check both professional and personal social media platforms to get a sense of capability.

3. Network

As difficult as it can be to get out and attend industry events, it does help. Attending or contributing to events will expand your network and boost your profile. Speaking at events, writing articles, industry award nominations, are also great ways to get noticed so find the courage to say “Yes!” if you are ever asked to contribute. Attendance lists at industry events are also a data source for recruiters.

4. Have that coffee

It can pay to have a coffee with a recruiter even if you aren’t ready to move. It can be an opportunity to gather information on salaries and the employment market that you can use in the future. An honest discussion about your career ambitions can also put you on the radar for future roles. At the very least, a polite email declining the opportunity and being open to future approaches is best.

5. Managing the process

Being approached for a role can be a very flattering and exciting time and you certainly have more negotiating power at the initial stages of the approach. It’s a good idea to keep across industry salaries and know your worth, particularly if you have been in a role for a long time.

As frustrating as it might be, a recruiter may not be able to release the client name for a variety of reasons (it may be a sensitive hire) and you may not know the name of the employer until you are established as being considered for the role. Try to get as much information on the category, size, location, size of team so you can get a sense of the opportunity and ascertain your interest.

When you meet, you’ll be asked about your salary expectations and these are often clarified a few times throughout the process so both you and the employer are clear on salary before your first direct interview. It’s best to be quite clear on your expectations rather trying to negotiate for more in the final stages of the process as this can backfire or set you off on the wrong foot with your employer.

If you’d like to be prepared for that “tap on the shoulder” with market knowledge, salary advice or guidance on your CV, we’d love to help you.

Is it time to break up?

Fri, 15 Mar 2019 09:32:45 GMT

It’s Sunday night and you have that feeling of dread in the pit of your stomach…. how do you know if it’s just sadness that a fabulous weekend is over, a stomach ache from the greasy fries you ate for lunch – or it’s time to find a new role?

Candidates often struggle to decide when to depart a company and find a new position. It’s sometime hard to identify if “it’s just one of those times” or it really is right for you to move on.

Here are some clear indicators.

Walk out that door

Toxic culture: High churn rates, bitchiness, constant power plays – all point to an unhealthy workplace environment. A lot of this is set by management, so if the leaders of the business are setting a negative tone, and there’s no commitment to change this then it can be difficult to thrive. Yes, it’s time to go.

Lack of challenge: Ongoing boredom at work is the number one enemy of career progression. If you’re constantly distracted, dragging your heels on projects or worst of all clock-watching then it’s time to look for a new role that fulfils and excites you.

You’ve turned into a whinger: If your friends and family are getting sick of you complaining about work, and it’s a constant conversation piece - clearly, it’s time to change the scenery. If you truly can’t think of at least three good things to say about your day at work, it’s a sign.

Iffy….

Bad boss: Having a terrible boss can be especially challenging – but by itself is usually not a reason to leave. Firstly, try talking to her/him – maybe there’s a communication issue or just a different management style which you can both adapt to. If not resolved, try talking someone else in the organisation who may be able to assist or intervene. Otherwise stay strong – and remember bad bosses teach you so much (how not to manage!). Of course, any type of abuse should taken straight to HR and not tolerated.

Passed over for promotion: This can be a gut-wrenching experience and difficult to get past. However maybe time for soul-searching – perhaps you really weren’t ready, or their other candidate was simply more suited at this stage of their career. Try not to have a knee-jerk reaction, your promotion may be just around the corner.

Hang in There

Less than 18 months: Try and stick it out a bit longer. A role where you have stayed less than 18 months will create questions for your next employer and can indicate a lack of resilience and loyalty. You’ll have to work that extra bit harder in the interview to demonstrate commitment.

No job to go to: Yes, it’s time-consuming looking for a role. And takes emotional energy. And can be difficult to schedule in interviews around work hours. BUT DO NOT LEAVE WITHOUT ANOTHER ROLE LINED UP. You can never anticipate just how long it will take to secure the next role, and not working can quickly become isolating, depressing and financially destabilising.

You’re tired and stressed: When you’re not operating in peak condition, it’s too easy to make an illogical or emotionally-charged decision. Maybe you just need a break – either a vacation or even a few days to recharge in your home environment. Make sure you do totally switch off – no emails or work phone calls. This time out can give you more clarity and re-consider whether you do have solid reasons to move on.

Of course if you’d like impartial career advice, the team at SCC Talent are always happy to chat and help you work out if it really is time to break up.

The Wise Words of IWD 2019

Wed, 13 Mar 2019 12:48:31 GMT

The SCC Talent team is run by working mothers who believe that advice and knowledge shared from other women has been instrumental to our careers, lives and happiness. To celebrate International Women’s Day this year, we reached out to our network of clients, colleagues and friends to ask: what’s the most influential piece of advice or inspiration you’ve ever received from a female mentor, relative, friend or writer?

The response from our respected connections was overwhelming and we are so grateful for their participation. Here, we share with you their wise words.

It’s that time of the year…..help!!!

Wed, 21 Nov 2018 10:55:24 GMT

At this time of year, we tend to get panicked calls from candidates who for a host of different reasons find themselves desperate to find a role a role before Christmas.

If that’s you – should you be worried?

Generally speaking the market does slow, especially when the “silly season” officially commences after Melbourne Cup. There tends to be fewer new roles available as clients focus on dealing with end-of-year deadlines and increased marketing activity in the lead-up to Christmas, and lots of social distractions!

However, people do still change jobs regardless of the time of year so there are always some opportunities. Accounts continue to move and with that movement new roles do open up. It certainly not a hard and fast rule that it does slow down over Christmas – December and January last year were incredibly busy for our team.

Here are three ways you can maximise your chances of picking up work prior to Christmas:

Open up your search to short-term freelancing roles.

As the holiday season hits (it seems increasingly popular to avoid Christmas in Australia and take your holidays in December) lots of organisations (agencies especially) are short-staffed but still faced with tight deadlines. We often find there is a big need for contractors to jump in and handle busy workloads. And of course you never know where contract roles can lead to…..

Up your networking game.

There’s lots of Christmas get-togethers and industry end-of-year events – go to as many as you can. It can also be a good excuse to get your contacts together, you could organise a catch up for teams you have worked with in the past for example. Every opportunity you have to talk to people and spread the word that you are looking is invaluable – the wider the network of people “keeping an eye open for you” the more chances you have of connecting with the right opportunity

Do some seasonal work.

It may not be your ideal scenario, but maybe you can leverage the role into enhancing your CV. For example, take a retail role in a small boutique – and whilst there see if you can work on their Social Media presence so building your skills in that space. Go and work in a tourist-based business and offer to create some eDMs for them. Don’t say no to cashflow and try and think laterally about maximising opportunities.

So don’t panic – and as we always tell our candidates you don’t need there to be a hundred jobs – just the one job that is right for you.

SCC Snaps - Five minutes with Ash Mustchin

Tue, 12 Jun 2018 10:27:54 GMT

One of the things we love most about our job is meeting interesting people and exploring the work they are doing. We sat down with Ash Mustchin – Director of Digital and Experience at Principals to chat about his role, his passion for brand experience and some of the brands that are getting it right.

Watch the full video here.

Ash, tell us a bit about your role at Principals?

As my title suggests I play a dual role here, the digital side is looking at brand identity and interactions in a digital capacity. The touchpoints for brand are more digital than ever before so that part of my role is really about best practice and accessibility and the other part of my role is about brand experience - how a brand positions itself in the market and delivers it to people in a way that is uniquely them and differentiated.

It’s a useful interplay - one’s quite functional and one is strategic, and together, that’s where the best brand experiences are made.

You’ve been running a series of talks here in Melbourne that have been really well received, exploring the connection between brand planning and customer experience. Can you tell me why that’s an important topic for you?

We created this talk because we saw a rising discourse in Marketing Teams around customer experience…. this term CX that seems that seems to be everywhere at the moment. A frustration we find amongst our clients in CX is that CX can be quite functional. The example I often give is if you have a slow website most companies would say that’s an IT issue, but it’s very much customer experience too – so where does the line of fault lie? Also, across industries CX insights can be quite generic. If you talk to people about what they want regardless of category the insights would probably be the same– everyone wants it cheaper, quicker more personalized.

So what we are talking about in this series of talks is how you can combine how the customer experience with the brand ambition to create brand experience.

So do you think there are any companies out there that can actually get it right?

Yes I do. I think it’s much easier for start-ups to achieve this because they have the ability to test and learn, to change things quite quickly. Plus, if you are entering a saturated market your brand experience has to be different to create advocacy because you don’t have the big marketing budgets. Take for instance the brand Koala(koala.com.au)– they have a really defined brand experience, equity in their identity, tone, proposition is clear and the product itself is different. They also meet all the benchmarks– 3 hour delivery, live chat etc. Larger organisations are struggling because they have to retro-fit their brand ambitions into sometimes old technology and then try and advance that forward.

What tools do you use to understand the customer experience?

Sometimes the problem with traditional qualitative methods like focus groups is that you can get manufactured answers, or you don’t really get a sense of how they interact with the brand. We like to study people in their natural environment and how they interact with a brand in their lives – their home, their office. We run what we call “empathy sessions” and uncover how customers feel about their brand. We film these and let our clients have a first and feedback on how they interact with brands.

Ash, it sounds like fascinating work. What do you love about your role?

Getting out and meeting people and hearing first hand experiences. Sometimes in the echo-chamber of advertising you are surrounded by the same demographic of people so it’s great to get out and meet people and see the reality of how brands are used in everyday life. It’s an important reminder of what we do and the end result. I also love the fact that digital is always evolving and there’s always something new to learn -taking innovations like AI, VR, chatbots out into real life environments and really testing them with the customer.

Can we expect more talks next year Ash?

Yes! More talks in February and one in Auckland and some work with Mumbrella.

Thanks Ash. We’ll watch this space!

Will changes to the 457 Visa impact the Marketing & Advertising Industry?

Sat, 19 May 2018 11:13:48 GMT

If you’ve ever worked in an Advertising agency it’s more than likely you’ve worked alongside someone enjoying a working holiday visa. UK candidates were particularly prominent in CRM, digital and strategic roles over recent years, providing a turbo-boost of skills to local teams. From March this year the Federal Government changed the way Working Visas are managed in Australia. The 457 Visa is no longer and in its place is the Temporary Short Stay Visa (TSS). To understand the impact to Marketing and Advertising Industry we’ve consulted with migration experts Visa Essentials to outline how the new TSS visa will impact the employment of international talent.

Along with the new TSS Visa, the Australian Government also made changes to the Occupation List for visas. Do Marketing & Advertising roles feature on the list?

There’s still opportunity for international Marketing and Advertising professionals to work in Australia. The occupations of Sales & Marketing Manager, Advertising Manager, Advertising Specialist & Marketing Specialist remain eligible. However, it should be noted that these roles are only on the ‘short term list’ occupations and thus only available for 2 year TSS grants.

What should employers consider if they would like to sponsor a candidate on a TSS Visa?

The key for employers is to allow extra time for the process of sponsorship. Companies that have previously employed overseas candidates would have fairly streamlined processes in terms of the visa process, however businesses now need to demonstrate that they have made effort to recruit an equivalent local candidate. Businesses should start “labour market testing” (evidence of attempts to recruit locally) as soon possible in the process. It’s also advisable to gain formal advice at this early stage so that you make sure your labour market testing is compliant with DOHA’s policy guidance.

Is it still worthwhile sponsoring an overseas candidate?

The recent changes to working visa’s do tend to suggest that the Australian Government would like businesses to think twice before employing overseas labour but there are instances where overseas talent can deliver significant business advantages such as overseas networks, market knowledge and advanced technical skills. For the right candidate it can still be a worthwhile process that is entirely manageable.

If you have a staff member already on a 457 Visa are there any impacts?

Existing 457 Visa holders can continue to keep their visa until it expires. If they want to stay beyond that time they need to consider if they can apply for a PR Visa. Alternatively, they will have to apply for a TSS Visa one the 457 Visa expires.

Anyone that held a 457 or had a pending application at 18 April 2017 are able to use the old law in relation to the PR transitional pathway (ie. 2 years with sponsor), until March 2022.

Whilst there are some significant changes to the Temporary Short Stay Visa, there still remains opportunity to work with international talent in the marketing and advertising sector. Businesses should seek guidance through the process, consider early labour market testing and more time to work through the process.

Career Spotlight: Data Scientist

Wed, 02 May 2018 11:23:00 GMT

Have you noticed your data team slowly expanding their presence in the office? Or seen creative agency job-boards fill with ads for mysterious job titles like Analysts, Insights Managers and Data Scientists? The rise of the Data Scientist has been a curious phenomenon over the last few years with demand rising so quickly that McKinsey predicted a 50% gap between supply of data scientists versus demand this year.

So what does a Data Scientist do?

Data Scientists are responsible for analyzing large sets of data and creating insights based on analytics. Their findings may inform critical business or marketing strategy. We’ve spoken to a number of current practitioners to gain insight into life as a Data Scientist to understand the importance and power this role plays in today’s organisations.

What’s driving the demand for Data Scientists?

What’s the typical pathway for a Data Scientist?

Traditionally Data Scientists came from a background of mathematics, economics, statistics or finance but increasingly there’s a new generation coming from computer science or analytics. On top of technical skills, a Data Scientist must have curiosity and imagination to ask the right questions and build innovative solutions to problems. They must also have strong communication skills to effectively communicate insights and findings to the business.

What do Data Scientist’s love about their work?

Is there a shortage of females in the industry?

What benefit does a Data Scientist bring to an organisation?

More companies are realising success as a result from more data driven strategies and approaches, and a good data scientist will deliver a deeper understanding by asking the right questions and providing solutions to those answers. Many organisations are just beginning to realize the power of their data beginning their data science journey - and the role will evolve and grow with this journey. There’s opportunity for Data Scientists to influence across strategy, capability and innovation.

What should aspiring Data Scientists consider?

A background in analytics and mathematics can be a ticket to an exciting and rewarding career. Aspiring Data Scientists should consider getting a mentor, attend as many meetups as possible and participate in collaborative projects to broaden their experience. The path to the top can take patience. There’s a huge component of unglamorous ‘grunt work’ to prepare data and set up environments for modeling. You need to do the groundwork of sorting, prepping and interrogating the data in order for elegant solutions and complex models to actually work, but the pay-off in the end is a career that can really take you anywhere!

Changes to Working Holiday Visas

Sat, 07 Apr 2018 11:32:14 GMT

Recent government changes to the Working Visa’s may impact many businesses in how they work with international talent. So to understand the changes in greater detail we’ve consulted with Visa Essentials to outline some of the key changes international candidates and employers should know.

The 457 Visa has been replaced with a TSS Visa

From 18 March 2018 it is no longer possible to apply for a 457 visa. Instead we must now apply for a ‘TSS’ visa. This is the Temporary Short Stay Visa.

Structurally the program is much the same as it was previously. An employer wanting to sponsor a person for a temporary employment visa must first become registered as a Standard Business Sponsor (SBS). Once this is granted they are able to keep this status for 5 years. They must then nominate a role and individual for a TSS Visa and that individual must apply for a TSS visa.

In many ways it is arguably a ‘re-branding’ exercise although there are some critical points of difference.

What are the key differences between TSS and the 457 Visa?

Work experience

All TSS visa applicants must now have at least 2 years of relevant work experience. So, in essence it means that temporary employment visas are no longer suitable for recent graduates.

Labour market testing

Under the 457 Visa, companies were largely exempt from having to provide evidence of labour market testing. This means they were not required to provide proof that they have made efforts to recruit a suitable local worker. Under the new system there are no exemptions so companies will need to show evidence of recruitment efforts for at least 21 days prior to lodgement of a TSS nomination. So this new requirement will need to factored into hiring by businesses when looking to fill gaps with international talent.

Increased costs

Unfortunately costs for visa applicants are going to be higher and will depend on the occupation being nominated. There will also be a levy payable for each year of nomination called the Skills Australia Fund. This is currently being mooted as $1200 per year for businesses with a turnover of less than $10M and $1800 per year for businesses with a turnover of more than $10M.

So whilst many elements regarding working visa’s will remain the same – there are some key changes both candidates and businesses must be aware of. A prior history of work experience for candidates entering the country is now mandatory (not good news for recent graduates!) and businesses must now demonstrate that they have made efforts to hire locally before applying for a TSS nomination. Increased costs for visa’s must also be considered.

It’s also important to note that if a 457 application was lodged prior to 18 March it will still be processed & granted. So we have several months of 457 visa grants still ahead of us.

SCC Talent is happy to assist candidates and businesses through the process of hiring international talent. However we do recommend seeking expert Migration Advice. Contact the wonderful team at Visa Essentials www.visaessentials.com.au for more information.

How did your interview go?

Sat, 17 Mar 2018 11:38:22 GMT

“How did you go?”

It’s usually the first question you face when you leave the interview and chat with that person that’s been supporting you through the preparation and process. You did all the right things. You were punctual, you answered all the questions, you wore the right clothes, it felt ok…. But how can you tell if they really liked you?

Here’s our top 5 signs that things have gone well. They won’t mean you’ve got the job, but are reasons for you to feel confident that you’ve performed really well.

1. The interview runs long.

When you are in an interview it can feel like time is standing still, but when you walk out and notice that you’ve taken up the allocated time it’s usually a good sign.Often the sign of a good interview is the sense of an “enjoyable conversation”. If it tends to run long, it can mean that you’ve covered all the key criteria in your discussion and the interviewer is spending time getting to know you and getting a sense of how you’d fit within the team and culture of the business.

2. The interviewer starts “selling” aspects of the role to you.

Sometimes in an interview there’s a sense of excitement about your experience and lots of warmth and smiles as you answer your questions. That’s a good sign. If at some stage the questioning tails off and the interviewer starts enthusiastically talking up the benefits of working at the company, the great culture and policies.. it’s often a sign that they are interested in you and want you to have a sense of excitement about the opportunity.

3. The interviewer walks you around the office.

No matter how you think you’ve performed, if your interviewer offers to give you a tour of the office and meet some of the team members – there’s reason for hope!Your interviewer won’t waste time walking every candidate around nor interrupting their colleagues if they don’t think you have potential.It can form part of the “sales pitch” to help you visualize your place in the organization and equally it can give other decision makers a quick opportunity to meet you. How you perform and interact at this stage is important as it can give a sense of how you will fit within the team.

4. The interviewer asks if you are looking at other opportunities.

This question does come up in interviews and is often used to assess how active you are in the market and how quickly they will need to move to secure you.Some organisations have long recruitment processes that may need to be sped up or circumvented if they think they might miss out on you.

5. Next Steps.

As you wrap up the interview you might think: “I have no idea how this has gone”.But if the interviewer volunteers next steps and outlines how the next stage of the recruitment process will run or who they’d like you to meet, it’s confident signal you’re in the running for the role.

Getting the most out of your recruiter

Sat, 10 Mar 2018 11:45:49 GMT

When candidates get to the stage of meeting with us, it is usually because they are at a point of transition with their career. It’s a really exciting time to decide to move on from an employer (when it’s been on a candidate’s own terms, of course). The right recruiter can be an incredibly useful ally, network and resource for those taking the next step in a career.

Here are our top ways to get the most out of engaging a recruiter:

Meet your recruiter face to face

You want your recruiter to have met you to fully understand what you’re like and what you’re looking for. They will be busy forming a profile of who you are, while you’re drinking the coffee they shouted and deciding whether you like them. It’s the most efficient way of establishing a rapport and working together.

Choice is everything… and everything can be overwhelming

When changing roles, it is crucial that you spend a lot of time thinking ‘what do I want from my next job?’, rather than simply ‘I want to leave my job’. It takes time to define this. Get specific – Do you want to work in a big agency or an independent smaller shop? Want to go client-side… What type of client and what type of role? What was missing from your last role? What type of people do you want to work alongside? Is there anything you want to do that you need extra training for? It’s a lot easier to say ‘I’m open to anything, really…’ but it doesn’t help you, or your recruiter, answer the critical questions and get you the perfect next role.

That said, being too narrow in your expectation comes with its own challenges. A candidate sent me a message the other day saying that they only wanted to work for Spotify or Google in their next role. This candidate may have every success in that clear career goal, but I wonder how many awesome opportunities might pass them by?

Ask for advice

Working long hours in a job means you may not have the time to keep abreast of how the industry is changing. For example, you might not know your worth when it comes to salary, or you might not know what it takes to step into a role in a different category. Your recruiter should be able to help with this. Use your recruiter’s industry knowledge to help form the clear shape of your next role.

Keep in touch

Above all, keeping the lines of communication open with your recruiter will help you to extract the most from your connection to them. Feel free to ask them questions about any opportunities you find and always keep them up to date on your search.

What to expect when you engage a recruiter

Fri, 09 Mar 2018 11:58:08 GMT

Using external recruitment services to help source talent for your business should be an exercise in efficiency – saving you time and money in both the hiring process and ultimately in the calibre of talent that you hire and retain. But there is often hesitation in the client market today when it comes to using external recruitment services. Recruiters can be perceived as expensive, inconsistent and, in the very worst cases, shady.

Honestly, recruiters have no one to blame but themselves for these perceptions. Like a marketing 101 failure, we believe it is a shortfall of recruitment agencies that they don’t clearly articulate what clients should expect when they engage their services.

So here is a shortlist of What To Expect When You Engage A Recruiter.

Terms of business

When you choose to engage a recruiter, the first thing you should be provided with is a Terms of Business document. This is a clear document that serves as a contract between client and recruiter. It should outline expected timeframes, pricing structure, processes of confidentiality, guarantee of placement conditions and any additional services a recruiter offers. Read it carefully and question items that don’t work for you.

Clarity around payment and placement guarantee

The terms of business from your recruiter should detail how the recruiter’s fee will works. Generally, these fees are tiered against salary rate and set at a percentage of the role’s salary. You should expect not to pay a penny unless your recruiter presents the perfect candidate for the job.

Along with their fees, all recruiters offer a placement guarantee – meaning that if the placed candidate doesn’t work out within an agreed period, a credit note, refund or free replacement will be guaranteed. Retrenchments and change to job description usually make void this guarantee.

A request for a detailed brief and a face to face meeting wherever possible

Your recruiter will want the most detailed job description available, along with a face to face meeting to get to know you, your business, your offices and culture. If you spend any time at all on the process of engaging a recruiter, spend it doing this. The better the understanding your recruiter has of your business and the role, the better the value you’ll get.

A suitable candidate list within an agreed timeframe

Depending on the complexity of your job brief, expect your recruiter to come back to you literally asap with a shortlist of suitable candidates. In best circumstances, active candidates from your recruiter’s base will be put forward on the spot. Working through the recruiter’s passive database, connecting with talent to get them intrigued about the job and screening them, takes a little more time. The timeframe can vary greatly according to the specific market as talent shortages will impact supply and seasonal events can delay candidate’s responses – for e.g., the Melbourne Cup can effectively shut down the market in Melbourne around race day.

Expect your recruiter to meet every candidate face-to-face before presenting them to you – if they haven’t, they’re cutting crucial corners. The shortlist should include the reasons your recruiter recommends the candidate for the role, along with the candidate’s CV, visa stipulations, salary expectations, availability for start and availability for interview.

Timely and efficient communication – by the most accessible medium for you

A simple one, but your recruiter should take the time to ask you for your preferred method and channel of contact, and to always reach you this way. A lot of recruiters work with automated online systems for presenting candidates and streamlining communication. They are great, but it you’re a “text me” type of person, stipulate that to your recruiter.

The admin taken care of

Another huge benefit of outsourcing your recruitment means that the admin of hiring new talent can be passed on to your recruiter. This means the management of CVs, liaising with HR for contracts, setting up the meeting times and interviews and, in some cases, Visas & Psychometric testing can be handballed to your recruiter.

Good follow up

Expect that your recruiter will check in after every interaction between candidate and yourself. They will check in with both the candidate and yourself to ensure that feedback is aligned. They will provide honest feedback to both parties. And they will continue to check in post placement, not just until the agreed guarantee expires, but consistently. Volume of placed candidates is no longer the key metric for successful recruiters. Instead tenure of placed candidates is of much greater value as it inevitably means a good relationship has been forged by your recruiter on both fronts, and as the client, you’ve got the greatest possible value from your recruitment fee.

More!

Recruiters have the capacity to support your business beyond talent acquisition. At SCC Talent we are often involved in bigger picture business partnership with our clients. From devising team structures and developing role descriptions, to providing specialist industry insights, to pairing businesses together for growth, our expertise is not limited to sourcing candidates.

If you’re looking for straightforward and quality recruitment support, please get in touch with the SCC Talent team today.

The Toughest Time

Mon, 26 Feb 2018 12:07:18 GMT

Every week we receive phone calls from candidates who are unemployed and feeling miserable, and our heart breaks for them.

We know what an incredibly tough, lonely and dispiriting time this can be. You can feel cut off from the rest of the world, your confidence takes a dive and it’s really challenging to remain confident and buoyant about the future ahead.

Here’s a few tips to help you manage this period:

Take charge: One of the hardest emotions to deal with when you are struggling to find a role is the feeling of powerlessness. So, control what you can – review your budget and remove unnecessary money-wasters. Pro-actively reach out to recruiters and potential employers. Create content showcasing your knowledge and share across social media channels. Take the first steps.

Structure your day: Don’t fall into the trap of mooching around and listlessly wasting the day ahead – instead plan out each day. Decide what your priorities are and then place parameters around how long you do each task for. For example, if you decided to spend 9am – 11am looking through job advertisements, stop at 11am and move onto household tasks or whatever else is on your list. Otherwise the tendency can be to meander through the day without achieving anything.

Exercise: It’s such a cliché but exercising really does help. Study after study demonstrates that moving and being active releases positive chemicals, which lift the mood and can even give you an adrenalin high. It doesn’t need to be super-charged – just going for a walk in the sunshine or doing an at- home routine (there’s plenty of exercise Apps) will make a difference.

Be social: Say hi to the barrister. Meet a friend for lunch. Help at your child’s school. Anything to keep you engaged and feeling part of a community. And don’t be shy about telling people about your job search – all it takes is for a Mum at school to know someone working at your dream company and there you have a new connection!

Set yourself a new challenge: All those things you never have time to do when you are working – this is your chance. Having a goal to aspire to really helps your state of mind too. It could be finally mastering cooking Paella (my personal nemesis – how do you make a soffrito?) or reading War and Peace or painting the hallway. Use this time to achieve in other ways outside work.

Remember “this too shall pass”. You will get another job. And maybe one day you’ll look back at this period as tough, but formative and productive too.

2018: Our top 3 Recruitment trends

Tue, 30 Jan 2018 13:40:17 GMT

As we enter 2018 we are excited about the year ahead. The last half of 2017 was a strong market and we expect this to continue into this year with strong employment and business investment, as well as major pitch results coming through at the start of the year. We’ve also seen demand for specialist strong talent in the CRM, CX and Data fields as many clients look to harness the power of data and creativity. This year we believe the following key trends will be in focus for many of our clients in the year ahead.

Here are our top three recruitment trends for the year ahead.

1. Rise of CX/CRM teams across creative agencies.

In the second half of 2017 we saw an increase in demand for specialist Customer Experience roles and we expect this to continue in 2018 as creative agencies restructure account service and planning departments to incorporate this vital client offering – with CX strategists, CRM marketers and data analysts. Talent with analytical skills and creative aptitude are in high demand.

2. Experience over training.

Experience matters. The work place has changed so rapidly over the last 2-3 years that practical experience across agile ways of working, data and customer journeys offers considerable opportunity for candidates. Whilst qualifications remain important – vital skills that can only be learnt “on the job” has become increasingly valuable.

3. Gender diversity and workplace flexibility.

One of the most significant shifts in 2017 was the focus on gender equality and workplace flexibility to support more women in the industry. Many organisations are taking positive steps to address gender imbalance and recognizing the organizational benefits of a diverse workplace. We are seeing an open mindedness around flexible work more investment in talent retention programs.

So you’re having a baby… and you work in advertising…

Fri, 10 Nov 2017 12:22:37 GMT

Let’s be honest. When we built Adland, pregnant women, working mums and family life in general weren’t really drawn into the blueprint. The mad pitch deadlines, the late nights, the working weekends, the anti-sick-day culture, the mid-week booze sessions... It’s a bit at odds with the life of a new parent.

The good news is that there are certainly positive signs that the industry is shifting culture to ensure that, when they have children, droves of talented women don’t walk out the door in search of something more suitable, flexible… (Cue: “I think I’d like to go client-side”…). In short, having a baby doesn’t mean the end of your hard-fought, much-loved advertising career.

Just like working parents in any other industry, it just takes willingness, endless energy, sharp organisation skills and a strong support network to make it work.

So what can you do if you are having a baby and work in advertising?

Carefully build your support network

Ask for advice

While the numbers are not as high as we’d like, there are still plenty of parents in leadership positions in Adland. Reach out to mentors in the industry who have managed to combine babies and careers, and ask their advice. I was lucky enough to have a working mother as my agency GM when I first returned to work. She is the definition of a superwoman and still an incredible mentor I can turn to for both career and life wisdom.

Define your working parametres and work to make them happen

Be realistic

Check in with yourself

Amidst the ‘busy-ness’ of life in advertising as a parent, and the reality of mortgages and bills to pay, you might forget to assess your happiness. It’s important that you stop now and then to make sure that you’re still enjoying your work. If you are struggling to make the balance work, it might be time to consider alternative career moves. For me, it was the birth of my second child and the ensuing madness, that made it clear to me that I did need something different and more flexible than advertising while my kids are young. Reaching out to recruiters at this point can be really helpful – while you’re busy juggling, let people like us do the hard work in helping you find a job that uses your talent in a new and rewarding capacity.

So congratulations on your pregnancy! Rest up and eat well – you’ll need the energy. Know that with the right support and some careful planning, you can achieve the best of both worlds.

Question Time

Tue, 26 Sep 2017 05:14:57 GMT

Five Questions to ask an Interviewer

So, you’ve made it through the screening process. Been presented by the recruiter and scored an interview for the job of your dreams. Now how do you shine at the actual interview?

One of the ways to differentiate yourself is by having some smart, insightful questions prepared to ask the interviewer at the end of the interview. Here’s a few suggestions:

1. Why is the incumbent leaving the role? Or alternatively why is there now a need for this role?

This is your opportunity to understand the broader context of the role, as well as any historical factors which have influenced the creation of the role. It can also be incredibly helpful to get an insight into why an ex-employee left the role – stay attuned to any cultural insights this may provide.

2. How will success be measured in the role?

An essential question to really understand the objectives of the role. This question also helps you get a feel for the priorities of the role – and helps you assess if your strengths align with the role.

3. Can you tell me about the people I’d be working alongside?

Try and probe as much as you can for insights into the personalities and style of your potential peers – after all you may be spending a lot of time with these people! This will also give you some perceptions into the culture of the company.

4. What do you like best about working here?

This question again helps you get a full picture as to the culture of the company – but can also help build a connection with the interviewer as you hear about their own personal experience. Try and delve deep rather yes/no prompts.

5. Where do you see this role leading to?

This shows ambition, drive and long-term career planning – all of which employer’s love! It’s also a good chance to understand the promotion prospects for the role, and the employer’s commitment to developing and growing their staff.

Remember to use every tool at your disposal to engage with your interviewer and build a relationship with them – asking smart questions is a great tool to help achieve this.

What we can learn from this guy

Tue, 05 Sep 2017 05:21:24 GMT

Football fan or not, if you are living in Melbourne it’s hard to escape the Dustin Martin “Decision” that has plagued football headlines and kept Tiger fans up at night with worry.

Dustin Martin – one of the best players in the league, Brownlow Medal favorite, and key to Richmond’s premiership hope has made a remarkable choice to remain with the Richmond Football Club and turn his back on an “uber” counter offer of $11 Million from North Melbourne. In doing so, he sacrifices almost $2 million dollars of career earnings. Just imagine being 26 years old and walking away from two.. million.. dollars.

It’s been a roller-coaster ride for Tiger fans who have no doubt mulled over the question, “What would you do?”. “Take the money..or stick with your team?”.

And it’s a question that many of us will face in our own career journeys when faced with an enticing new career offer (perhaps..minus the million dollar stakes).

So what can employer’s wanting to retain their “Dusty’s” take out of this? What values have been created that over-ride monetary incentives?

Investment

Richmond as a football club has shown enormous faith in Dusty as a player, which has been repaid over recent years and in his recent interview he pointed to the incredible journey both he and his club have been on during his tenure. He mentioned that his negotiations with other clubs felt “Like he was cheating on his girlfriend”. Employees that feel like they have been invested in, have been strongly valued and have been given unique growth opportunities are going to feel indebted, and will reflect on this when considering competitive counter offers.

Flexibility

Dusty has a unique backstory, and it’s a story his employer understood and accommodated. The club knew his family situation well and they worked with him, allowing him leave on a number of occasions. Employers that help manage the competing priorities of work and home-life are going to build employee loyalty. We speak to many candidates who aren’t interested in counter offers simply due to the fact that they “won’t get the same flexibility” that works with their life stage or family commitments.

Achieving something great

Surely a big factor in the “Decision” was the potential to win an AFL Premiership Flag with Richmond. The momentum that Richmond has achieved this season is hard to walk away from. Likewise, employees that feel they are part of a growth plan or are given unique career experiences will want to stick it out with their employer and question if the lure of a salary bump would outweigh the value of experience.

Teamwork

Finally one of the key considerations mentioned as part of Dusty’s decision -making process was the special bond he had with his teammates, coach and fans. Starting at a new club with $11 million dollars worth of pressure on your head without the support of your teammates on and off the field would be a considerable burden. There’s a big factor in the culture and friendships created at work that keep candidates committed to their role…

It’s been a wonderful story for football, and a refreshing tale of loyalty. What are you doing to retain the “Dusty’s” in your team?

CX – The New Focus. A New Wave of Talent

Sat, 02 Sep 2017 04:22:45 GMT

As a recruitment firm working across a range of CRM, Digital and Data roles we’ve seen an exciting change of tide across the agency and corporate landscape. Customer Experience - or more commonly “CX” is a term you’ve no doubt heard bandied around or interchanged with (or confused with) CRM, and it’s a term you are going to hear a lot more of, over the coming years.

Some significant moves have been made by Agencies in recent times. Sydney’s Lavender recently rebranded to become “CX Agency” moving from a direct and digital platform to better represent a “customer first” approach across data, creative and technology. MercerBell, LIDA and Apparent have positioned their brands around “Customer Experience” and CHE Proximity are also firmly in this space “using data, technology and disruptive content to influence customer behavior”. Recently, The Royal’s and The Hallway are making significant hires signaling an increased focus in this space. There’s also been a high demand by Planning Departments across the spectrum to hire expertise across Customer Engagement, Data Insights and CX Strategy.

So why the shift? What does it represent? Agency brands once renowned for developing “below the line” or “one-to-one” communications now play in a much more sophisticated space with a closer integration of technology driving the customer experience as well as the ability to measure performance, predict and prioritise customer needs, and identify moments of customer engagement and experience.

CX is a term that represents the broader business view of how customers engage with brands at every touchpoint and asks questions like “Where are you in your life journey? What information do you need? What product suits you? Can we deliver this to you at the right time?” It combines input from a new breed of talent as we see a rise in data analysts and planners, marketing automation specialists, social, digital and search experts within agency teams.

It’s been a fascinating time as recruiters as we’ve watched this shift in talent demand – so watch this space

When to leave your job

Mon, 24 Jul 2017 07:56:43 GMT

We’ve all been there.

The Sunday night blues… The feeling of dread as you make your way into the office… Fantasising about your dramatic resignation… If you’re feeling those feelings, and not in a temporary way, chances are you should be looking for a new job. Actually, you probably should have been looking for a job a while ago.

Leaving a job with positive feelings about the whole experience should always be the aim. To do this, it takes an honest assessment of your position, a professional attitude, good communication with HR or management, and always keeping yourself open to new opportunities in the market.

Here are a few key signs the time may have come...

You don’t know why you’re working so hard

We can often slip into automatic with work. We start a new role and give it our full focus as we try to absorb everything and become part of a new work culture. We focus on skill mastery, completing projects, building relationships, and generally trying to prove ourselves. Sometimes in industries like ours, this is a taxing process - it takes time from other precious aspects of our lives. If you find yourself questioning why you’re doing what you’re doing, and you can’t come up with a decent answer beyond your monthly salary, it could be time to start looking.

You feel undervalued

Not just a matter of adequate remuneration, we derive our sense of value through challenge, contribution, acknowledgement and inclusion. If you’re feeling undervalued, it’s important not to throw in the towel before verbalising your position to your employer. But if it doesn’t improve, it may be time to reassess your options.

You feel unsupported

If you’ve not got the right team around you or are lacking in leadership, the day to day grind is more challenging than it needs to be. But far more importantly, it may be likely you’re suffering a lack of inspiration and a stagnation of your career development. Again, if doesn’t improve after a chat with the right person, it’s time to update the CV.

Personnel getting you down?

Even if we try to keep it totally professional, people can make or break your day at work. If you’re struggling to navigate a boss or co-worker that you don’t gel with, it’s important to examine the situation very carefully. Differences in approach and opinion can, if harnessed correctly, make a workplace more diverse and creative. But if it shakes your confidence, becomes unproductive or untenable, it might be time…

Your fuse is short

If things about your job have become a chore, or you’ve become cynical or worse still, the snappy one in the office – examine what’s making you feel that way. A change of circumstance to re-set yourself could make all the difference.

It’s too easy

If you have reached the full capacity of your job, are not learning anything new or being challenged, and your employer isn’t able to create new opportunities for you to learn, taking the next step in your career elsewhere could be the critical necessity.

If it’s time for you, please get in contact with us today. We’d love to have a chat about your next move.

Three Reasons you really didn’t get the Job

Wed, 22 Mar 2017 08:01:47 GMT

Ever walked away from a job interview convinced you have the role in the bag – only to be shocked by a rejection?

It can be a real surprise when you have the qualifications, the experience and the background that align perfectly with the Job Description, yet you don’t manage to progress beyond the initial interview. And the only feedback you are given is that it just “wasn’t the right fit”.

Well sometimes the truth can be hard to deliver and it can be quite personal, so potential employers are hesitant to share the real reasons why a candidate isn’t right for the role. Here are some of the reasons they may just not be comfortable sharing with you:

Look like you Belong

Every group of people, regardless of whether it is in a workplace or outside, has a signature style or look. It could be that everyone is funky and a bit out there or it could be a very serious, buttoned-down style. It’s essential you dress to match that – if you are going for a role in a highly corporate environment take out the earring. If you’re interviewing at an advertising agency wear something contemporary and fashionable. Shallow as it may be, it’s a human instinct to judge people by their appearance and interviewers will be assessing whether you look like you belong. If you are working with a recruiter, ask them for a detailed briefing on the style and culture of the agency.

Stop that Negative Talk

It can be absolutely devastating if you’ve had a bad experience at your last workplace – but let it go. Chat about it with your friends, your partner, and your dog – just don’t chat about it at an interview. As recruiters we have seen fabulous candidates let themselves down by telling stories about unfair treatment, bad company practices and even dishing on particular individuals they have worked with. Disaster! Interviewers see this as a lack of loyalty, lack of professional integrity and a real personal weakness. If you have had a role that went pear-shaped, limit your discussion on this and keep it very broad, without naming specific individuals. It can be tempting to vent, but an interview is not the time.

Beware the Common Link

One of the first things a potential employer is going to do is check you out – online of course but also through common links. You need to beat them at this – immediately ascertain if you have any shared associations (LinkedIn is good for this), and get in touch with the other party. If appropriate talk them through your job search and ensure they have a good understanding of what you are looking for and what you’re key strengths are. If there are common links that may not be as positive as you would like, do your best to assuage any problems or misunderstandings. If this isn’t possible, be prepared for any questions around this –and of course develop a tight, concise story about why that relationship isn’t a great one, ensuring you don’t denigrate the other party in the process.

Most of all, if you have missed out on a role, learn from the interview experience – it’s an educational process that will improve with practice.

Ditch the New Year Resolutions

Thu, 19 Jan 2017 08:05:22 GMT

Ditch the New Year Resolutions

We all do it every year – New Year’s Eve we re-assess and decide that the next year is definitely going to be the one where we give up smoking/get fit/find our dream job etc. We may have tried previously, but this time it’s a real promise!

And then…by week three of January we have started to “loosen” our commitment and start justifying why it’s really not quite the right time to carry through on our resolutions. It’s too hot to be running, you’re too busy to look for a new role, the excuses continue….by February the earnest promises have fizzled…

An alternative is to set yourself a “theme” for the year. Have a think about where you can improve, what would make a real difference to your life and what can apply over multiple facets of your day-to-day. It should be a like a guiding philosophy or mantra that will continually steer you to back to what you want to achieve for the year.

For example, my theme for the year is “focus”. To me, this has multiple applications – it means dedicating myself to one task at a time and really concentrating on it, without being distracted by other demands. It means being in the moment, really practicing mindfulness and appreciating and enjoying every minute. It means determining my goals and being ruthless in the pursuit of them. And of course it filters down to individual projects or in my case – candidates and clients, and ensuring that I “focus” on delivering the absolute best outcome in every case.

The theme can take whatever shape works for you – it could be something a little more tangible such as “adventure”, “relationships” or “exploring” – or maybe it’s more emotion-focused such as “resilience”, “appreciate” or “strive”.

It’s an easy philosophy to apply to your career – it should ideally be something that can equally be applied in individual projects as well as encapsulating your attitude to your work.

And then hopefully at the end of 2017 you can reflect back and identify all the ways your theme has influenced your successes through the year …rather than really you're just never going to run that marathon!

It is 2017. Do I really Need a CV?

Tue, 17 Jan 2017 04:33:29 GMT

It’s 2017. Do I really Need a CV?

As a recruiter, I come up against this question quite a bit, so let’s explore why a CV remains relevant in the midst of social media, LinkedIn, and tightly networked recruiter circles.

Often I’ll receive a job enquiry will appear in my inbox with a link to a profile, website or digital portfolio. “It’s all on LinkedIn” will be the reply, “Why do I need a CV?”. The reason becomes clearer when we explore how CV’s are used behind the scenes..

Recruiter and HR Databases

Before I moved into recruitment, I never put much thought into how my CV would be used through the recruitment pipeline – I was simply focused on getting all my achievements across in an impressive format. I was surprised by the technical aspect of the business and how important it was to have a CV that worked within those systems – CRM, databases and HR portals that operate with a heavy reliance on a CV in pdf or word format. CV’s may be scanned, profiled for keywords or key skills and added to recruitment databases so candidates can identified in search or informed of relevant roles. CV’s may be adapted to a recruiter's format along with a written candidate overview and some corporate HR portals - despite technology advancements - will only accept CVs in certain formats.. so without a professional CV with good use of key words you may miss out broader opportunities through recruitment data or may fundamentally stall your application if you are dealing with a client with strict HR processes. Yes, there are some companies moving towards LinkedIn profiles as applications but we are not there yet. Blogs, portfolio’s and LinkedIn profiles are valuable supports in your application but a CV remains a critical device. Besides all that, a comprehensive and detailed CV sends a good professional and proactive image.

Your CV tells a bigger story

LinkedIn offers many wonderful benefits to a recruiter – it addresses verification of candidates, with references supporting claims or a ready pool of contacts who could be contacted to gather feedback, but it often fails to portray the full picture of responsibilities and achievements. Your CV is an opportunity to really paint a picture of your role and the achievements made in each role. Detail, results, facts and figures point to a candidate who is results driven and passionate. Confident and eloquent expression (free of spelling errors) also gives a hint to professionalism and ability. But ultimately, the CV offers a great opportunity to hone in on key skills, career highs and achievements with greater clarity. Many candidates can’t recall the results of a marketing campaign off-hand in an interview situation but having all your results on paper help signify that you have a results focus.

Times are changing

Technology in recruitment is constantly advancing and shows no sign of slowing down and recruiters now have a multiple sources to cross-check and build an understanding of skills and personality, these include– social media, industry referrals/feedback, interviews, skills-based or psychological testing. Some companies are offering new and creative ways to apply for roles such as video CV’s, websites or twitter however CV’s remain the necessary first step in application for a job. New technology is allowing candidates to represent themselves in new ways but most often it’s in addition to a comprehensive CV. So don’t discard your blogs, online portfolio’s and websites – they are all highly valuable and help demonstrate your value to a future employer. Just please… include a CV.

All I want for Christmas is… a new job!

Mon, 14 Dec 2015 08:10:05 GMT

So here we are. The countdown is on for Christmas and boy could we use a HOLIDAY. The mad rush to get campaigns out the door combined with a host of social engagements will push all thoughts of your career to the bottom of the list. At this time of year the thought of being “interview-ready” can feel overwhelming. But don’t write this time of year off. Think about how you can make this time WORK for you.

Christmas isn’t a quiet period (for recruiters)

Your office may shut the doors but it’s not necessarily a quiet time for the job market. Many managers have already started to look at team structure and planning for the new year and have put these briefs in market, ready to start interviews late January. Whilst you may not have time to check job-boards, if you’ve built a relationship with a good recruiter you can be kept across relevant roles during this time.

If you don’t want phone-calls at work, be clear and let your recruiter know you can only manage texts, email or LinkedIn – so you can respond at appropriate times. Signing up to Job Alerts also keep you across all the opportunities in market.
We all need to be a bit flexible.

We know how busy it is, but don’t be put off from the job hunt because you can’t seem to fit it in your day. Work with your recruiter on your timings, and your availability and see if there’s flexibility around meeting close to your work or after hours.
Use your holiday to build your career brief.

Use your holiday to take stock and think about want you want to achieve in 2016. It might be a promotion, new skill development, new challenges or a New Job. Think about the style of agency or company you want to work for (boutique or big multinational?), the kind of campaigns you dream of working on, the account mix, management style, the channels you want to specialise in. If you can build a good brief for your recruiter it will help you be clear and focused when you are assessing opportunities.
Keep in touch.

Use some of your holiday time to reach out and chat to your recruiter about your thoughts and ask to be kept across appropriate opportunities. Schedule a catch up meeting or phone call when you are back from your break to talk about your career direction.

Make 2016 a great career year. Merry Christmas!

Network. Network. Network.

Tue, 13 Oct 2015 08:12:55 GMT

As recruiters we are often asked: “What’s the best way to get a job in X agency?” Or, “How can I transfer from an agency to client side role” – and our answer, (apart from using a brilliant recruiter!), often highlights the importance of building, maintaining and utilizing a strong business network. Firing off your CV to job board applications will only get you so far. Yes, you might land an interview but you may also become number 367 in a pile of similar applications. In fact, the stats suggest 80% of jobs are never advertised; so successful networking is a vital part of your career and job search process.

So what’s the secret to brilliant networking?

Cocktails, small talk and a collection of business cards?

When people think of networking, they often visualise the industry gathering peppered with drinks and nibbles, daggy nametags and small talk with strangers. Taking yourself out to industry functions is an important part of the process, but it’s not just about being there and collecting cards, or adding names to your LinkedIn connections. It’s about building genuine connections, and developing these over time for mutual benefit. It’s about building a network that may help you find a job, fill a job, help with work advice or become a safety net when you lose your job. They are people who you can call on for advice, and have your interest at heart.

Building your network

To get serious about networking, you need to think about how you will meet relevant people in your industry. Research appropriate industry functions and ATTEND them. Groups such as Youngbloods, 30Below, ADMA, Communications Council, Digital Forums, and award nights offer regular networking opportunities. You can support this your broad interactions with colleagues and suppliers as well as online networking as well – using social media sites to express your interests, career focus, and reaching out to people or industry groups appropriately.

It’s not just a one-way street.

When networking, it’s important to remember it’s not just about YOU. It’s important to view every connection as an opportunity to learn. Be curious about people and what makes them tick, and often this will reduce your own nervousness when meeting new people. Directly asking for a job, or coercing people into sending your CV onto managers is not the way to approach your networking campaign. Rather, chatting over coffee about the industry, asking questions about the best people to speak to, passing on contacts and information that may help others may also help build successful networking relationships.

Using your network for a job search.

Maintaining your network takes ongoing commitment, but networking for a specific job search is hard work! A great idea is to arrange for a short coffee meeting preferably face to face, to ask for industry advice or any areas of opportunity within your area of focus. Try to discover as much about the agency, or role you are ultimately seeking. See if you can gather additional contacts or introductions and follow up on these. Use LinkedIn to connect with people in the industry, build your network and try to meet with as many people as possible.

Successful networking takes time, commitment and ongoing dedication to the process. There’s no formula to success, in fact it is a very individual thing – a strategy that works for one person may not work for another. But by taking a curious approach, remembering that it’s about building mutually beneficial relationships and enjoying yourself – you’ll be on the right path.

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