Scouts guide to landing that dream job…
It goes without saying that you need to impress your future employer from the minute you have any interaction with them! But how do you know what they are looking for, what is going to impress them and what can you do to prepare yourself before you have even met them? Below details our top tips on what Agency employers are looking for and some helpful tips to give you a head start on landing that job you really want:
What do Agencies look for?
To a certain extent, it depends on the exact role you are going for and the nuances of the exact agency but as a rule, they want to find people who are:
- Really fired up or passionate about what the company does,
- Adaptable to different circumstances and people’s personalities,
- A genuine drive and determination to succeed,
- An ability to add value at every given opportunity, not just go through the motions.
This will need to come across in how you answer your questions in interview, how you come across on the phone and even in how you word your CV and covering letter.
Be human:
In most industries, but particularly in Agency world people buy people – your future employer not only looks at your skill set but that you will fit with the current team and culture of the Agency.
Be yourself and allow your personality to shine through – if they don’t like it then the role is not right for you and you wouldn’t have enjoyed working there anyway!
Know your CV inside-out:
Sounds crazy I know, but you would be surprised the amount of people that don’t really remember the details past their current role. Remind yourself before you go in for interview and ensure that you are able to recall the information without too much trouble. Even if it was 20 years ago that you did that role!
Don’t under-estimate the power of social media:
As soon as you apply for the role, you are being looked at by your potential employer – social media is a wonderful thing when you want to do some ‘stalking’ on who has just applied for your role. Please don’t under-estimate how important it is to get this right in the first place, before you hit that ‘send application’ button.
The favoured tool to check out someone from a professional perspective to see if further information can be gained, over and above their CV. A few suggestions below on making the most of your LinkedIn profile:
- Chose a clear and flattering photo and make sure you look business professional – no shot of you on the beach, no matter how buff you are!
- Make your profile public so you can be seen by as many people as possible
- Create a strong headline and profile paragraph – be clear on your personal USP
- Ask people to endorse you and write a little recommendation – this helps massively as they act as a quick reference and insight into your work ethic and skill set.
- Feel free to stalk employers as well, they will be looking at you and will be impressed that you made the effort to look at them as well.
Make sure other accounts such as Twitter and Facebook are up to date as well. Facebook is a tricky one though as it is used for personal connections just as much, if not more, than professional – just make sure you double check your privacy settings and ensure the dodgy pics of you really drunk with your mates aren’t on view to your potential employer. You want to come across as social but not out of control!
At Scout, we always prep out Candidates fully before each interview, no matter how experienced and senior they are. Our aim is to help you land the perfect job specific to you. If you have any comments or questions about the above, don’t hesitate to give us a call.
Nick
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