Handle Recruitment
Executive

Archive for the ‘Career Advice’ Category

Do you need a confidence transplant?

Tuesday, February 19th, 2013

Ambition and confidence are the two great drivers of career success – but what do you do if you lack the latter?

The common denominator of all successful professionals is confidence – particularly within media and entertainment where social skills are paramount and the ability to favourably represent the strength of your company’s brand is key.

Of course, without talent and experience the chances of success are practically nil. But confidence and ambition are crucial to climbing the career ladder in any highly competitive industry.

To some people, confidence comes naturally. But if you lack courage when it comes to your career – don’t fear. Feigning bravery at work will reassure others of your capabilities, and with each success you will begin to believe your own hype. Here are our top tips for giving yourself a confidence transplant:

-          Fail to prepare – prepare to fail: Arriving to a meeting five minutes early or thoroughly researching a prospective client before an appointment will not only give you a psychological boost, but it will also prove practically useful. Being prepared and able to answer difficult questions on demand will make you appear competent and reliable.

-          Think about the good times: When a task seems daunting envisage your previous successes – even if they are not connected to your professional life – and the sense of pride you felt once you had accomplished them. Getting into a ‘can-do’ mind-set does wonders for your confidence levels.

-          Don’t get stuck in a rut: Never let low self-esteem get in the way of career progression. Think about where you want to be and what you have to do to make it happen. Apply for positions that interest you, get out there and network and display your determination. Successful people get where they want to be by taking risks that others shy away from – who’s to say you can’t do the same?

-          And finally, don’t mistake confidence for cockiness: Arrogance is an undesirable trait. But being quietly assured of your strengths and capabilities will enable you to flourish professionally and realise your ambitions.

What’s your top tip for building confidence at work? Let us know by commenting below.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Career Advice | No Comments »

So you want to work in the music business?

Wednesday, November 14th, 2012

Last week, Handle Recruitment’s very own Claire Wadsworth was a panellist on The Guardian’s Live Q&A: Your career in the music industry: ask the experts. The recruitment guru also took part in a Q&A last month at the Apple Store on Regent Street alongside senior HR professionals from Sony Music, Universal and Warner Music in conjunction with City Showcase – which also focused on breaking into the business.

Claire shared her wisdom on the best routes into the business, and offered advice on what employers are looking for in new recruits. Here are her top tips for getting your foot in the door of this notoriously competitive industry:

- Make those contacts! Get to know the scene and build relationships. That could potentially lead to a role assisting an agent – usually with things like travel, contracts, visas etc. – but even more than this; you’re soaking up the business which is invaluable.

- You don’t need to have a music degree to land your dream role. Many people working at labels have degrees in other disciplines – or may have never attended university at all. It is possible to enhance any degree with practical experience – for example working at festivals or seeking out work placement opportunities. Show people that you’re serious about working in the industry by using your time valuably.

- Internships – please don’t discount them! The major labels and larger organisations certainly offer structured, paid placements. OK, there are no 100% guarantees that this will result in a permanent role, but I have met many, many interns over the years who have gone on to become employees. At the very least, you will have gained valuable, transferrable skills which will subsequently open more doors to you in the industry.

- Fill your CV with anything that demonstrates your interest and involvement in music. For example, going to live gigs, blogging, managing a band or song writing. Put these in either a ‘Hobbies & Interests’ section or perhaps ‘Vocational Experience’. Try to marry your professional experience with your passions to demonstrate a real enthusiasm and dedication to the industry.

And finally…

- We all have to do ‘uninspiring’ or menial jobs along the way, but do an amazing job of that and you’ll get your dream quicker. Be pro-active, roll your sleeves up and get involved…

What’s your top tip for landing a job in the music industry? Let us know by commenting below.

 

 

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Career Advice, CV tips, Handle Recruitment, Music | No Comments »

Newly qualified accountants – thought about a career in the entertainment industry?

Friday, August 31st, 2012

Here at Handle we’d like to wish everyone who will be receiving their ACA results later today good luck.

The stereotypical idea of the accountant as a number cruncher in a pin striped suit has long gone and this is nowhere more evident than in the entertainment sector where evolving technology, big personalities and an often less than traditional working environment can present a tempting career option for today’s finance professionals. (more…)

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Career Advice | No Comments »

The rise of the deskless office

Friday, July 6th, 2012

At the Guardian’s Activate Summit last week, Matt Mullenweg, founder of WordPress, endorsed the rise of the distributed workforce – whereby staff work remotely without fixed offices. He believes that companies should ‘move away from self-destructive, factory models of work where people are rewarded for arriving early and staying late’. Is he alone in his beliefs? And is this work model really feasible?

There has been a trend of late, especially within the creative and digital industries, for businesses to re-evaluate the way they organise their teams. There has been a shift towards more flexible office spaces, remote working, and functioning between time-zones. These changes have been made possible by the open source movement, mobile internet and the rise of the cloud. Ever more sophisticated portable hardware means it is now logistically possible for us to work away from a traditional office environment. But is it practical to take a nomadic approach to our professional lives? Is ‘anywhere working’ simply the latest HR buzzword? Or is this new approach to workspace reflective of the times in which we live?

Last week, GlaxoSmithKline, the global pharmaceutical giant announced that it is now planning a fluid workspace for 1,300 employees in Philadelphia after successfully opening a similar space for 200 employees in Columbia this spring. In theory, this model could save time, money and the environment by removing the need for each employee to have their own desk, or visit the office every day.

Google’s headquarters in San Francisco is infamous for its novel approach to office design but this highly stylised environment is now catching on closer to home. Last year, their London HQ had an extreme makeover – the third floor was completely revamped to include angular two-tier sofas, games consoles, and a coffee lab.

Technology giant Microsoft and its advisory panel, the Anywhere Organisation is in the process of rolling out fundamental changes to the way some of its European offices function. The catalyst for this was its Dutch office in Amsterdam which has no fixed desks – staff choose where they sit depending on their schedules. In its white paper – The Anywhere Working City, co-authored by Linda Chandler Enterprise Architect at Microsoft UK and Phillip Ross CEO of UnWork.com, Microsoft talk about a ‘third space’. This, they say, is an alternative workspace between the office and home – which will become more commonplace as companies replace their internal IT systems with the cloud. With WiFi availability steadily increasing in cafes, bars and libraries it could be argued that we are already beginning to work in this new dimension.

There is always a risk that working away from our desks could affect communication and creative collaboration. Does flexible working enable an increase in work life balance? Or does blurring the lines of work and leisure time create a world where we never switch off?

One thing is for sure – workforces are evolving – and only time will tell if the deskless office is the shape of things to come or just a flash in the pan. Let us know what you think by commenting below.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Career Advice, Digital Technology | No Comments »

Is it fair to employers and competing candidates if you exaggerate your credentials?

Tuesday, May 29th, 2012

So Yahoo’s Chief Executive, Scott Thompson, has stepped down following claims he fibbed on his CV. But how many others have falsified their résumés without being rumbled? And is it fair to employers and competing candidates if you exaggerate your credentials?

After less than six months in the job Thompson has resigned and been replaced by Ross Levinsohn, Yahoo’s fifth CEO in as many years. According to The Guardian, Thomson claimed he had a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Accounting from Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts. In fact, according to the college, the degree was in Accounting – he never studied Computer Science at all.

Your CV should be a showcase of your skills, experience and ability. It’s no secret that many candidates chose their words carefully when outlining their academic and professional accomplishments – but at which point do embellishments become fallacies?

The fact that Scott was adept enough to secure the role in the first place, and that he had previously been president of PayPal suggests that he knew his stuff – so why lie? (more…)

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Career Advice | No Comments »

Do you have what it takes to work in PR?

Thursday, April 5th, 2012

Whether you’re considering a career in PR or are currently working in this field, there are certain skills you need in order to succeed. So what are these, and do you possess them? Our resident PR expert – Kelly Hopkins – recently contributed to a piece on this very subject and we thought we would share her views with our readers.  You can view the full article on PRmoment.com, but here are Kelly’s top tips:

1. Relevant skills, experience and contacts: Hiring organisations, whether that be agency or in-house, are looking for professionals who have worked on similar brands and who have something tangible to offer the business. This could be in the form of contacts and in-depth knowledge about a particular industry to add further credibility to the team and more consultative and advisory value to clients or the board. Recruitment budgets are tight and clients are taking less risk and want to hire as close to briefs as possible.

2. Integrated skills: An interesting trend is the on-going shift in the sector towards the full-service agency – those that can offer integrated marketing/PR/digital/design for instance. This is calling for a broader range of roles than has historically been the case – marketing managers for PR agencies for example. What this means is that roles and skill sets are becoming much more defined and employers are creating job specs with tight criteria.

3. Social media skills: Around 90 per cent of the briefs we receive have some element of social media and online PR so it’s a must have skill whatever your level. You don’t have to be an expert, but being able to walk into an interview and say that you have built online relationships with bloggers or other on-line influencers within your specific industry sector is bound to add weight to your application.

4. Evaluation skills: ROI is at the top of everyone’s agenda. Consequently analytics and evaluation skills are in demand. Although hitting coverage targets is still essential, we’re finding that an increasing number of clients want to see what impact this coverage has and explore whether alternative approaches could result in more success.

5. Techies: There is exceptional high demand for tech PROs for both B2B and consumer accounts and with the number of new tech companies moving into the new “Silicon Roundabout” area we can only see this increasing.

6. International campaign experience: More organisations are looking for new revenue streams beyond their traditional domestic borders and so need PROs who can see the bigger global picture.

7. Senior digital expertise: We are also seeing increased demand for senior digital specialists at director level who can pull all the strands of digital strategy together from winning and developing new business to keeping abreast of developments in terms of new and evolving digital platforms.

Whilst there is no denying that the PR market for job seekers is a competitive space, those candidates with the relevant skills and experience are being snapped up quickly. Ensure you are continuously adding to your skill set and keeping up with new developments in order to give yourself the best chance of success. Good luck!

 

 

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Career Advice, Job search | No Comments »

Is asking a potential employee for their Facebook credentials a step too far?

Friday, March 30th, 2012

There’s no denying that many employers often turn to social media to research potential candidates. And whilst the practice may be seen as potentially discriminatory by some, most job seekers are aware of this and are therefore careful about what information they put in the public domain. But with news last week that a US organisation has started asking candidates for their Facebook username and password during the interview process, we are left asking ourselves if this is simply a step too far? (more…)

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Career Advice | No Comments »

Are you prepared for your next appraisal?

Sunday, March 25th, 2012

Whether you’re content in your current position or perhaps thinking of moving on, the way you approach your appraisal can have a lasting impact on your career. So what’s the best approach to ensure you get the most from your next appraisal?   Check out our top tips below.

  • Identify your goals. While your employer will obviously want to establish whether you are clear about your role, what is expected of you, and how you are performing, you may very well have other goals. Pin point these well ahead of time so you are prepared. Ask yourself: Am I approaching this meeting with a view to being promoted, securing a pay rise, or perhaps even to establish my future at the company? And whatever the answer, have this clear in your mind.
  • Ensure you regularly monitor your own performance. Make notes and review your work against your job specification and any performance related criteria set out by your employer.  Keep any emails from colleagues or clients that have praised your efforts so you can clearly show your manager evidence of your success. (more…)

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Career Advice | No Comments »