What is one thing you do or consider to help ensure you match marketing or creative industry job seekers with the right roles for their skills and experience?
As organizations become laser-focused on reducing turnover, hiring the right candidate is more important than ever.
We asked Robert Half marketing and creative industry recruiters to share how they increase the likelihood of a successful placement.
Here are eight things they do to help ensure they’re matching job seekers with the right roles to suit their skills, experience and interests:
- Get to know what drives them
- Listen, look and listen again
- Ask candidates about soft skills
- Understand their work environment, style and pace
- Dig deeper on the candidate’s ideal next role
- Dive into the details of their listed skills
- Learn about likes and dislikes: the more you know, the better
- Understand candidates’ career goals
1. Get to know what drives them
As a recruiter, I like to think of myself as the ultimate “matchmaker,” which requires a certain level of getting to know someone. When I interview candidates, I never go into the conversation with a narrow focus of talking to them about one specific job that might be available. I go into the conversation looking to learn what drives them, how their career compliments their personal life, and what makes them feel most fulfilled. I particularly look to understand anything that doesn’t bring them joy in their current job.
When we take time as recruiters to listen to where our candidates are in life and their careers, we can be a better partner to them in the job search.
Bailey Harper, vice president
2. Listen, look and listen again
In the creative and marketing industry, so many people have talent. A quick trip through a portfolio will reveal whether it’s words, strategy, design, or something else. Finding a place where that talent can shine isn’t that difficult, and putting good people in front of good people is usually a great recipe for success. But if a good recruiter is really doing their job, it’s not always that easy.
In what type of environment does someone really shine? With what types of leadership and teams does one’s next level unlock? In what setting does someone really flourish? If you want to connect talent with the ideal situation — not just one that works — you have to listen. Learn what they like and don’t like; learn their career goals and personality. It’s all like one big puzzle, and the best way to solve it is to listen.
Greg Detter, senior vice president
3. Ask candidates about soft skills
When placing job seekers in a new role, asking candidates and hiring managers about soft skills is important. While a candidate may have job-related knowledge and abilities, their approach, attitude, and problem-solving skills are most important to match!
We need to take the proper amount of time with both candidates and employers to get a good read on how they like to function. Emotional intelligence as a recruiter is pivotal. We want to create long-lasting relationships.
Samantha Senni, vice president and branch director
4. Understand their work environment, style and pace
One important thing I consider when evaluating candidates is what type of work environment that fosters their success. For example, a corporate environment is much different than an agency’s, and some candidates will thrive in one but not the other.
I ask the candidate about the types of companies and industries they’ve worked for, the size of the teams they’ve been on, how they perform under pressure, and their ability to multitask and manage different projects or clients at the same time.
I also emphasize the employer’s work environment and style when presenting an opportunity to a candidate. It’s important to be transparent and to elaborate on a candidate’s previous experience when presenting them to the hiring manager.
Monica McNamara, lead recruiter
5. Dig deeper on the candidate’s ideal next role
The biggest thing I do to make sure job seekers are aligned to the right roles is to dig in and learn more about exactly what they want in their ideal next role. Of course, knowing their technical skills and what they have done in past roles is important; however, getting to know the candidates and what excites them about their potential future role helps ensure a great placement.
Learning their long-term career goals, what industries they want to explore, and what kind of environment/culture they are looking for allows me to position myself as a consultant for them and make sure they are excited about the role I connect them with.
Leah Feiler, practice director and assistant vice president
6. Dive into the details of their listed skills
One thing I do to help ensure I’m matching candidates with the right roles for their skills and experience is digging deeper into the details of their expertise. Anyone can list a skill and experience on their resume but asking questions to gain a better understanding of how they used their skills and experience in previous positions helps me better understand in which areas the candidate might thrive.
It also helps to determine if a candidate might truly flourish and enjoy a position. Homing in on whether the candidate will actually ENJOY and THRIVE in the position is important to me. This helps create a positive relationship with the candidate.
Mandie Lester, senior recruiter
7. Learn about likes and dislike: the more you know, the better
Go beyond their skills and experience, and have the candidate establish what they like and don’t like to do. Listen to their wants and requirements. The more you know about your candidate, the better the match. I believe true job matching is a combination of a role the candidate is qualified for and an opportunity they are really excited about!
Betty Kang, lead recruiter
8. Understand candidates’ career goals
One important thing I like to consider when matching a creative industry job seeker with the right role for their skills and experience is understanding their career goals and what I can do to help them achieve those goals. I believe it’s essential to align job seekers with what they are looking for in an ideal job, but also to make sure their short-term goals are paving the way for long-term success.
Understanding a candidate’s vision is so important as a recruiter because they trust you to help them achieve their goals with our market expertise and experience. The most satisfying thing I could hear as a recruiter is a job seeker telling me I found them their dream job, and they didn’t settle for something less.
Adrian Cervantes, senior digital marketing recruiter
Robert Half recruiters (top row, from left): Greg Detter, Bailey Harper, Monica McNamara, Samantha Senni and Mandie Lester; (bottom row, from left): Betty Kang, Leah Feiler and Adrian Cervantes.
