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27 Mar 2015

Presenting Your Portfolio Part 3: Presentation

By melanie

my pick
Hi! My name is Sophia, I am an Associate Search Consultant with The Melanie Andersen Agency. I work on all design and merchandising roles for our fashion and retail clients. I’m obsessed with all things fashion, and feel so privileged to play a role in the direction of the design and production of our clients’ products.

My favorite part of the interview process is looking at designers’ portfolios, so I created this 3 part blog series that gives some advice on how to maximize your chances of landing the interview. Resumes and portfolios should be the champions of your cause, not the Achilles’ heel for an otherwise talented designer. Last week, I gave a brief overview of what content to include in your portfolio. For the 3rd and final installment of this blog series, I offer up some advice on presentation which will give you a competitive edge and help ensure you knock ‘em dead!

So now that you have been able to painfully edit down your life’s work into what I’m sure seems like only a tiny sliver of what you have done and what you are capable of doing, it is time to present your portfolio to a hiring manager.

There are a few of things to keep in mind and to make sure you touch on when you are presenting your work:

Walk the hiring manager through your process, speak to your inspirations, your methods, etc.
Talk at the same time as turning (or swiping!) through the pages, if you talk too much without simultaneously moving through the portfolio, the hiring manager could get impatient.
Speak with intention, meaning don’t talk in circles, be really thoughtful about everything you say and let it be short, sweet and to the point.
My best advice for nailing down your presentation technique would be to practice with friends. Walk them through your portfolio as if you are on an interview. This will get you comfortable with telling your story and public speaking. Just remember you are talented, creative, and you deserve it!

12 Mar 2015

The Importance of Showcasing Personal Work

By melanie

2014-07-22 04.08.37My name is Nina Malek and I am an Associate Search Consultant on the Creative Team here at The Melanie Andersen Agency.

Whether you work as a creative or not, you can show off your skills and experience to your employers in a fun, creative way by simply creating a visually appealing resume. A visual resume will help you eliminate lengthy wording and ensure that it stays under one page. Here are some quick tips on how to create a resume that will make you stand out from the crowd.

1. Use a visually appealing font – Times New Roman is very outdated and will blend right into an employer’s pile of resumes, so try out different fonts and use something that is easy to read, but isn’t boring. Creating a logo for yourself with a pop of color will ensure that your name stands out and gives an employer a glimpse of your aesthetic and style. Even something as simple as using color can help guide a hiring manager through your resume.

2. Clean and to the point – Remember to use white space throughout the document wisely, leaving enough white space throughout the document to give a clean and easy-to-read look. A resume that feels TOO visually complicated or looks like it will take too long to read will often get put to the site. Remember not to muddle your resume with unnecessary items- try to stick to thebasics and most important points that you want your employer to remember you by!

3. Replace lengthy sentences with graphics – A great way to eliminate lengthy sentences and ensure that a potential employer will notice important information is to use charts, icons or graphs. Replace a sentence about your growth in revenues with a chart or narrate your skills with icons. A cool site to use to find and download these types of icons is The Noun Project.

4. Links – It is 2015 and Google exists, so providing links to all of your relevant social media accounts in the header section of your resume will allow the hiring manager to easily access this information. Providing easy access to your LinkedIn or relevant Twitter, Instagram, or Tumblr pages if you don’t have a website is a great way to give a potential employer more insight in life. That said, remember to only link those sites that are appropriate, professional and current.

27 Aug 2014

Faith Restored in Candidates – Experiences of Search Consultant, Nadine Knoblauch

By melanie

Today I had a candidate accept an offer for a great role. Not only am I very happy for her but also very happy because today my faith was restored in candidates. These situations don’t always work out, candidates can change their minds and clients can change their minds as well. A candidate can have multiple interviews and then the client will hear something they don’t like and pull a 180. A candidate will tell you all the right things and at the last minute decide it really isn’t the right time. Or a candidate can verbally accept the offer and all can be right in the world until they go to resign and their current employer gives them a counter offer that for whatever reason they can’t seem to refuse. Trust me, we have seen it all.

As recruiters, we go through this intense and lengthy process with candidates and build a rapport and a relationship (sometimes a friendship). When they completely blindside us and go against everything both parties have worked towards, it becomes almost personal.  Every candidate has their reasons for wanting to leave their current job: senior leadership doesn’t value them, poor office culture, not enough money, no growth opportunities, looking for a change, it can all vary. But when the candidate forgoes their original reasons and accepts a counteroffer, that is a hard pill to swallow. We go out on a limb and represent them to our clients and when they take a counteroffer for more money, it doesn’t make either party look good. It tells our clients that the reasons the candidate gave initially for wanting to leave were either not legitimate or they were easily persuaded by a little more money or a title increase. It tells our clients that their opportunity wasn’t actually as appealing as the candidate made it out to be throughout the whole process. Candidate’s true character really comes out in the final offer stage – ignoring the recruiters calls, not having the decency to decline the offer via phone, letting an offer letter sit for a lengthy amount of time, stringing clients along and asking for an offer in writing so that they can go and use it to get more money. If someone wants to accept an offer, it’s because they want that position and know it the best route for them to take in their career. Candidates may not realize that accepting a counteroffer may seem like the right thing at the time but there are still underlying reasons that pushed them to start their job search. Those reasons won’t go away just because their current employer has offered them more money. A counteroffer shouldn’t be a factor if you are sure about wanting a new opportunity. Don’t let it get to that point. Be respectful of all parties: your current employer, your recruiter, your prospective employer and ultimately yourself. Don’t drag out the process. Accept the offer in a timely manner, be upfront with your current employer, resign respectfully not even entertaining a counteroffer and then get ready to start a new chapter in your professional life.

Today, the process worked the way it should. The candidate was honest and timely and resigned telling her employer there wasn’t even a need to counter. All parties are happy and for that, my faith has been restored in candidates.

27 Aug 2014

WHY AGENCY CLIENTS MUST BEWARE OF LOSING MOMENTUM WITH CANDIDATES

By melanie

Agency clients should be mindful of causing candidates to lose interest in their roles by taking too much time to get them back with next steps during the interview process. The advertising industry is extremely busy and often chaotic with insane timelines, client demands, daily internal/external challenges, and a huge load of deliverables. Clients often get very busy during the interview process for a new role and tend to let this role drop off as they focus on other agency priorities.

This type of situation is often unavoidable as business needs to get done. However, when clients do not follow up with next steps for weeks at a time, candidates are bound to either accept a position at another agency or lose interest in the agency/role at hand. Clients should not be surprised when this happens as most candidates are extremely eager to proceed with the interview process and often very motivated to leave their current roles. It should not come as a shock that most candidates interview at multiple agencies at one time and, even if they prefer one over the other, they will sometimes accept the offer that comes first. Just as we coach candidates to be very responsive when it comes to communicating with clients, we give this same advice to clients so as to not turn the candidates off from the agency and the opportunity.

The bottom line is as follows- we understand that other priorities often get in the way of keeping the candidate interview process moving forward. However, clients should make a very conscious effort to not allow too much time to lapse in between candidate interviews (especially if it’s a candidate they truly love) or else they run the risk of losing them.

 

27 Aug 2014

New Year…..New Job!

By melanie

Happy New Year to everyone! The Melanie Andersen Agency is very excited for a new year as this means a fresh start and a new outlook on the job hunting front. The start of the new year is always a really great time to reflect on the previous year’s happenings from both a career and personal perspective. What were you proud of last year? What excited you? Are you ready to make a career move and, if so, what is your ideal next step? A new year is a wonderful way to wipe the slate clean and start over as well as learn from the previous year’s ups, downs, twists, and turns.

Despite our country’s overall economic issues, 2012 was an extremely active job market. The Melanie Andersen Agency was briefed on new roles constantly on both the marketing, advertising, and PR front and the range of functions and level of experience was very diverse. We anticipate 2013 being an even more active market and are so excited to work with existing and new clients and candidates on new opportunities.

The Melanie Andersen Agency is not a typical recruitment firm. We take great pride in truly partnering with both clients and candidates to ensure a perfect, long-term career match based upon skillset and personality. In 2012, we increased our candidate pool greatly and made strong connections with A LOT of talented candidates. We anticipate being able to help a majority of them find great new agencies/companies/positions in this new year. On the client front, we made great ties with new clients (a handful of innovative start up digital agencies, for example) and maintained relationships with clients who are very dear to our heart (you know who you are!!).

So….. HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013!!! Here is to a great 2013 filled with happiness, success and an exciting job exploration with the end result being an incredible new career opportunity.

27 Aug 2014

Congratulations Chrissy and Guy!

By melanie

This post is a little out of the ordinary but one I felt I needed to write today. Today was a very special day as one of the key members of The Melanie Andersen Agency got engaged. We have all been waiting on pins and needles for this to happen and it finally did. Phone calls were exchanged immediately, shouts and even some tears of joy.. bottom line is we were all collectively ecstatic. It reminded me how much of the team we are at the agency. Of course we communicate about professional topics most of the day. However, we also take time both inside and outside of the office to catch up on life and stay in tune with each other’s successes, failures, and daily happenings in general. This comradery makes the agency a really special place and is one of the reasons we thrive in our jobs as recruiters—we all LOVE being here every day at work (if you can imagine that) and play critical support roles to one another at all times.

This blog can actually serve as a lesson to everyone in a work environment. Be nice, friendly, personable, and inviting. These are not only the people who you will spend a majority of your time during the week but they are also the people who will be able to give you a great recommendation.

Time to celebrate this engagement!

27 Aug 2014

Farewell Message from Carolyn

By melanie

Today marks my final day with The Melanie Andersen Agency. The past two and a half months have been incredible and my dream of working in the Big Apple had been realized! I owe a great deal to the Melanie Andersen Agency for the patience and kindness the have extended on to me. I understand that the content of the blog below is not conventional in regards to the recruiting and interview tips typically posted on “It’s a Blonde, Blonde World;” but I believe the following small observations about these outstanding, awe inspiring and giving women might help you gain insight into the real individuals you are doing business with.

Nadine:

Melanie likes to say that Nadine is a very good manager. She is exactly right. Nadine is a charismatic, bright personality with phenomenal people skills. There is never a mundane or boring moment in the office when Nadine is around. Through out my internship she has helped me to develop a sense of prioritization and confidence in my correspondence skills, as well as gave me a few good laughs each day!

Jodi:

After watching the TMAA’s video, Jodi’s quote about wanting to work with and place “nice” people stood out. Since getting to know Jodi I can say that her kind hearted and compassionate nature puts others at ease. Actions speak louder than words – The time Jodi spends prepping candidates and talking to clients in order to full understand their needs is commendable.

Chrissy:

Patience – I cannot thank Chrissy enough for how patient she has been with me. I really appreciate all the time she spent helping me adjust my first week, teaching me how to utilize our programs and about general office protocol. Over the course of my internship, I have truly enjoyed working with and learning from Chrissy. She is a wealth of information as well fantastic mentor and representative of TMAA.

Melanie:

It would be putting it mildly to say that Melanie has a busy schedule – but as founder and CEO of a company that holds her namesake, this is to be expected. That being said this is why the time Melanie has taken to serve as a mentor has meant so much to me. During the course of my internship she has taken a keen interest in making sure understood the meaning behind each of the tasks and processes involved in successful running the agency. Her insights and wisdom have helped me learn a great deal about business – recruiting, fashion/creative industries, interviewing, and about myself.

Each of you has had a hand in my professional and personal growth. Thanks for helping me to understand that workplace can be a professional/productive and fun/enjoyable environment simultaneously. I am so grateful to have worked alongside and learned from you all this summer!

27 Aug 2014

Post from Carolyn our new intern

By melanie

As the new intern at The Melanie Andersen Agency, I had no prior experience in regards to recruiting or creative industries. Honestly, I was not completely sure of what I had signed up for but when it comes to a new adventure I am always up for the challenge. This will be my third week with the ladies of TMAA and I believe that I have already picked up some information that is invaluable to any professional or company.

1. Who is the client?

The answer to this question is the cornerstone of how an executive search consultancy operates. Our clients are the companies that pay us to find them candidates. This is not to say that recruiters do not have the candidates best interests at heart or put in hours of extensive prep time with candidates prior to the screening and interview process. That being said, our primary function, as a recruiting agency is to find candidates that fit the job description given to us by the clients who we have been retained by. Each job description is customarily very detailed with specific expectations and experience required. We are not agents – this would change recruiters’ moniker from “head hunters” to “role hunters.”

2. The salary and package

Normally a high priority topic for candidates, the salary negotiation is an essential and yet sometimes tedious part of the recruiting process for the candidate, client and recruiter alike. Due to the often structured and non-negotiable terms of the job description, some candidates become slightly outlandish with their salary expectations during the negotiations. The best weapon a candidate has in their salary negotiation arsenal is research. Candidates it is crucial to know the worth your current role holds as well as the role you are interviewing for. With this information you will gain understanding of what is acceptable salary request during negotiations and what is not.

More frequently than not candidates are too concerned with the highest salary possible and lose sight of the big picture and end result, i.e. getting the job. Always remember happiness in the work place is just important as salary. It is vital handle negotiations in a respectful and polite manner because the way the candidate handles the interview process can either leave good or bad impression with both the recruiter and the potential new company.

In summary, I am looking forward to what this next week will bring and continuing to sharing what I am learning!

27 Aug 2014

Do not text your recruiter

By melanie

I have already covered this topic but felt the need to reiterate as candidates continue to text us. Today, for example, a candidate texted me to cancel an interview one hour before they were supopsed to be with one of our clients for an interview. I nearly missed ithe text which would have resulted in a bad situation when the candidate did not turn up for his interview with the client this morning. Last minute interview cancellations are bad enough but sending the cancellation via text is extremely unprofessional and potentially detrimental to the client-candidate relationship as well as to the candidate-recruiter relationship. Texting your recruiter about any topic is a huge “no no”. It does not get captured by our database so our correspondences go unrecorded and it is just very unprofessional for many different reasons. So don’t be surprised if we stop responding to text messages as, from our perspective, this is a cardinal sin amongst candidates. As an aside, even if we are friendly and have hung out in the same social circle one time and are now working together in a professional capacity, still do not text regarding anything work related.

27 Aug 2014

When it comes to salaries, don’t shoot for the stars

By melanie

Candidates often make the mistake of expecting and asking for salaries which are far too high as a next step in their careers. Unless you are being overpaid (which is sometimes the case), we do not suggest that you should make a lateral move but rather ask for an increase when you make the move from one company/role to another. It is always encouraged to rise up the ranks both in title and salary as you make transitions in your career. However, candidates sometimes get too big for their britches and ask for way too high of an increase when negotiating their terms with agencies. Perhaps you did not get the raise you were expecting during your last review—this isn’t the fault of your next employer. Perhaps you took a year off to travel and this has affected salary increases—this isn’t the fault of your next employer. Maybe you’ve even been performing at a level above for the past year and feel extremely disgruntled in your current role—this isn’t the fault of your next employer either!

I realize that many times you feel overworked and underpaid, but part of our job as recruiters is to guide you regarding salary and keep you grounded and objective. As recruiters, we not only know the “going rate” for particular levels of experience, types of experience, and industries/roles in general, but we also know our clients’ budget ranges and what they are able and willing to pay for particular positions. We obviously want to negotiate the best and highest salary for you, but we will always be honest in terms of what we feel you should and can realistically ask for during offer stage.

I’ve been faced with the difficult task of bringing candidates back to reality when it comes to salaries, in hopes that they will agree with me and not box themselves out of a great opportunity because they want to negotiate a higher salary or strongly feel they deserve more. There is usually someone with a similar skillset and comparable years of experience who is asking for less, so it is in your best interest to listen to your recruiter when it comes to salary negotiations and follow his/her advice so as not to appear too expensive, unrealistic, or money hungry.

Being a dreamer in life isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but you really need to come back to reality when discussing and finalizing salary expectations with a potential employer. While salary is important, the most crucial thing at the end of the day is to secure the position that is truly the next best step in your career. All the money in the world can’t buy the happiness you feel when  going to a job you love every day, and monetary success will most likely follow this feeling of personal and professional contentment.

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