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27 Aug 2014

Interview Scheduling Etiquette for Candidates

By melanie

Throughout the interview process (which often entails multiple rounds) there is a lot of back and forth between recruiter and candidate in order to schedule candidate interviews with the client. There are often cancellations on both the client and candidate end and the hope is they are not last minute (ill save that for another blog!!). Here is an example of improper interview scheduling etiquette on the part of a candidate.

One of our clients provided availability to offer up to the candidate for a third round interview. During this particular interview, the candidate was supposed to meet the President of the agency. It should be a given that senior members of the agency have quite limited avails and their time is very valuable and should be treated as such— especially by a prospective employee. The client offered these avails and the candidate took days to reply. The President had been holding this time slot for him and was informed last minute that he could free it up because the candidate could not commit.

This really looks bad on the part of the candidate. It comes across as flighty and disrespectful and sends a signal of disinterest and lack of commitment or care. Even if the candidate is very busy during the day with his or her current job obligations, replying to emails regarding client interviews is extremely important and should be made somewhat of a priorty as it affects other people’s schedules and can also affect impressions in a major way.

If a candidate has chosen to explore an opportunity, timely replies regarding scheduling interviews for new opportunities is expected.

27 Aug 2014

Why Eye Contact During an Interview is so Important

By melanie

Candidates must make eye contact during an interview as lack of this contact most always results in negative feedback on the part of the client. Eye contact signifies confidence, strong communication and a human connection. A lack of eye contact can be a sign of insecurity, nerves, lack of confidence in ability or experience, and inexperience. Eye contact can really make or break an interview– it is that important for candidates to look into the clients’ eyes when speaking during an interview.

This can be very difficult as nerves often take over or perhaps there are moments when thoughts are being gathered and eye contact is lost. This is truly something that candidates should practice before an interview so it comes as second nature. Keep that eye contact with the client strong– obviously don’t be creepy about it and burn a hole through the client!!! But make sure eye contact is maintained as this makes candidates look confident and secure in what they are communicating.

Eye contact is of course one of many important factors to remember during an interview but it is one that candidates often forget and one that can ruin their chances of landing the role.

27 Aug 2014

Why Clients Should Always Keep Recruiters Informed of Changes to a Role

By melanie

I love our clients and absolutely enjoy working with each of them as they are all very different in terms of culture, approach, and needs. I have learned that communication between recruiter and client is extremely important, especially as it pertains to the particular role on which the recruiter is actively working. Miscommunication or lack of communication can be detrimental to the process of finding a great candidate for the role. Here is a good example–

I was briefed on a particular role by an agency and the position entailed managing three particular brands. The brands were awesome and a major reason why so many candidates expressed interest. While I always stress that candidates should join an agency for the agency and not a particular account, the account does matter– especially when garnering candidate interest in a position and for initial discussions between client and candidate. Accounts being managed become even more important to seasoned candidates who are more focused in terms of category expertise.

In this particular case, there was a handful of candidates very excited for the interview with this agency as the accounts were quite appealing and in line with their interests. However, during the interview, the client switched gears and discussed entirely different accounts which accounts which were night and day from the ones mentioned in the initial brief. The result was confused and disappointed candidates who also felt they had been misled by me and were caught off guard during the interview.

As a recruiter in a fast paced and quick changing industry, I realize that staffing needs can evolve and change from one moment to the next- and that’s ok. However, clients should take the time to inform their recruiters of any changes to a brief so recruiters can update the candidates and also shift gears in terms of the search pool if necessary. Again we do stress that accounts can come and go so candidates should pursue an agency for all its offerings and not one of its brands, but the reality is that accounts are very important to candidates also.

This is one strong example to prove my point but the overall lesson is that open communication between client and recruiter is extremely important and can only help to improve and streamline process.

27 Aug 2014

An Important Tip on Targeting Salary

By melanie

While it is never a good idea to be completely motivated by money when pursuing new opportunities or deciding whether or not to accept an offer, money is clearly a factor and a motivation for candidates as they search for and evaluate the best next step in their career. As a recruiter, part of my job is to guide candidates regarding their salary requirements so that they present a number that is optimal for them (based on current salary and level of experience) and realistic for the client (based on budget and scope of the role). Candidates often come to us with rather unrealistic expectations regarding salary and we try our best to ground them before we present them for roles. Sometimes we opt to not represent them if they are not flexible or realistic regarding salary.

That being said, a situation that I often run into is the following—a candidate has just received an internal raise and still wants a significant increase on the base salary in order to make a move. In my opinion, this is greedy and it also looks greedy to a potential employer. This type of candidate never looks good in the eyes of a potential employer. We often level with this candidate and advise them to either make a lateral move or ask for a slight and fair increase.

Someone who was just increased from $55k to $65k internally should not be targeting $75k to make a jump shortly after this increase—it just isn’t fair.

There are a few lessons here: 1) a good recruiter will accurately guide candidates when it comes to salary negotiations, 2) candidates should focus more on the actual role (is it a good long-term move with great opportunity for growth) and less on the immediate salary increase, and 3) candidates should leave greed at the door when negotiating salaries.

27 Aug 2014

Why You Should NEVER Lie About Your Current Salary Information

By melanie

This blog will probably seem so obvious to most candidates but you would be shocked at the fact that I have run into this situation with candidates in the past. It is VERY important to disclose all pertinent information in a truthful manner to your recruiter so this can be relayed to the client. I have blogged about candidates lying about their current salaries (and there is a difference between base salary and total salary package) and trust me they usually don’t get away with it.  The truth is often comes up in reference checks (informal or formal).  In the same vein, candidates MUST always be truthful about their current employment situation  and reasons for leaving. I worked with a candidate (a wonderful one) who had actually left her job—meaning she was no longer employed by the company!!!—and she did not inform us, even throughout reference checks, which was when we found out and had to inform our client that the candidate we were representing was no longer employed. This is seriously a cardinal sin in our eyes and in the eyes of the client. This makes the candidate look unprofessional and deceitful, and in most cases will result in the loss of an offer from a client. Even if the reason for leaving is negative or reflects poorly on candidates, they must disclose the situation to their recruiter so they can be transparent with their client about the candidates reasons for leaving. The moral of the story is candidates should always be honest when disclosing their career history and current job situation to recruiters or directly to clients (if they are not using a recruiter’s assistance). The lie will catch up with you more often than  not.

27 Aug 2014

Why You Should ALWAYS Show Enthusiasm During An Interview !

By melanie

One of the most important interview tips that I can give to candidates is the following: SHOW ENTHUSIASM DURING AN INTERVIEW!!! This probably seems like a given but you would be shocked at how many clients circle back with me and tell me that the candidate showed zero enthusiasm during the interview. Candidates should be very enthusiastic about the agency/company and come to the interview having done a lot of research and being equipped with knowledge about the agency/company process, history, culture, brands represented, and key players. Candidates should also show a lot of excitement about the role itself and appear completely interested in the job function and prepared to explain how their backgrounds correlate to the role. Candidates must use the interview as a time to sell themselves and to express sheer enthusiasm for the agency and the role at hand. Even if candidates have doubts about the agency or the role or start to feel like it isn’t a good fit during the interview, these feelings should never be expressed during the first interview! These doubts and questions can be addressed at a later stage of the interview process, however the first interview is all about making the best first impression possible. Very often candidates sound extremely excited about an agency/position when I speak with them but fail to show these emotions during the interview, which results in them not getting a second interview. The moral of the story is SHOW ENTHUSIASM as a part of selling yourself to your potential employer. Sometimes it is this expression of enthusiasm that truly helps candidates to get the job as clients have a lot of heart for great attitudes, spirits, and someone who really wants to join their team.

27 Aug 2014

Why what you wear on your interview can be almost as important as what you say

By melanie

Candidates need to think very carefully on what to wear to an interview as this is an important part of making a good first impression in the face of the client. Clients obviously care immensely about candidates’ skillsets and evaluate them accordingly but the wrong outfit (especially when interviewing for fashion companies or agencies) can be detrimental. There are always exceptions to the rule based on the particular culture and vibe of the client but in most cases candidates should err on the side of toned down- not boring of course but not too loud either. The outfit should not be a distraction to the client and it should also show that the candidate is professional.

I have seen cases of a wonderful candidate being rejected because the outfit was too loud and showy and this made the client feel that his personality would follow suit! This wasn’t the case but the client only has certain elements to go on and forms opinions accordingly. Please ask your recruiter what to wear to the interview and more importantly, listen to their advice, as the recruiter will know the company well and will be able to guide a candidate on what would be or would not be appropriate.

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

Clients: Do Not Scare Off Candidates

By melanie

I get briefed almost daily on new roles by clients who are eager to find unique talent who can fit in at their agency from a skillset and cultural perspective. One would think that clients would put their most positive and enthusiastic faces forward when interviewing potential candidates for a role. Surprisingly, this is not always the case—I know—isn’t that hard to believe?!

Clients should not candy coat an agency to the point of lying. It is important to be transparent with candidates about agency challenges and cons so the candidate does not walk into a situation that was falsely represented on their first day of work. That being said, transparency is one thing but a full on warning and complete negativity is another. Clients need to be very careful to not let their bad days, awful client meetings, rejected creative ideas, or any other “bad” situation affect the way they represent the agency to a candidate during an interview. Clients should represent their agencies in the best light, balancing honesty with a really solid and positive pitch for the agency culture and role itself. Of course some clients have more passionate and creative personalities but they need to be sure to temper them when interviewing candidates.

It makes it very difficult as a recruiter to work on roles for clients who do not “drink the kool-aid” of their own agencies. It is also unfair to candidates as they walk away feeling dejected and doubtful when a client makes the interview more of a warning than an invite.

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