Posted in General News

Reports that former Custard PR MD Stu Campbell has just launched a consumer communications agency called ‘Fire’ sparked quite an amusing conversation in the office about the amount of agencies with a ‘burning ambition’ to use fire related names.

Off the top of our heads…

1. Firefly
2. Inferno
3. Fire
4. Online Fire
5. Spark Marketing
6. Sparx
7. Spark (US Company in UK)
8. Flame
9. Blaze
10. Firestarter
11. Burning Issues
12. Firebrand
13. Firehorse
14. Firebird
15. Ignite
16. Ignition

Posted in General News

If there’s one thing that gets our goat, ruffles our feathers, really gets us hot-under the collar, then it’s bad recruitment practices.

We’re talking fake adverts. We’re talking scattergun CVs. We’re talking practices that you, the candidate or client, should be aware of.

In the first edition of ‘the soap-box’ (though we could so easily have called it ‘the rant’) we’re letting rip. Allow us to let off steam…

We understand that times are tough. Leaner and meaner? You told us yourself. But desperate recruitment companies are signing up candidates and, rather than screening a candidate so they can correctly match their skill set to the job opportunity, are instead sending their CV to their entire contact list! Financial! Corporate! It doesn’t matter. Consumer! Billy on reception! What the heck? NASA Space Station! (Ok, maybe not there, but you get the picture…)

Not only does this reflect badly on candidates who appear as though they haven’t done their homework, it also makes unwitting clients feel they have no choice but to accept the candidate through a certain agency simply because they got there first.

On behalf of the clients who have approached us asking for advice, let us put your minds at rest. Such business practices are immoral and, in terms of the law, no client needs to accept any CV whoever they have been approached by UNTIL TERMS OF BUSINESS HAVE BEEN AGREED WITH THAT CONSULTANCY.

There. Glad we cleared that one up…

Are there any recruitment or communications issues that you’d like us to focus on in coming editions? Any burning issues? Let us know at theword@the-works.co.uk or tel. 020 7559 6690.

Posted in Candidates

Having co-authored a book on Crisis Management in 2005, progressed to Associate Director at one of the UK’s biggest Global PR and communications consultancies, FD, and recently bagged a Head of Communications role at a very impressive 28 years of age, it’s not surprising that we’ve chosen Naomi Jones to feature as our very first ‘rising star’.

Despite the stellar career path, it’s clear that she hasn’t got where she is today by stepping on people, Apprentice-style; rather, by combining obvious ambition and drive with a grounded value system, a passion for good communications practice and an almost disarming approachability. We asked her to describe her climb up the corporate ladder and offer advice to other comms professionals during the current economic climate.

Name: Naomi Jones

Position: Head of Communications

Company: SITA UK (recycling and waste management, www.sita.co.uk)

Number of Employees: 6,000

Can you summarise your career path to date?
I’ve worked extremely hard to get work experience in the industry. Following graduation form University, I started my career at Green Issues Communications specialising in building stakeholder relations, local public affairs and crisis management and was managing a four person team by 24 years of age. Whilst there, I co-wrote the book and communications tool, ‘Managing a Crisis: A Practical Guide’ (Palgrave Macmillan 2005). In 2006, I joined FD, first as Account Director and progressed to Associate Director where I was responsible for two of the company’s top five clients, Tesco and HSBC. I joined SITA two months ago.

Describe your role:
As Head of Communications, I manage a seven person team and am responsible for overseeing brand positioning, corporate PR, regional PR, internal comms and corporate collateral, for example. I attend management board meetings and report directly to Chief Executive.

What’s been your career highlight to date?
Most definitely starting my current role!

And greatest challenge?
Determining the right path for me

And ambition?
This is what I want to do.

What advice can you offer to other comms professionals who want to get ahead in the current climate?
Don’t give up. It is tough, but good people are always needed. Employers want to know more than ever that you are not just looking for any old role as times are tough but that you really want to join them as a company. Find a recruitment agency you trust, really form a relationship with them and prepare extremely fully for any roles that you’re put forward for.

Lastly, have a ‘can do’ attitude. It is so important.

How do you feel about what you have achieved so far in your career?
Proud. I am ambitious but I feel contented and being happy is important. I believe strongly that you need to be passionate about what you do over being ambitious. I am also happy that I got to where I am without sacrificing my principles. You can be strong, firm and a leader without treading on people. We have all experienced people like this and I am pleased I never went down this route.

What recent current affairs issue are you most interested in, and why?
What will happen to today’s generation of graduates. Yes, I think they will have it tougher than my generation did when we left university with the world at our feet. Long term, I hope this generation of graduates will benefit from having made informed decisions, working hard for what they have got and ultimately leading happier lives long term due to knowing what it is like to have to really work for something.

What challenges are you facing in your current position?
The usual challenges of maintaining communications for a large organisation – but the challenges are positive ones. I wake up feeling very lucky to have my position and excited about the opportunities in shaping a brand. I have had to work hard but I love my job and am grateful for it every day.

Do you have an unusual, impressive or inspirational career path? Are you able to offer sage career advice to other communications professionals? If so, we’d love to hear from you! To nominate a colleague or be featured as the next ‘rising star’ yourself, contact us at: theword@the-works.co.uk or tel. 020 7559 6690 and ask for Sarah Leembruggen.

Posted in Candidates, Clients, General News

Approximately 9 out of 10 job applicants are ‘too embarrassed’ to mention their redundancy, according to Sarah Leembruggen, Managing Partner of The Works.

It appears that the recession has done nothing to remove the social stigma attached to redundancy despite hundreds of UK job roles being lost each week.

Sarah maintains that up to 90% of the candidates she interviews are unsure as to whether to mention their (often recent) redundancy status to a prospective employer and insists that attitudes to redundancy must change.

Whilst acknowledging it’s often a matter of ‘easier said than done’, Sarah says: “There needs to be a cultural shift towards redundancy given current market conditions. Candidates should try not to take redundancy so personally but distinguish between and take solace from the fact that it’s their role that has been made redundant, not themselves as an individual.

“Organisations are usually less judgemental when it comes to considering candidates ‘between jobs’, understanding that market conditions are not evidence of a candidates competence – but not always. Given the current war for talent, businesses should welcome a new talent stream.”

Posted in Candidates, General News

Some say it’s never the right time to have a baby. However, over the past six months, business is, er, blooming when it comes to the number of maternity contracts we’re being asked to fill.

According to Mike Hill, The Works’ Consultant, maternity contract enquiries have swelled (pardon the pun) by 40% since January ‘09.

Happy co-incidence or strategic family planning? Perhaps the recession is the right time to have a baby after all???

Posted in Salary Survey

We’ve just published the findings of our annual salary survey.

The Works polled over 100 of the UK’s leading corporate, financial, consumer and technology PR agencies to provide a snapshot of the state of the recruitment market over the past twelve months and allow communications professionals to discover whether their salary is on a par with industry peers.

The survey, entitled ‘Show you the money’ and which can be viewed in full at http://www.the-works.co.uk/show-you-the-money/, has the following key findings:

• PR agencies are diversifying their business offering to provide a leaner and more integrated service in a bid to fight the recession. 74% of respondents plan to expand their service offerings this year. The main growth areas are digital services and crisis and issues PR, with 40% and 47% of respondents looking to move in these sectors respectively. With social networking sites soaring in popularity, 85% of consumer agencies plan to move into digital services.
• The credit crunch has had a profound effect on the technology sector with a huge increase (over 200%) in demand for digital expertise. This trend contrasts with the significant reduction in demand for financial technology candidates in line with the collapse of the financial markets.
• A desire to move in-house was prominent at all levels, with 90% of consumer PR candidates registering an interest in an in-house role. Respondents cited greater job security, a better work/life balance and the opportunity to focus on the communications of one company as motivating factors.
• The recession has brought an end to salary inflation seen over the past decade with 73% of agencies polled anticipating salaries will stay the same. Consultancies are instead offering their employees non-financial incentives such as flexible working.

Sarah Leembruggen, The Works’ Managing Partner, says: “Agencies are becoming leaner and meaner in a bid to survive the recession, holding on to the most talented staff yet diversifying their business offerings to become more competitive. New business push, particularly in digital services, seems to be the main priority for surviving 2009.”