With marketing the sort of industry that young people aspire to be part of, finding talent should be easy, right? It’s creative, challenging, sociable and dare I say… cool.
But despite the recent Mad Men phenomenon, we’re seeing an alarming trend. The fresh, hungry talent that was coming out of the UK’s creative colleges 15 years ago just doesn’t seem to be there at the moment, making the talent we do find even more important to keep.
The industry has been notoriously fluid and cut-throat, with little loyalty on either side. Creative employees and employers are always on the look out for the best way of showcasing their talent and the next exciting opportunity. But the next exciting opportunity may be just around the corner in the role you already have. Why jump ship to find it?
Every client is an opportunity for us all to grow and learn. The great thing about this business is that we work with clients from all different sectors. Where else in the world could you be learning about the automotive industry one minute and the cosmetic industry the next?
Giving people exposure to these exciting changes and challenges, refreshing and migrating talent around the business is the key to keeping people engaged, and creativity and commitment flowing. I believe that giving people responsibility in areas they have not previously covered ultimately builds a stronger workforce with stronger foundations and leads to less churn.
But responsibility shouldn’t solely sit with the employer. It must also come from the individuals. We like to see people apply for roles that require them to challenge their skill-set, step out of their comfort zone and take on a wider remit. Yet because positions within huge agencies have been pared down into niche roles, the entrepreneurial spirit and desire to accept and attack a wider remit is often sorely lacking.
Agencies will have to think differently to secure and foster the future of the creative industries. As members of the IPA we’re participating in the Creative Pioneers Challenge 2012, a nationwide search for digital natives and creative entrepreneurs. It’s an innovative recruitment drive across the country to fast-track 300 young people into employment in the UK. We want to find and nurture hungry talent, whilst building a strong, committed workforce and this programme will help us do exactly that.
A fundamental part of our job is to understand people and communicate effectively with them. If we can’t sit down and have a conversation with someone, test their professional experience, personality and performance, ultimately relying on our instincts, we as agency heads are in the wrong job. Seeing talented and skilled people with the true desire to stretch themselves and learn new things is a major attraction as an employer.
The industry is changing and the conveyor belt-like process of delivering work is being slowly broken apart and reconfigured. As a boutique agency with in-house digital and moving image capabilities, finding the right talent is imperative, not only to ensure the consistent quality of our work, but because the impact of a bad hire is felt throughout the agency.
It’s evident that the talent in the UK seems to have changed; not so much in terms of their ability, but their attitude. However, if we are to nurture the all-important next generation, it is our responsibility to spot that talent and bring out the best in them.
Ryan Newey is founding partner at Fold7
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