RedSprout

Creative, Media, PR, Marketing and Digital talent finders

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The Week2Week Show - Episode 4 - New Social Media jobs/Interview tips and more

The Week2Week Show is a weekly roundup of the best new Marketing and Creative job vacancies sprouting up over Kent and London. In episode 4 we discuss our la...

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Our 10 red hot tips on how to prepare for a job interview

Research the hell out of the company

In an interview situation research is very much your ammunition, so the more you have of it, the more equipped you’ll be to tackle any tricky queries or curveballs that might come your way. So get online and learn everything you can about the company your applying for, be it their history, size, employees, competitors or plans for the future. Having all this knowledge from day one should make it a lot easier for your interviewer to picture you as part of the team, because you already have a lot of the inside knowledge you’d require.

Get really familiar with the job description 

Never underestimate the power that a job description gives you. It may just seem like a generic list of general duties, but in actual fact it’s a very useful checklist of attributes that you’ll need to portray in order to impress your potential employer. Therefore, if you plan on discussing your previous experience, asking your own questions, or bringing a portfolio along, then make sure you do so in line with that handy little list they gave you, for it is the key.  

Make sure you know the address of the company

All the preparation in the world won’t mean a thing if can’t find where you’re meant to be having your interview. That’s why it’s well worth having a look on Google Maps at the route you’ll be taking, or at the very least noting down the postcode for your Sat Nav just in case. Nobody needs the stress of three-point turns down a dead-end street twenty minutes after your interview start time. 

Find out the format of the interview beforehand

Not all interviews are alike. Most tend to follow the standard question-answer format we all know and love, but sometimes employers like to mix things up. This could come in the form of a telephone interview, a group activity or even a practical assignment, so make sure you ask about the format of the interview beforehand.

Prepare for potential questions you may be asked

One thing you can always expect from an interview is that you’ll be asked questions, so prepping for them ahead of time will obviously give you a big advantage. The issue is it that they could ask you quite literally anything, so preparing for them might seem impossible. However, our advice would be to take out that handy job description again and write down some questions that you feel the employer might ask to determine whether you’re checking all the boxes, because chances are you’ll uncover a few that you’ll be asked during the interview. 

Be ready to ask questions yourself

Asking questions usually suggests you have a lack of knowledge about something, which in an interview scenario might instinctively feel like a risky move. However, most of the time employers are actually expecting you to fire off some of your own questions, because it’s very unlikely they will cover everything themselves, plus it shows that you have initiative, confidence and that you actually care.

Pick out an appropriate outfit

This one kind of boils down to common sense. Nobody has ever had a successful interview dressed in a vest and shorts, but equally it’s probably not the best time to dust off your bowtie and tuxedo. Just don’t overthink it too much, if they suggest a dress code then follow it and if not just go with the safe bet of smart casual.

Try to be truthful

Acting as the best version of yourself in an interview kind of goes with the territory, but nobody is perfect, so don’t try and pretend to be. If you turn into a nodding dog during the interview and get the job on the basis of a mountain of lies, then it will inevitably come crumbling down atop of you once it becomes clear that you actually have no idea what you’re doing. Therefore, keep those fibs to a minimum and just be honest about your strengths and weaknesses.

Arrive ahead of time

Don’t be late. It might sound like another obvious one, but keeping your interviewer waiting is a great way to ruin your chances of employment straight out of the gate. That’s why we strongly advise leaving home three times earlier than any normal person would, which might sound silly at first, up until you hit unexpected traffic or realise that your car isn’t starting.

Just stay calm

Honestly, at the end of the day the best way you can improve your performance in an interview is to just stay calm. The tips above should hopefully make that a little easier, but if you’re still feeling anxious then just remind yourself everyone has messed up an interview once in their lives and doing so isn’t the end of the world. The ironic thing is that if you tell yourself otherwise then you’re more likely to mess up, so just relax and do your best.

If you happen to be applying for a Marketing or Creative job through RedSprout, then you have even less reason to worry about the interview process, thanks to something we call IntoView:

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New Job Just Sprouted: Customer Experience Designer

Customer Experience Designer required by expanding creative agency with existing design team: http://www.redsprout.co/jobs/customer-experience-designer/

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Our New Job Newsletter

Marketing jobs are sprouting up everywhere, so we've put together a weekly newsletter updating you on the best ones: https://tinyurl.com/mvhhkdn

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10 big red warning signs that it’s time to leave your job

You spend all your time complaining about it

We all need to vent about work sometimes, but when bringing up the topic prompts eye-rolling from your friends and family, it may be a sign that your workplace grievances are starting to define you. The obvious solution would be to tackle the source of these issues head-on, but if you really can’t see any light at the end of the tunnel then it might be time to start reversing out of it. 

Mondays are hell

Bob Geldof deserves praise for a lot of things, not least for encapsulating mankind’s collective hatred for Mondays in song. However, if you find that ‘I don’t like Mondays’ has become your personal mantra, and you’d genuinely favour a visit to the dentist over starting a new working week, it is very possible that your job is more the issue than the day itself. 

You just keep getting ill

Have back-to-back colds and headaches become your life? If the answer is yes, then this could very well be an indicator of your general health, which can often be negatively affected when you are dealing with workplace pressure and stress on a daily basis. Therefore, for the sake of your well-being, it is seriously worth addressing this when considering the future of your current career. 

You no long give a s*** 

This might not have always been the case, but over time it can be easy to forget what you’re doing it all for. And once you’ve lost interest in your work like this it is very hard to get the genie back in the bottle, so you might just be better of searching out a new job that you can actually feel passionate about again, rather than going through the motions in a role that is doing nothing for you. 

You are already dreaming of retirement 

Fantasising about retirement is normal. We all do it. However, it’s not exactly healthy to spend most of your waking hours daydreaming about crossing that final finish line, especially when you’re a good few decades out from ever getting close to reaching it. If this sounds like you, then consider putting the time you spend staring at your wrist watch into searching for a new job.

You are more irritable and are getting into arguments

Being dissatisfied at work can often be both the cause and result of office tension. Therefore, if you find yourself in a daily cycle of arguing with your colleagues and boss, it may be time for you to actively take yourself out of that negative environment, while it’s still possible to leave on good terms.   

Your skills and talent are going to waste

It is easy to feel cheated when you are getting underused at work, especially when you were hired primarily because of your unique personal skills and talents. Ruts like this can pass, but a lot of the time the most beneficial thing you can do is simply climb out of it, so that you can put your expertise to better use in a role that actually needs them. 

You keep dreaming of something better

Do you ever get that nagging feeling that you were meant for something better, even through your current job suits you down to the ground? Don’t worry, this is totally normal. It usually just means that you’re overdue a change, which in this case typically entails looking for a new job, where you’ll hopefully find fresh challenges and rewards. 

You are super bored

This is perhaps the most common sign that your job just isn’t doing it for you anymore. There are many reasons for becoming uninterested in your work, but the clear winner most of the time is that doing the same thing over and over again can quickly become monotonous. This feeds into a lot of the stuff mentioned above, and is good of a reason as any to have a little look at what other jobs might be out there. 

You are already looking for a new job

I suppose it goes without saying, but the biggest sign that you are ready for a fresh start is that you’re already considering one. There could be many valid reasons for this, or none at all, but when you know it’s time for a change there really is no getting away from it, and we recommend that you embrace that. There’s no harm in seeing what is out there career wise, so it is always worth at least having a look. 

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A new job has sprouted: Digital Developer

Are you looking for work as a digital designer, but could do without the daily commute into London? If so, then we might just have the job for you in an outstanding Digital Marketing agency based out of a scenic Oast house in Tonbridge: http://www.redsprout.co/jobs/digital-designer-2/

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RedSprout Live on The People Platform

RedSprout will be live today from 11 on Channel Radio, talking all things business with the brilliant people over at The Platform People. Don't miss it!

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The Week2Week Show - Episode 2

The Week2Week Show is back with its second episode, hosted this week from picturesque Tonbridge. Watch for all the latest on jobs, candidates and news regarding Marketing and Creative careers in Kent and London.

https://youtu.be/xNKO0kwa3po

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A new job has appeared: Senior Technical SEO Consultant

Are you technically minded and have extensive agency experience managing large client accounts, but have had your fill of the daily London commute? Well, a new company in the beautiful countryside outside Tonbridge is looking to hire a Senior Technical SEO Consultant: http://www.redsprout.co/jo…/senior-technical-seo-consultant/

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A new job has appeared: SEO Consultant

Are you passionate about digital marketing, but don’t want to be cooped up in a dreary London office every day? Well a young company in picturesque Tonbridge is looking to take on an experienced SEO Consultant: http://www.redsprout.co/jobs/seo-consultant-2/

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RedSprout has arrived on Medium

You'll find all our weekly blog posts, job news and updates right this way: https://medium.com/@SproutRed

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Our 10 red hot tips on how to perfect your work-life balance

Stop wasting your time

We’re all guilty of wasting time in the office, be it discussing the latest episode of Game of Thrones around the water cooler, or taking a sneaky detour from that spreadsheet to your Facebook page. The thing is, all that time adds up, so if you limit these distractions then you’re more likely to get home early, where you can freely go to town on your social media surfing. 

Get in shape

It may often seem impossible to fit in exercise after an exhausting day at work. However, science has repeatedly proven that if you overcome that initial reluctance and make use of that old gym membership you haven’t used since January, then you are on your way to some kick-ass superhuman benefits in the form of a boosted energy level and an increased ability to concentrate, which should help you make the most out of your day.  

Don’t think that you’re above relaxing

When work really gets on top of you it might sometimes feel like the only option you have is to knuckle-down after hours with a multi-pack of Red Bull and pull an all nighter, which works great for maybe the first couple of hours or so. However, after that you are quite simply a car running on fumes, so don’t go kidding yourself into thinking that relaxation is only for closers. Sacrificing your downtime will only stunt your productivity, not increase it. 

Put some downtime into your diary

If you are already in the habit of planning your working week, then an easy way to fortify your fragile workplace well-being is to book some personal time into that schedule. It could just be an hour or so, it doesn’t really matter, just as long as you have some regular time to spend with that family you’ve forgotten about or the friends you used to have.

Find the quickest route to work

Once you get into a daily regime it might feel like you have your A to B mastered, but that comfortable routine might be making your commute take longer than in should. In fact, you might find that a little experimentation in terms of the route or mode of transport you use could shave fifteen minutes off your commute, which in the long run could add up to a couple of days extra holiday if you do the maths.

Know when to step away from your emails

Emails can wait. It sounds simple, but for the polite and paranoid amongst it is a difficult idea to put into practice. Therefore, we highly recommend you kill that email window when the whistle blows, because if you’re really honest with yourself you’re likely find that most of what lands in your inbox after hours can wait until morning.

Don’t become a workplace lackey

It is easy to say ‘yes’ all the time at work, especially when you’re still trying to prove yourself as the new employee. This can often lead to you becoming the general dogsbody around the office, giving your colleagues the option to start piling their work on you. If this sounds like a familiar hell to you, then we highly recommend you add ‘no’ to your vocabulary, because at work being busy is healthy, but being overworked is not, and it is important that you and those around you know the difference.  

Rethink how you tackle your chores

Do you often find there is no clear divide between work and home? After buying groceries, mowing the lawn, cleaning the house and cooking your dinner it might leave you wondering when you will ever have time to relax. However, this is what online-shopping and pizza delivery was invented for. It’s the digital age, people, make the most of it. 

Keep your weekends work free

Weekdays and weekends might sound similar in writing, but it is important to keep them very different in practice. Even if your work demands you to work over Saturdays and Sundays, it is a good practice to keep at least one weekend every few weeks totally free of any commitments, so that you can enjoy the precious free time that you are owed as a functioning member of society. 

Consider looking for a new job

So if you’ve made it this far and none of the sure-fire tips above have helped, do not despair. It might just be time for a change, be it your job or career, it is always important to remind yourself that work shouldn’t feel like a punishment, nor should it prevent you from having a work-life balance. 

If you happen to already be looking for a new job in the Marketing or Creative industries then it might also be worth tuning into The Week2Week Show, where we roundup all the best job vacancies that have sprouted up over the UK each week. 

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The Week2Week Show is a weekly roundup of the best new marketing and creative job vacancies sprouting up over Kent and London. The first episode is now live if you fancy a watch.

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A new job has appeared: Corporate Marketing Manager

Corporate Marketing Manager - Reading - An amazingly vibrant and energetic workplace that is powered by a great team of people who have a genuine passion for innovation in an culture that allows you to thrive. They are looking for an experienced Marketing manager with Salesforce and Marketo experience. More info... https://lnkd.in/dMueQvj