Would you like to advertise your job vacancy for free and use the Moxie and Mettle network to find your perfect candidate!?

Join Recruitment Bootcamp, our online training course, which will guide you through the best way to recruit for your business, as well as saving time and money, and as a new client you’ll be able to advertise your role through Moxie and Mettle too.

At Recruitment Bootcamp, you will receive online access to the course that covers

Job descriptions and person specifications
The systems and processes for advertising the role
How to deal with the candidate’s applications
The interview process
How to work with recruiters
EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion)Financials
Making the offer, your contracts and terms

And everything else you need to get a robust recruitment process in place, with unlimited support from Liz Gadd and Becs Hogdson.

When you sign up to Recruitment Bootcamp, you’ll be able to advertise your current or next vacancy, through the huge network of Moxie and Mettle and Rustic and Rural, our recruitment agencies (no recruitment fees apply)

With a database of 50,000 people, social media groups of over 20,000 members and a collective 30,000 connections on LinkedIn, the advertising opportunity is huge and will attract the right candidates for your business.

Recruitment Bootcamp is just £975.00 including VAT and includes the advertising campaign.

The post Advertising your role through Moxie and Mettle appeared first on Recruitment Bootcamp.

Having been in the recruitment business for over three decades, we’ve seen the rise of benefits and rewards packages as part of job offers. But with the spotlight on flexible working and work life balance in recent years – are they more important than ever to attract and retain talent? Here’s our guide to the benefits and rewards job candidates are looking for.

What do employees value most at work?

Before we get into the world of benefits and rewards, it’s important to understand what matters most to employees. One message is clear, post 2020 and the shift to remote working during much of the pandemic: flexible working is here to stay. Polls by companies including recruitment company Michael Page, and HR and payroll software provider CIPHR both found that more free time outside of work was a top priority across different sectors. And an even bigger study of 10,000 participants by Remote found that 76% of employees want flexible working hours.

So, what does this tell us? It tells us that rewards and benefits are part of a wider shift in working culture. You can’t offer ‘free time’ as a benefit, but you can offer working models that facilitate it, such as hybrid models that cut out long commute times, five days a week. And it comes back to creating a package of benefits that reflects what employees care about, beyond their day-to-day responsibilities.

What is the difference between a reward and benefit?

Benefits are distinct from rewards as they refer to how employees are compensated for their work. There are a certain number of statutory benefits that UK companies are legally obliged to offer as part of any contract of permanent employment. Statutory benefits include at least 28 days paid holiday leave (which can include public holidays), sick pay, parental leave (maternity/ paternity and shared leave) and pension schemes.

Non-statutory benefits vary between sectors and businesses, but typically include flexible-working, health insurance, performance bonuses and subsidised healthcare. Rewards are also known as perks, and can be a mix of gift cards, cash rewards, regular team social events and brand discounts. Some companies are signed up to schemes like Perkbox and Caboodle.

How important are rewards and benefits to prospective employees?

Benefits and rewards packages can make a difference to working culture. They’re proven to boost workplace productivity and morale, combat stress and help with retention, as acknowledged by market reports including one by the CIPD. And according to the 1000 UK workers polled in the CIPHR survey, pay and benefits ranked as the second most important aspect of a job, after work-life balance and above job security.

But with a growing number of potential benefits packages how do employers know which ones to prioritise? Here are five of the most common benefits and rewards UK employees currently value the most.

Benefits:

Flexible working: This Covid-19 pandemic has increased the case for flexible working, and more employees are prioritising more free time. Although remote and hybrid working have dominated the conversations around flexible working in the past couple of years, it’s worth remembering that it isn’t just about location. If a job has to be office or site based, consider the option of flexi time, with core hours that aren’t fixed to the 9-5.

Health insurance: There has been a surge in demand for healthcare benefits in the past couple of years too. Larger companies might offer comprehensive healthcare packages which could include private health insurance, dental insurance and even life insurance. But small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly offering private health insurance benefits too.

Bonuses and vouchers: During these times of economic uncertainty, bonuses are becoming increasingly important to staff. Most are tied to performance, while others are end of year or periodic bonuses. Companies including Monzo, Co-Operative Bank, British Airways and Morrisons all offered non target-specific bonuses including sign-on payments and cost-of-living bonuses during 2022.

Gym memberships: Demand for discounted gym memberships has also surged and are an increasingly attractive benefit for attracting and retaining talent.

Employee assistance / wellbeing programmes: These could be a mix of access to mental health and wellbeing services including a certain number of counselling sessions per year, mindfulness apps, or financial helplines.

Rewards:

Rewards and perks are a broader category, but data from Perkbox suggests that employees have similar priorities here too. There are five of the rewards that employees value the most at work.

1. Employee discounts (Including restaurants, cinema, and supermarkets) as well as gym memberships)
2. Greater recognition for work (Can be linked to performance bonuses or social / event-based incentives)
3. Unlimited or extra holiday
4. Free or discounted at home entertainment (Including streaming subscriptions to Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV etc).
5. Free breakfast or lunch

Perkbox also reported being allowed to work from home as a high priority too, but we’re classifying that as a benefit as it’s a long-term working policy, rather than a reward.

What are the top benefits being offered by companies

The key takeaways from the data on what employees are looking for is that they broadly fall into the following categories: Better work-life balance (flexible working), additional financial compensation and stability (bonuses and childcare vouchers). Insurance and healthcare, mental and physical wellbeing (discounted gym membership, access to mental health services, healthy snacks at work etc).

So, are companies and employees aligned when it comes to the benefits and priorities on offer? To answer that, we have collated examples from the kind of jobs our candidates are looking for in sectors including marketing, PR, digital, social media, events, copywriting, and design. 

Here are five of the most common benefits currently being offered:

1. Flexible Working: including fully remote, hybrid, multi-location options, and early Friday finish
2. Private healthcare: insurance and well-being.
3. Additional time off: including long service leave, volunteering/purpose days.
4. Financial rewards and incentives: including bonuses and allowances.
5. Discount schemes: Including gym memberships, retail discounts, and transport schemes like transport seasons ticket loans or cycle-to-work schemes.

What are the top reward-schemes being offered by companies at the moment?

Here are five popular employee schemes currently being offered by UK businesses:

1. Perkbox
2. Perkpal
3. Caboodle
4. Make UK
5. Staff Treats

What do current trends tell us about the importance of benefits and rewards to employees?

The good news is that companies are paying attention to what their employees value in terms of corporate benefits and rewards. And that is reflected in the job listings we’re seeing across all levels of seniority and salary bands.

Several companies also flagged ongoing training and professional development in their list of benefits. But this is arguably essential to talent retention and staff productivity, so therefore shouldn’t be classified as a benefit. Unsurprisingly, the biggest benefits packages were tied to premium job listings and larger companies. But there were at least one or two benefits listed under small company job postings too. The message is clear: when it comes to attracting and retaining talent – benefits and rewards do make a difference.

Recruitment Bandcamp offers resources, advice and support in your creative career – find out more here.

The post Benefits and Rewards in the Creative Sector appeared first on Recruitment Bootcamp.

Moxie and Mettle offers a recruitment service for permanent and freelance professionals in the creative sector, in marketing, PR, digital, social media, events, creative, and design. 

Over more than three decades, we’ve seen marketing careers and opportunities grow as it becomes an increasingly essential part of any business. At its core, marketing is about understanding customers and clients and building a relationship with them. And that is as true of digital and data-driven marketing as it is in more traditional marketing. But with so many different opportunities in this fast-paced industry – we wanted to shine a light on marketing jobs and careers in the UK.

What is the current landscape for marketing professionals in the UK?

Marketing is ultimately a process closely linked to sales. But other promotional activities like PR, social media and advertising can fall under the marketing umbrella too. And although it may feel like a sector that has only been around for a few decades, it’s actually much older. The first billboard was invented by Jared Bell to advertise a circus in America 1835. Search engine marketing actually began in 1995, a long time before Google.

But back to business. The good news is that despite the economic challenges of the pandemic, marketing job vacancies began to rise again in 2021 along with media, advertising, sales and PR, according to the Total Jobs Hiring Trends Index.

According to a report by Marketing Week marketing managers have been in particularly high demand, along with roles paying between £25,000 to £50,000. Although there are plenty of opportunities in marketing across all levels, and according to recruitment company Hays, these are the ten marketing roles that have seen the highest pay increases since pre-Covid 19.

1. Senior Marketing Executive
2. CRM Manager
3. Social Media Manager
4. Marketing Executive
5. SEO/PPC Manager
6. Marketing Analyst/CRM Analyst
7. Customer Insight Analyst
8. Marketing Assistant
9. eCommerce Manager
10. CRM Executive

Key concerns:

But one area of concern is a skills gap across marketing. Hays, Marketing Week and the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) have all highlighted this issue.  A study published by the CIM and training body Target Internet highlights a decline in digital skills across all job levels and sub-sectors, with the biggest gap in analytics and data. With data and digital fast-growing, it’s important for employers to invest in training, and for marketers to up skill to keep pace.

And when it comes to attracting and retaining talent,  more companies will need to offer flexible and hybrid working models. According to the Marketing Week Career and Salary Survey 2022, 82 per cent of marketing professionals surveyed identified both as important, and around half are currently working in hybrid models.

How do people get started in a marketing career?

The world of marketing is and always has been highly competitive. But the good news is, there are different routes into it, and plenty of entry-level positions. According to career sites like Monster and Target Jobs the qualifications required vary by company.  But university degrees in creative or digital and commercial disciplines such as journalism, business and communications have been identified as providing relevant skills for a career in marketing. Entry level opportunities might come through graduate schemes, which are typically offered by larger companies.

Graduate schemes can run from a three or six-month placements to two-three year programmes. And some of the longer schemes are geared towards management and leadership opportunities. Organisations that currently run graduate marketing schemes include Aviva, DHL, Virgin Media, Diageo, Mitsubishi and Centria.

Another route into a marketing career is by taking an assistant or junior role. Entry level marketing or marketing-related roles include marketing assistant, marketing administrator, communications assistant, junior copywriter, social media assistant, and sales and marketing assistant. Most of these jobs will involve supporting a team and learning some of the creative, digital, and promotional skills that will help you progress and specialise later in your career.

Recruiters, and of course Moxie and Mettle can help you prepare for your first marketing interview. But there are also industry-specific sites with dedicated marketing, advertising and PR listings including Campaign, Marketing Week Jobs, PR Week Jobs and The Drum Jobs. You should also set up alerts on job sites such as Indeed, Total Jobs, Monster, Reed or LinkedIn.

What are some of the most advertised jobs in marketing?

Most marketing jobs are in-house, with just under a quarter of marketing professionals working on a freelance basis.

Some of the main types of marketing include:

Offline marketing: Although this is a more traditional form of marketing including print magazine, newspaper, billboards, – TV ads still have huge reach.

Digital marketing: Involving any kind of marketing and promotional activity using the internet as the primary messaging channel or platform. Examples include SEO, social media, and blogging.

Content marketing:  This is a type of marketing that is focused on the creation and distribution of consistent, relevant and valuable  content to engage with your target audience. It can overlap with digital marketing and examples include for example videos, social media posts, newsletters and podcasts.

B2B or B2C marketing: These types of specialist marketing activities are usually carried out by agencies rather than companies. B2B stands for Business to Business and B2C stands for Business-to-Consumer. Some agencies marketers might switch between both, but as the name suggests B2B involves businesses marketing to other businesses, while B2C is marketing products to services directly to consumers.

Based on job listings on sites including The Guardian, Reed, Hays and Indeed, mid to senior level  management and executive positions are among the most advertised. Roles include:  marketing manager, sales and marketing manager, marketing and brand manager, social media manager, digital marketing manager and content manager.

This is also consistent with the kind of roles being searched for by candidates, especially in digital marketing, according to research by the Open Business Council. Some people work across different marketing platforms, but more often you’ll find the type or specialism reflected in the job title when roles are advertised.

What are the average salaries for marketing professionals?

These are the average salaries across junior, mid-level to senior and head of department marketing positions, according to the Major Players Salary Survey 2022.

Marketing, PR & Comms

• Marketing Assistant: £27,000
• Marketing Manager: £50,000
• Head of Marketing: £75,000

Digital Marketing

• Digital Marketing Executive: £30,000
• Senior Digital Marketing Manager: £65,000
• Head of Online/Digital: £75,000

Social Media and Content

• Social Media Executive: £28,000
• Social Media Manager: £35,000
• Head of Social: £45,000

How much do marketing salaries vary by region?

It’s worth noting regional differences in marketing salaries. Although this information isn’t broken down in the Major Players report, some of the figures above align with median earnings in London and the South East.

Recruitment website Reed gives the £37,754 the UK average salary for marketing and media. Elsewhere, according to the CWJobs salary checker, the average annual marketing salary in London is £52,500, that’s compared to £47,500 in Warrington, Edinburgh and Cardiff, £42,500 in Bristol and £37,500 in Manchester. But the area where the average marketing salaries are the lowest is currently the East Midlands with Leicester and Peterborough on the lower end at £32,500.

What is the future of marketing in the UK?

Marketing in the UK has already weathered several difficult periods over the past few years. Different factors like Brexit and Covid 19 have all had an impact. But as we’ve seen from the rise in opportunities during the second half of 2021: it’s also an incredibly resilient industry. So, although 2023 will bring more economic challenges, it’s worth remembering the UK has one of the best-performing advertising sectors in the world. And it’s likely that data ad technology will continue to drive marketing, which means more job and learning opportunities for marketing professionals.

Moxie and Mettle places candidates in permanent and freelance roles in marketing, PR, creative, social media and digital  – find out more here.

The post Marketing Jobs and Careers in the UK appeared first on Recruitment Bootcamp.

Whether you listen to them on a walk or have them on in the background while you work, there’s a podcast for pretty much every niche. But podcasts are also a great source of inspiration, learning and professional tips for people in the creative industries. From entrepreneurship and freelancing to marketing and design insights: here’s our guide to ten of the best podcasts for creatives. All the podcasts mentioned in this article and are free to stream or download.

How To Fail with Elizabeth Day:

https://howtofail.podbean.com/

Listen for: Inspiration and entertainment

Where to listen: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Podbean, Audible

Author, journalist, and podcaster Elizabeth Day has made quite a success out of failure. Inspired by her best-selling book of the same name – How To Fail is based on the principle that our failures can often make us more successful in the long run. Each episode, she interviews a guest about their life and they choose three failures to discuss. Although many of her guests are famous, including climate activist Greta Thunberg and actress Minnie Driver – there are plenty of episodes featuring less well-known creatives and entrepreneurs including fashion designer Henry Holland.

Ctrl Alt Delete with Emma Gannon

https://www.emmagannon.co.uk/award-winning-podcaster

Listen for: Inspiration and entertainment

Where to listen: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, Podbean

Another book-inspired podcast for creatives is Ctrl Alt Delete with author and podcaster Emma Gannon. Gannon’s podcast is aimed at people who want to shape their careers, rather than be defined by what they do. Each episode features interviews with creatives and business owners. Like How To Fail, there are a lot of famous names in there, and they’re an entertaining listen. But there are some standout episodes that might feel closer to your experiences, such as creative coach Sara Tasker on how she built her business, behaviour expert Dr Katie Tryon on hybrid working, and journalist Anna Codreo-Rado on freelancing.

The TED Interview

https://www.ted.com/podcasts/ted-interview

Listen for: Inspiration and ideas

Where to listen: TED.com, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music

Like the TED Talk series, The TED interview dives into big ideas on everything from tech innovation to climate change. Host Steven Johnson talks to creators and thinkers from around the world including former White House photographer Pete De Souza. As well as fascinating stories and insights – there are also some episodes on relevant topics including economist and sociologist on the benefits of a four day working week, and Harvard professor Francs Frei on leadership. Listen on TED.com to get the transcripts.

Being Freelance

https://www.beingfreelance.com/the-best-freelance-podcast

Listen for: Freelancing and advice

Where to listen: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts

Hosted by freelance video and podcast producer Steve Folland, Being Freelance is actually a whole community of freelance creatives including copywriters, illustrators, company directors, graphic designers and marketing professionals. Steve chats to creatives like marketing consultant Nadine Campbell and creative director Reuben Krabbe for candid chats about freelance life, how they got started and their hopes for the future. It’s worth a listen whatever stage you’re at in your freelance career. And there are useful insights from specialism-focused episodes, to tips on building a freelance network and finding clients.

Creative Rebels

https://www.instagram.com/rebelscreate/?hl=en

Listen for: Inspiration, insights and  advice

Where to listen: Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify

As the name suggests, The Creative Rebels is a podcast by and for people who have rebelled against the 9-5. Hosts David Speed and Adam Brazier are co-founders of Graffiti Life and Parlour Tattoo. Some episodes focus on creative advice based on their own experiences, but they also interview interesting creatives including The Business Survival Kit authors Bianca Miller Cole and Byron Cole and Lucy Wener, founder of PR and design consultancy The Wern.

The Creative Condition

https://www.bentallonwriter.com/the-creative-condition

Listen for: Insights and advice

Where to listen: Apple Podcasts, Podbean, Spotify, Soundcloud

Illustrator and writer Ben Tallon is an interesting and prolific creative. He started The Creative Condition to speak to other creatives for honest conversations about their work and processes. It’s often a candid and informative look at different challenges we face in our work life. Some episodes dive into wider social and creative issues, including mental health – while others are more focussed on career challenges including how to maintain creativity and joy in an agency environment and how to start over in a new creative discipline.

The 21st Century Creative

https://lateralaction.com/

Listen for: Insights, inspiration and advice

Where to listen: Apple Podcast, Google Podcasts, Spotify

Hosted by poet and creative coach Mark McGuinness, The 21st Century Creative explores creative careers and insights. McGuinness interviews creators including artists, writers, commercial creatives, entrepreneurs and thought leaders. Guests have included coach and creator Kay Lock Kolp on parenting and creativity, marketing expert Naomi Dunford, and entrepreneur Vicki Saunders on women in business. And if you fancy something a bit more interactive, each guest will set a creative challenge based on the theme of the episode.

The Entrepreneurs by Monocle 24

https://monocle.com/radio/shows/the-entrepreneurs/

Listen for: Inspiration, ideas, thought leadership

Where to listen: Monocle 24, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podchaser, Soundcloud

Monocle 24 is a 24-hr global radio station with several podcasts including The Entrepreneurs. It’s a weekly 30-minute podcast featuring interviews with inspiring business owners from around the world including startups, design, art and branding. There is a pretty big archive to listen through. But if you just want a quick burst of inspiration, listen to one of the 5-10-minute Eureka episodes including Eureka 278 with fundraising lessons from creative networking site The Dots founder and CEO Pip Jamieson.

Letters From A Hopeful Creative

https://www.lettersfromahopefulcreative.com/episode-guide

Listen for: Career advice, community

Where to listen: Apple Podcasts, Acast, Spotify, and Google Podcasts

An archive of fortnightly podcasts hosted by creative coaches Sara Tasker and Jen Carrington that ran from 2018-2020. Letters From A Hopeful Creative is an agony aunt-style podcast where they help a listener to resolve a creative problem each episode. It’s an insightful, empathetic podcast that most creatives can resonate with from broader concerns like business burnout, comparison and authenticity to more specific queries around marketing yourself on social media, taking the leap into self-employment and knowing your worth. Although it doesn’t look like there are new episodes being produced, most of the dilemmas and advice is still pretty evergreen. And at just under an hour per episode, Sara and Jen are great company to break up your working day. 

The Digital Marketing Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-digital-marketing-podcast/id373596600

Listen for: Marketing industry insights

Where to list: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible

This ad-free panel show-style podcast with expert hosts Daniel Rowles, Ciaran Rogers and Louse McDonnell aimed at being informative but entertaining on all things digital marketing. Each episode is around 20-30 minutes, and the podcast is a mix of panel discussion and expert interviews on topics including privacy changes, marketing & AI and video marketing. The Digital Marketing podcast is a great, bite-sized way to keep up to speed with digital marketing trends, forecasts and tips.

Whether you’re looking for something entertaining on your lunch break or something to help you solve a problem, podcasts are a great source of inspiration, research and professional insights for creatives of all disciplines. Let us know if you decide to give any of these a go. 

Moxie and Mettle offers recruitment services in your creative career – find out more here.

The post Top 10 Creative Podcasts appeared first on Recruitment Bootcamp.

Recruitment Bootcamp’s ethos is about making recruitment enjoyable, fun even. With our expertise to hand you can make the process pleasurable. The key is to figure out how to do so upfront, not when you’re knee-deep in CVs.

Here are 7 ways to enjoy recruiting in your business — I’m sure you can think of a few more. Once you’ve had a read through, pick a few that feel good to you and see if you can implement them in your process.

1) Take time to create really good vacancy advertisements and job descriptions

Your job advertisements are more important than you think, especially if you’re a B2B business, such as a corporate design agency or a PR firm. Why? Because they might be the first point of contact that many people have with your brand. And that can affect people’s views of it.

This is a positive opportunity to make a great impression. Be your own favourite client and put some real work into creating an advertisement that you and your team are super proud of.

Oh, and they can be entertaining too! Take a look at these examples for inspiration.

2) It’s an opportunity to be innovative

Hiring is about the future of your business, and so the recruitment process is a great opportunity to show how innovative you can be. Whether that’s using new technology or laying out your future plans, it’s time to begin bringing your future vision to life. Remember to share your vision with your current team and your recruitment agency (if you’re using one), as well as potential new recruits!

Take a look at these 10 creative job ads to inspire you.

3) Be fully present in job interviews

It’s hard to enjoy the recruitment process if you’re dashing in late to the candidate interview, not having read their CV. Give yourself time and space to make this important decision, enjoy meeting these new people and be present and attentive in their interviews. Put at least 15 minutes in your diary before and after each candidate interview to prepare and review what you’ve just heard. Using a template to log how each candidate fared against your criteria will help you stay on track.

Leave plenty of space in the interview for the candidate to talk. It can be tempting to jump in when they’re thinking. If you can resist filling the space, and leave a few comfortable silences, you’re likely to receive some thoughtful responses.

4) Make the experience enjoyable for the candidates

From well-worded advertisements to a warm welcome at reception, there are so many ways to make each step of the recruiting process enjoyable. Perhaps you run a marketing agency, where you treat your clients and potential clients with thought and care. Give potential team members a similar experience. This will help put everyone at their ease as well as showing your business in the best light to potential employees.

Following up with candidates, including those who have been unsuccessful, is good manners and reflects well on your company.

5) Shout about it

Creating jobs is good news, and part of enjoying that process is sharing the vacancies and new hire information on your website, social media and perhaps in the industry press too. Have fun, share photos of the new hire, celebrate! It’s also a chance to tell the outside world a bit more about your brand and ethos. Enjoy introducing your new team members to your customers, clients and other members of staff. Taking time over doing this well now makes their onboarding smooth and helps in the future.

6) Involve your colleagues or associates

Hiring together can be a really rewarding process and by including more of the team, you’ll ease the workload on yourself too. Be clear in advance about how you’ll jointly approach interviews and so on, so that it all runs smoothly on the day. Within reason, encouraging other team member to contribute to the recruitment process can really help build rapport and a sense of ownership, which can be great for your workplace culture long-term too.

7) Make your endings as good as your beginnings

If you’re recruiting because someone is leaving, this doesn’t need to be brushed under the carpet. Celebrate them and their work and whether they’re moving elsewhere or retiring, give them a really supportive send-off. Ending relationships with employees, clients or suppliers can be just as important as beginning them. It’s not just about leaving drinks. The whole experience can be enjoyable if handled well. And if they’re remote, find ways of marking their leaving remotely. Incidentally, you never know where they’ll end up — they could turn out to be your next big client win!

Recruitment Bootcamp is run by experts who can teach you how to attract the best talent for your business. Stay ahead of important issues and trends by signing up HERE.

The post 7 Ways for Founders to Enjoy Recruiting appeared first on Recruitment Bootcamp.

And they’ve become increasingly popular in recent years, especially among Gen Z.

In fact global survey of 10,000 workers by Kantar in February 2023 discovered that 40% of Gen Z workers have two or more roles. 

Some brands not only allow but encourage employees to have a side-hustle. And, whether we talk about it openly or not, a lot of us have them. In fact, 25% of adults were ‘side-hustling’, according to a white paper by Henley Business School, back in 2018. According to the Kantar study this year (2023), 30% of the workforce have a second job due to economic concerns.

Side-hustles can range from being a musician in a function band at the weekends to renting out your spare room to AirBnB-ers. Using your employers’ time and resources to side-hustle without their knowledge could land you in hot water. But, if navigated thoughtfully, there are plenty of benefits to side-hustling, not least to your career.

It can help you to think like an entrepreneur

While many of us begin side-hustles to ease financial worries, having a thriving interest — that generates an extra income — could actually enhance your employability too. How? Well, being able to think like an entrepreneur could help you land a dream role. Many employers now look for ‘intrapreneurialism’ i.e. the ability to think like an entrepreneur and embody that start-up mentality, rather than simply waiting to be told what to do. Your experience of having your own enterprise outside of your day job could be used as a strong example in an interview or application situation. 

Enjoy the balance it brings 

Living a balanced life is not just about work and rest — following your passions can be a route to true fulfilment. So, if you’re pursuing something you truly love in addition to your ‘day job’, that could lead to all-round fulfilment and personal growth. And while the phrase side-hustling primarily refers to paid work, there are also voluntary roles that can provide those elements too. Although they are unlikely to be remunerated, the training and networking offered by many voluntary organisations can enhance your long-term work prospects. Plus, it be a great way to gain confidence. For example, perhaps in your volunteering role you have the chance to regularly chair meetings but do not yet do that in your paid role. That experience can provide great examples to offer in a job interview or at a personal review, and you can get references and testimonials.

A chance to make more money

Side-hustling can be lucrative and if you’re sales-minded then some work-from-home selling roles may offer high earning potential. And the experience you gain might help you get a promotion in your day-job as well. Sales roles can help some people improve their confidence and motivation, and there’s often training available which could benefit you in your primary career. Be sure to consult an accountant if you feel like you need help when it comes to submitting your tax return or forward planning your finances when you have income from more than one source. 

Widen your potential 

Let’s say you’ve worked in PR for a decade, but always in B-to-B tech for example, and you’ve been keen to branch out into the food and drinks world for a while. Having a side-hustle could support your case for moving roles and give you the experience and contacts required to make the move. Sometimes in the marketing world we can find ourselves stuck in a silo and unsure how to switch. Helping out at food festivals, for example, could be an innovative way to launch your new foodie career and not only give you the experience but also the networks too. And of course it’s a way to see if you actually like it as much as you think you might do! 

So, does having a side-hustle help or hinder your long-term career? Is it something to keep quiet or should you mention it in your interview?

It’s important to understand your employer’s policies on side-hustles — and being open and honest about your side hustle can help you to avoid problems later down the line. If you’re working on a freelance or temporary basis then — unless it’s a conflict of interest — telling your clients tends to be less of an issue, but openness is often still helpful anyway.

It’s worth being aware that using equipment provided by an employer (laptop/phone) would be a no-no. Even if the employer were to say it’s okay, then insurance, data protection and security issues mean that, in reality, it’s just not worth the risk.  And side-hustlers need to consider those very basic things, such as if a social media post goes out in your working hours for your side-hustle, scheduled or not, the employer could have a little or a large frown on their face. Particularly if the PAYE role is one where there are deadlines to be met.

Once all this is taken into account, your side-hustle could become a real career-enhancer, perhaps even one that sees you stepping into the role of employer one day too. 

Moxie and Mettle is for those seeking a job in marketing, PR, design, production, digital, communications and more. Ready for your new role? Please visit us here.

The post The Multiple Benefits of Side Hustles appeared first on Recruitment Bootcamp.

A survey by PwC, published in the Spring, revealed that 20% of UK workers felt likely to change jobs in the following 12 months. These employees are seeking better pay and job satisfaction. The accountancy firm also noticed that workers were starting to ‘assert their power’ at a time when many bosses are struggling to recruit.

This was widely reported in the press, and of course what people say in surveys does not always translate into action. But it does indicate the appetite to move and the dissatisfaction so many are experiencing in their current roles. Also dubbed as the ‘The Great Resignation’ by some. PwC polled more than 52,000 individuals whose preferences show some useful insights into what employees and potential candidates are thinking and feeling. 

So what does this mean in practice if you are a UK boss, struggling to recruit? Especially in the PR & Marketing industry at the moment…

Well staff turnover in the creative industries was already between 20-30% pre-pandemic, depending on which research you adhere to. So, in some ways it’s ‘business as usual’, as one in five people (or more) are likely to leave every year, statistically speaking. But understanding the reasons they are leaving can truly help those recruiting know how to attract them if and when they do. And of course how to keep them too! Good mental health and breaking out of the hustle culture are anecdotal reasons given by writers who’ve experienced the downsides of such a fast-paced industry. 

The PwC Workforce Survey also explored what keeps people in their roles, reporting: “Just over a quarter plan to ask for a raise. But finding fulfilment at work also ranks high in importance”. This sort of insight can help inform your current and future recruitment strategies. As well as responding to what potential employees are looking for and what might entice them to move.

The findings also revealed that hybrid working, i.e. a mix of in office and remote/home working, is the preference of the majority of workers surveyed. In fact, 62% of all surveyed opted in for this. 

If you want to stand out from the competition, and get people excited about working in your business, then it’s worth taking the time to find out more about your community and the talent within it. And these sort of insights can provide vital clues.

The Workforce Survey also showed:

• Pressure on pay is highest in the tech sector where 42% of workers globally surveyed plan to ask for a pay rise. Also the lowest in the public sector (12%).
• Gen Z and Millennials are the age groups most likely to switch employers. Or leave the workforce over the next 12 months. They are also the most likely to ask for a raise or promotion.
• While an increase in pay is a main motivator for making a job change (72%), wanting a fulfilling job (68%) and wanting to truly be themselves at work (63%) round out the top three things workers are looking for. Nearly half (46%) prioritised being able to choose where they work.

If you’re currently recruiting and want to attract the best people, do sign up HERE for our expertise and insights, we’re can support and guide you.

And of course, our Recruitment Bootcamp course is starting soon, so follow this link to join the course. 

Sources:

https://www.pwc.co.uk/press-room/press-releases/pwc-workforce-survey-20221.html

https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/uk-agency-staff-numbers-fall-second-year-despite-growth-media-shops/1681615

https://www.agilitypr.com/pr-news/public-relations/what-i-learned-by-quitting-pr-for-my-mental-health/

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