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As our in-house marketer, Pagan focusses on helping us share our vision and values. Her passion and belief in Pitch combined with her background in recruitment, means she is able to help us redefine standards and ensure we stay true to who we are.
almost 2 years ago
University can be a wonderful place for students. It’s probably most teenagers’ first real feel of leading a near-autonomous lifestyle. It’s certainly a life experience like no over and that’s not just down to the sheer expense of it. I was certainly sold the university dream. I was under the illusion at the start that a degree entitled you to a job but I soon learnt that it wasn’t the case. In 2018, a record 27.9% of the 18-year-old population in England had been accepted into a university, with a total of 411,860 students being placed on an undergraduate course. With those kind of statistics, it’s easy to see why my assumption of finding work easily would be incorrect, especially in the popular sector that I wanted to work in. I found it so hard to cut through the noise, as do many other graduates when searching for that elusive first graduate job. I decided to further my education and complete an MSc in a bid to strengthen my hand in being recruited but it wasn’t a masters degree that landed me my first job. It was working experience. It’s paramount that whilst you’re at university you must go beyond your studies and gain experience whilst you’re still learning. Most, if not all universities offer placements where you can gain invaluable experience in the working world. I’d even suggest doing a placement year (usually in your third year). It allows you to earn whilst you learn, strengthens your position as a job seeker when you finally graduate and it’s fairly common for the employer to take you on permanently at the end of your studies, should you impress. The break between the last semester and the first of the next university year is usually fairly lengthy so that period is a great chance to approach companies/businesses close to home to offer your service in form of a placement. I wholeheartedly disagree with unpaid placements and I feel that minimum wage should be a requirement as they are benefiting from your service but quite a lot of businesses still won’t pay for undergraduate placements but in the long term, it will benefit you. I know some students aren’t in the financial position to facilitate this but if you can do this then I’d highly recommend it. Why not get yourself on LinkedIn too? From what I’ve experienced from my time at university, students start to become active towards the end of their tenure. Get a head start on the rest of your peers by being active on LinkedIn from the get-go. You could be building relationships and connections - plus you can publish some of the work you’ve carried out at university straight onto LinkedIn. Use it as a shop window. Speak to a recruiter too. If you haven’t already, you can register with Pitch and submit your CV meaning that you’ll be considered for jobs that are relevant to your degree/experience.
almost 2 years ago
As digital consumers, we are subjected to video content everywhere we look. Surely I can’t be the only who scrolls aimlessly through Facebook, watching videos that have no relevance to me, yet still end up falling into a video wormhole? Tech giants, HubSpot have conducted an investigation into the pulling power of video content and the results are staggering. The term ‘video’ in the subject line of an email increased open rates by 19% 90% of customers admitted that video influenced their buying decision and 80% of all web traffic will be dedicated to video by the end of this year. If you’re a serious marketer, these stats simply can’t be ignored. If customer buying patterns are influenced by video then why not utilise this? Show your product/ service in action to your customers to try and boost conversion rates. Customers want guarantees and as you should be promoting products/services you are proud of, go ahead and show off that bit more. Hosting engaging video on your website will keep users on your site for longer which in turn increases the chances of a conversion… whatever your end goal may be. The massive increase in video content also means it is now even easier to produce commercial standard film. If you’re one of the many millions who own an iPhone X, you’ll be able to capture video in crisp 4K quality. Whilst I appreciate that the iPhone X is pricey, at least this means we can say goodbye to having to splash out on clunky, shoulder-mounted cameras. As a consumer, I’m getting lazier (or smarter) in the way I digest content. On my daily commute, I find myself watching videos rather than long-form copy articles because I prefer being told the story rather than having to read an article. Conveying your brand’s story and message is much easier to interpret in the form of audio and moving imagery in comparison to copy. In terms of boosting your employability brand, clients and potential employees want to hear the stories from the horse's mouth. Written testimonials are a thing of the past and lack the trustworthy nature that a video testimonial does. A virtual tour of your business premises gives potential employees a real feel of your workplace culture which is something you should be showcasing at every opportunity. So, at a loss where to begin? Here at Pitch, we are now offering an employability branding service to compliment our recruitment service. From Talent and Acquisition audits to complete video packages designed to showcase what you are best at, if you would like to discuss further, drop me an e-mail and I will be more than happy to help.
