A graduate recruiter at digital marketing agency Periscopix reveals what she looks for in potential new hires.
Periscopix is a leading digital agency based in London which specialises in pay-per-click and display advertising. One employee involved in graduate recruitment reveals what Periscopix looks for when interviewing graduates and offers advice on how to succeed.
Anna Shirley studied French and Italian at the University of Leeds before she joined Periscopix in January 2014. Anna helps with graduate recruitment and says Periscopix looks for passion in their applicants.
"The first thing that I look for when conducting an interview is someone who is interested in PPC, not just Periscopix, and someone who can justify why they want to specialise in this particular strand of digital."
Anna says many candidates can't explain why they want to work in the digital marketing industry.
"I often interview candidates that can talk about why they want to work in a fun environment, but when it comes to talking about why they would like to work in PPC, or even digital, they really struggle to justify their reasoning."
For employers like Periscopix, who don't require graduates to be experts in the field, an enthusiasm to learn is paramount.
"We don't expect people to be experts," Anna says, "and we do provide extensive training for all new joiners. We need to be sure that they have a passion for PPC and have done their background research in this particular industry."
As someone who interviews many potential employees, Anna has some helpful advice on what will help graduates make an impression.
"It is always impressive when a candidate has read blogs, on our website and through other means, and comes prepared with some good questions, not just generic ones, but ones about the industry in general."