It’s not easy getting a job in radio.
“In general, media attracts a higher number of applications than most other industries,” says SCA’s Strategic Recruitment Manager Arthur Georgiou, “People are really drawn to the fast paced, dynamic and innovative work that takes place.”
Mr Georgiou, who has 12 years experience in recruitment in various industries says, “To be an effective recruiter, you really need to show resilience, creativity and have a genuine passion and empathy for helping people every day.”
At SCA the Human Resources (HR) department is know as the People and Culture Team. They provide support and advice on all matters relating to employment and management. “We work with managers to ensure SCA is an engaging and safe place to work, and all employees can perform their roles to the best of their ability. We also help to ensure a positive, diverse and collaborative culture and that our values are reflected in everything we do, every day.”
“Ideally, the manager will meet with 3-5 candidates for a position but it depends on location, type of role and quality of applicants. The Manager will run the interview (sometimes with a peer or other relevant stakeholder) to assess the candidates suitability for the role based on structured, competency-based interview questions. It is my role to ensure all managers are trained in running an end to end recruitment process ensuring a quick, transparent and fair experience for all candidates regardless of the outcome. We want candidates to feel great about the interaction they have with SCA and this is extremely important in attracting top talent in an extremely tight candidate market,” says Mr Georgiou
Here are his tips to give you the best chance of getting a face to face interview.
- Tailor your CV to the role you are applying for – really hone in on relevant experience that matches the criteria in the advert – list any tangible achievements to show us the value you have added to previous employers
- A poorly written CV with grammatical and spelling errors says a lot – take the time and check before you submit it.
- A short and punchy cover letter will tell the Hiring Manager your motivations for applying to the role, relevant experience and a call to action – including any relevant voiceovers or portfolios that gives us a snapshot of who you are and what you can do.
- Showcase your Unique Selling Point (USP) – we receive hundreds of CVs every week – make a great first impression – through your CV (and cover letter), you have a split second to tell us why we have to meet you and why you are the best person for the role!
If you do manage to get on his shortlist, here are Mr Georgiou’s do’s and don’ts for the face to face job interview.
Do
- Plan to arrive on time or a few minutes early. Late arrival for a job interview is never excusable.
- Dress appropriately – always better to be slightly over dressed than underdressed
- Greet the interviewer, smile, maintain eye contact
- Think about the type of questions that will be asked, your motivations for applying and have some background knowledge on SCA and specifically the role and even the person you are meeting with – a quick google, visit to our website or LinkedIn search can go a long way to showing you are well prepared
- Follow the interviewer’s leads but try to get them to describe the position and duties early in the interview so you can relate your background and skills to the position
- Always conduct yourself as if you are determined to get the job – sell yourself – you only have a short time to stand out from the other potential applicants being interviewed
Don’t
- Answer questions with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Use the CAR technique (Context, Action, Results) wherever possible. Think about specific examples that showcase that you have demonstrated that competency.
- Lie. Always answer questions truthfully, frankly and as concisely as possible
- Ever make derogatory remarks about your present or former employers, colleagues or companies
- Ask about salary and bonuses at the first interview – However, if asked, know your market value and be prepared to specify your current/previous and required salary or range.
Also, says Mr Georgiou, you should be prepared for a thorough background check that includes past employers and social media.
“SCA goes through a thorough end to end process – from initial screening, the interview process and to personality/ability assessments if required. We also conduct 2 reference checks with current or previous managers to verify the information collected and ensure we are making an informed decision. LinkedIn is another great tool for verifying and confirming information on a candidate.”
There are also different criteria applied to the various job functions at the network:
On-air talent – creative, informative and funny – people that can relate to their audience and represent our brand
News – knowledgeable and passionate journalists who go the extra mile to ensure that our audience gets the best, localised news to keep them informed
Production/imaging – best in market talent who can work with the latest technologies to create amazing content, videos and imagery
Creative – exactly what you would imagine – creative, innovative and energetic types who push the boundary and can think outside the box to come up with fantastic concepts
Sales – resilient individuals who can be creative and come up with win/win outcomes for SCA and our clients
Technical/IT – best in class tech people who want to work in an environment of innovation and market leading technologies
During his time at SCA, Mr Georgiou has come across some pretty weird applications. This one was from a candidate applying for a job in the traffic area.
“The most bizarre CV that I have come across recently was a candidate who had turned his CV in to a comic book style 2 pager – it was black and white and had imagery and speech bubbles, highlighted relevant work experience, career achievements and why he was suitable for the position he had applied for – this was a great example of standing out from the crowd and he was successful in obtaining an interview for the position.”
After going through the rigorous process of hiring staff, retaining them is also a vital function of SCA’s People and Culture Team.
“We invest a lot in our people and want to ensure we on board and induct everyone to set each and every new starter up for success from day one. From training, providing opportunities to work on interesting projects to showcase their skill set, genuine internal promotion opportunities, best in class sales and leadership training, regular work experience and traineeships on offer. Our employees work incredibly hard but we are really looked after by the business and we do get lot of other perks – from celebrating our ratings successes as a team, regular social events, tickets to gigs and sporting events etc. There is something for everyone when you work in this type of industry and the wins really keep the team motivated and driven!