How to get a job with Attacat

Entry Level Position

The Stats

• 576 Viewed the job description• 79 Applicants• 30 Passed the “Quick Review”• 12 Invited to First Interview• 3 Invited to 2nd Interview• 1 Job offered & accepted• 14 savvy enough to pitch up tonight

The Application Form

At the top to try to put the non-serious people off

A very rough gauge of ability to use the web

The Application Form - cont

Best answers gave reasons

It’s brilliantIt’s CrapI like X,Y & Z but I’d improve A,B & C (“tact”)

The Application Form - Cont

Don’t under or oversell yourself

Very optional but one or two good entries

Opened if completed all required fields & Attacat website comments good

Opened if covering letter good

The All Important Covering Letter

• Tailored• Enthusiasm• Proof of having read up about us• Blah,blah,blah• English• Spell check• If we’ve met before, say so!• Willingness to relocate – worth noting if not already in

Edinburgh

CV – Confirming Initial Impressions

• What Degree?– First– 2:1– Desmond– Third– No Degree

• Evidence of Maths?• No Gaps• Evidence of achievement (including beyond academia)• Personal Statements

Worth noting

• E-mailing the application to get to the top of the pile (but not applying through the form as well)

• Tweeting about being gutted about dream job applications being closed

• Informed comment on the Attacat Brain• 4 page report submitted with application on “I knew

nothing about PPC or SEO but here’s what I’ve found out”

• Inevitable inconsistencies in review process – “luck”

1st Interview

• Nerves – try to be yourself. Get as much practice as you can (use recruitment consultants?)

What we look for:• Check that you have taken the time to learn a little about what

we do e.g. “Explain difference between PPC and SEO”(the sort of things you should do before going to client meetings)

• Enthusiasm• Ability to apply common sense to unfamiliar situations• Record of consistent achievement• “Fit” – Very difficult to put finger on. Again a good degree of

“luck” involved in ticking this box as will depend on time of day, how good previous candidates were, kids etc

• Basic mental arithmetic & stats exercise• Focus in your job applications• Not as interested in your experience of internet marketing as

you may expect

Presents?

2nd Round

• Exercise that tests– Ability to learn & research– Gives an insight into what we do– Communication abilities

• Interview about the Exercise• References

– Minimum 3 – we decide who– All done by phone where-ever possible– Very much part of the recruitment process

Taking Proactive Steps

• Targeted door drops?• Twitter?• Blog?• Comment on target companies blog• Local events

– Edinburgh Coffee Morning– New Media Breakfasts– Internet Marketing Meet-Up

• Rename yourself to Jamie or Amanda• It is a numbers game to an extent but don’t let the

quality of your applications fall

ppc

seo

social media

website

thinking

web analytic

s