If you’ve never worked with a staffing agency, you might not have any idea what a company like Creative Circle does. I certainly didn’t. In my early 20s, I had landed at a digital agency, but felt undervalued in my role and could tell things were not going well for the company. (They folded about a year later.) As I was looking for my next move, the job hunt felt all-consuming and overwhelming. My roommate at the time noticed my frustration and suggested I try Creative Circle. He had gotten a few freelance gigs through them and said it was worth a shot. Little did I know, I’d end up spending the next three years as a recruiter in the New York office.
Over those years, I learned that Creative Circle strives to be more than just a staffing agency. It’s not just about job placements, but about being partners and advocates for the candidates and clients they connect with every day.
The production team is split in two.
- Account executives (AEs) connect with digital and creative teams who either don’t have internal recruiting teams or just need a little extra help for urgent projects or difficult roles
- Recruiters serve as partners to candidates, helping them best present themselves and matching them with opportunities that might be a good fit.
I spoke to a few AEs across the country to give you an idea of what clients can expect when working with Creative Circle.
Jessica Maxwell
Jessica serves the Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Salt Lake City markets.
What’s the most rewarding part of the job?
“When we find people jobs and help the client find someone they wouldn’t have found on their own.”
What’s priority #1?
“For me, it’s just getting to know that client and understanding their needs and making them feel comfortable.”
“After they have someone in the seat, I want them to know they can talk to me about any issues that come up. You don’t always get to build that kind of relationship, but once you do, you’re able to have a longer and stronger partnership.”
What should more people know?
“We truly are not a one-size-fits-all service. We are a customized solution. We are humans. We want to help you solve your problems. We want to make your life easier.
“A lot of time I hear, ‘oh you’re like UpWork or 5vver,’ which couldn’t be further from the truth. We actually screen and select candidates for your needs which leads to more high quality service.”
Shamier Bouie
Shamier is an account executive for the Houston office and feels strongly about the value she brings to her clients.
“We’re not here just to sell anything,” she says. ”We’re really here to partner with our clients and understand their business.
“We help with the heavy lifting, identify gaps, and create a structure that helps them streamline their process. We want to help you sleep better at night so you’re not working 15 hours a day to keep your projects afloat.
“It’s important to figure out true solutions that will solve both short-term and long-term needs.”
To that end, Shamier acknowledges, “Sometimes we’re not the right fit.”
Once, when helping a client build a new team, Shamier suggested adding a project manager to the mix. While there was hesitation at first, her client eventually realized it wasn’t a frivolous expense and actually streamlined their whole team process.
Raquel Clubwala
Raquel is a senior account executive in New York. For Raquel, it’s all about creating an amazing client experience, from guiding initial convos, to presenting candidates, to ensuring they’re the right fit, to checking in on a more personal level.
“I’d rather catch up with someone before we dive into work, and then have to steer the conversation to: ‘So how can I help you?’”
But it’s not just for fun. Raquel explains that having that personal connection makes it easier to have tough conversations about budget, candidate availability, and creates a candor of transparency. And even when clients don’t have ongoing needs or would rather not have that personal experience, “I still want to make things easy for them so they enjoy working with us.”
What’s the best part of the job?
“I love when a client is impressed with how quickly I respond that fulfills me and keeps me going,” Raquel says.
What’s something you’d like your clients to understand?
“A lot of clients get upset if it takes a little longer than expected to see candidates, says Raquel. “They don’t understand all of the work that goes into finding a candidate and the whole interview and vetting process. But once they do, then realize it’s really worth it to pay someone to do it.”
Tips and Considerations When Working with Creative Circle
If you’re a client working with Creative Circle, here are a few things to keep in mind.
- Transparency about full scope of work and budget is essential in order to pair you with appropriate talent.
- That said, sometimes the want may not be realistic, or may not be doable for just one person. Creative Circle AEs will walk you through what is feasible and offer creative solutions to your needs.
- Remember that Creative Circle had a high-level vetting process with our candidates. All candidates submitted for a particular role have been interviewed (in person pre-COVID and via Zoom post-COVID) by a Creative Circle recruiter and have been connected with yet again to ensure they are a match for your particular role.
About the author.
Alessandra is the mentor, educator, and writer behind Boneseed, a private practice devoted to deep self-inquiry through a range of physical, energetic, and mental modalities. She has over 500 hours of yoga, mentorship, and facilitation training and can be found slinging knowledge on her website, newsletter, and @bone.seed.
