About the Episode

In this special episode, brought to you by Ceres Talent, a marketing staffing agency run by modern-day marketing matchmakers, we’re going to talk about the State of the (Recruiting) Union, plus talk with our marketing staffing expert to provide an outlook on the marketing talent market as it currently stands.

To help me discuss these topics, I’d like to welcome Sue Keith, Corporate Vice President at Ceres Talent.

About Sue Keith

Sue is a Corporate Vice President with Ceres Talent, a marketing recruiting firm based in the DC Metro area which was acquired by LandrumHR in 2022. She started her career as an auditor for Deloitte and made the leap to marketing when she joined MCI, followed by a succession of senior marketing positions at several consumer and technology companies. Sue’s current role leading Ceres Talent marries her passion for helping organizations build effective marketing strategies with her love of connecting great people. She serves as a board member and Treasurer for Aspire! Afterschool Learning, which marries her passion for kids and reading. She earned a dual major in Accounting and French from James Madison University and is a recovering CPA.

Resources

Ceres Talent website: https://www.cerestalent.com

The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast

Sign up for The Agile Brand newsletter here: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com

Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/

For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems.Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow

The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Synopsis

In this episode, the discussion delves into the significance of exercising caution when discussing former employers or bosses during a job interview. They emphasize the need for candidates to approach the topic with care and refrain from criticizing their previous employer or boss. The guest stresses the importance of being prepared with solid answers when asked about past job experiences, particularly if the candidate has had relatively short tenures in the past. Additionally, the guest advises against speaking negatively about former employers or bosses, instead suggesting that candidates advocate for themselves and take appropriate action if they find themselves in a negative work environment. Overall, the episode underscores the importance of professionalism and discretion when discussing previous work experiences in a job interview.

According to the episode, many organizations are already in the process of developing their plans for 2024. The host notes that as we are past the halfway point of 2023, it is common for companies to begin contemplating their strategies for the following year. Sue Keith from Ceres Talent further adds that 2024 budgets may become more flexible, as certain activities like hiring and investments have been put on hold. The guest expresses optimism that towards the end of this year, organizations will start considering investments again to foster growth. In summary, the episode highlights the fact that numerous organizations are actively working on their 2024 plans.

The episode also touches upon the topic of negotiating a fully remote job and the possibility of accepting a salary cut. It is mentioned that some individuals may be willing to take a lower salary due to their enthusiasm for the job and the opportunity to continue working remotely. However, it is also emphasized that individuals should still advocate for a fair salary based on their experience and job requirements. The transcript acknowledges that negotiating a significant salary increase for a fully remote job is unlikely, and it is important to be realistic and understand that salaries may not be on the rise at this time.