Since 2002, Guru has delivered a range of recruitment solutions to the media, digital, marketing and IT sectors. Its aim is to help employers recruit employees with technical, creative, account management and sales skills using the most cost-effective methods possible.

Guru deals with all sorts of employers, some big, some small, all with one thing in common though – the need to reach the best talent in the business.

PR – Phil Rands, managing director
RH – Richard Hamilton, sales director

RH: We would like to think that our online presence is what helps us stand out. In 2006, we engaged Lightmaker, an NMA Top 100 agency and one of our clients, with a brief to build us a truly unique online recruitment service providing something tangible for both employers and jobseekers.

Working extensively within the new media, digital and design sectors, we wanted to build a site that would appeal to the market we are in. Taking on board first-hand experience from using job boards and other recruitment sites, we combined this with the expert knowledge from our design agency to build www.gurucareers.com.

What sets us apart from other agencies is that our candidates are encouraged to register online and build a visual representation of themselves that they can match against a client’s vacancy matrix. Because the site is free for clients to use, our aim is to attract more live vacancies to the site, which in turn will generate a larger audience of jobseekers, which hopefully will mean we can build a realistic and representative view of recruitment within the digital sector.

PR: The skills shortage in digital media and web design has been worsening for quite some time, and with the continued demand for digital media and services increasing, companies are still finding it difficult recruiting talent in sufficient numbers. From a technical point of view, developers and technical architects with experience in the .NET Framework or open source languages such as PHP are still highly sought after, and from a creative and design point of view, Flash is always up there alongside CSS, HTML and accessibility.

PR: The credit crunch has had no real impact on the industry as a whole, other than the obvious finance sectors. In fact, we are seeing quite the opposite as the influx of candidates has generated some respite, although as the continued demand for digital media and services increases, companies are having to offer excellent salaries and packages with all the bells and whistles to attract the best talent.

Although the outlook appears as bright for jobseekers, the next few months will be a key time as we see whether industry changes to the new media sector will enhance or encumber the efficiency for employers.

RH: As design agencies and end clients look to take advantage of the current social networking boom, we are increasingly being asked for candidates with experience in Web 2.0. Although Web 2.0 has been around for a few years now, end clients are only just starting to realise the potential of integrating social media into their businesses.

The next big thing and a natural progression from Web 2.0 could be the emergence of more powerful and interactive online applications built specifically for mobiles. Known as Mobile 2.0, we could see a dramatic increase in mobile internet users as handsets improve and networks are enhanced.

PR: The single most important tool in your armoury is a portfolio of your work, preferably online. Many employers won’t even look at a CV; if your work is outstanding, they will want to talk to you regardless of experience. Always take a good look around at different design and interactive agencies websites and see how they present their work. Not only can this give you some great ideas about presenting your work, but also about the standards to which you should aspire.

Once your foot is in the door of a prospective employer, don’t just turn up at the interview; research the company thoroughly, read press releases, news articles and blogs. Always show an interest in what they do because if it doesn’t interest you, you’re probably in the wrong place.