Content: Suzanne Buzek
Kerri Thomas recently volunteered with Cincinnati AMA, sitting on April’s Recruiter Panel hosted by AMA Young Professionals at the Metropolitan Club. Get to know Kerri, in her words!
The Serious Stuff
@SuzanneBuzek: Tell me about the partnership Creatives On Call has with Cincinnati AMA, the local marketing scene and talent pool in the area.
Kerri, @creativesoncall: We are green to AMA sponsorship, relatively. Because we partner with marketing professionals on a daily basis, the attraction was pretty natural! Our employees have attended Shared Interest Groups (SIGs), luncheons, and networking events to get more acquainted with the organization. Our intent is to be a stronger partner and supporter of the AMA.
We have sponsored a few events in the past, but are looking forward to continued partnership and a stronger presence within the AMA community.
@SuzanneBuzek: How long have you been with Creatives on Call?
Kerri, @creativesoncall: December 2008 (since I graduated from undergrad at Kent State).
@SuzanneBuzek: What attracted you to your current role with Creatives on Call?
Kerri, @creativesoncall: I really enjoy what the company does – generally speaking, I get to help people every day. There is a lot of satisfaction based around our core purpose and mission – and my team members make what we do enjoyable, too.
@SuzanneBuzek: What have been some of your most rewarding experiences recruiting the creative and marketing field?
Kerri, @creativesoncall: I get to meet fun and passionate people every day, see them get excited (and get excited with them) when they present their work, talk about what they love doing, and discussing what they see for their career future.
@SuzanneBuzek: What have been your biggest lessons learned in recruiting in this field?
Kerri, @creativesoncall: There are many skill sets that can be transferable – personality and culture fit matter most, though, when placing someone into a role (for them and the company).
@SuzanneBuzek: What are some of the biggest changes you seen in the regional market for creative and marketing services needs? What do you think are driving those changes?
Kerri, @creativesoncall: Since the recession a few years back we have seen a huge push to find “all-in-one” creative and marketing professionals. It’s been a constant and strong push that people in the industry have been trying to keep up with. As new software comes out and new trends come in, I think creative and marketing professionals are just going to have to keep themselves in the know so that they can be ahead of the curve.
@SuzanneBuzek: Can you speak on any out-of-town recruiting you might do to bring marketing and creative professionals to Cincinnati?
Kerri, @creativesoncall: Cincinnati is a very transient town thanks to some of the large corporations here, and we’re fortunate for that! We have a great deal of resources to pull from when looking for talent outside of the metro, but honestly, I think the “hometown cheerleaders” in all of us help to draw in great candidates. We’ve had a wave of people from the West Coast in the last year who have decided that they want to raise their families in Cincinnati because they’ve heard it’s is a great marketing and advertising community.
@SuzanneBuzek: What have been the biggest “selling points” of the Cincinnati marketing and creative community when recruiting someone from out-of-town?
Kerri, @creativesoncall: A lot of times people are coming to us wanting to find a job to get them to Cincinnati. If it is someone who is unfamiliar with Cincinnati, I urge them to give me a list of some of their hobbies so that I can find places and things of interest for them here. It’s usually not a hard sell—the city has a lot to offer—Fortune 500 companies, global advertising and design firms, well-known sports teams, beautiful historical architecture, arts, culture, great schools.
The Fun Stuff
@SuzanneBuzek: Who is your professional role model and why?
Kerri, @creativesoncall: April Koenig, owner of Creatives On Call. She remembers everyone she’s interviewed—and she’s been doing this for over 20 years!
@SuzanneBuzek: What is the one app you can’t live without?
Kerri, @creativesoncall: Guilty…. Facebook. Eep!
@SuzanneBuzek: Recent book you’ve read or film you’ve seen?
Kerri, @creativesoncall:
Book: “Secret Lives of Great Artists” by Elizabeth Lunday
Movie: “Zootopia” (my two-year-olds’ first movie at the theatre!)
@SuzanneBuzek: What are your favorite parts of Cincinnati?
Kerri, @creativesoncall: Oh man, too many to list!
· The architecture
· Mt. Lookout/Hyde Park, my post-college stomping grounds
· The food! My in-laws don’t get what the fuss is all about with this “Skyline” place—I’ll tackle anyone trying to steal a cheese coney (with onion and mustard) from me!
@SuzanneBuzek: What is your favorite part of AMA?
Kerri, @creativesoncall: The Annual Holiday Party. Cheers!
@SuzanneBuzek: What would be the jeopardy categories that you would totally rock at?
Kerri, @creativesoncall: Watch out, trivia nerd over here!
· Art History
· Pop Music from the Early 2000s
· Useless Facts about Useless Things
· Exotic Cuisine
Catch up with Kerri and the Creatives On Call team at the next AMA event! To learn more about becoming a strategic partner and the access it can provide to marketing talent, development, and community, contact Mitch Tidman, VP of Strategic Partnerships on the Cincinnati AMA Board.
