Everyone's Leveling Up—KDA's Got Your Back!
Job ghosting rages on, and candidates are grumpy.
Hiring Managers are counting the days until Q1 budgets open.
Leaders are bouncing + building.
Creative Leadership training is on fire.
Let's break it down. ⤵
Creative Leaders and Hiring Managers
"Please stop posting jobs that you have no intention of hiring for.”
JOB GHOSTING RAGES ON & CANDIDATES ARE GRUMPY
My post about Clients Ghosting Candidates hit nearly 110k impressions on LinkedIn—definitely a hot topic. Yikes, it's time to protect your brand. Share your POV, and join the conversation!
ENTER: FRACTIONAL LEADERS
Another way to keep your company brand or team moving is to consider booking a Fractional Leader.
If you secure a 3-month engagement (October through December 2024), you could start to see the first waves of work being executed in 1-3 months after that (January through March 2025).
So, if you need work executed in Q1, this is your chance to keep the momentum going. If you can wait until Q2, consider bringing in Fractional talent starting January 1. Don't say I didn't warn you! Need help finding these game-changers? You know who to call.
INNOVATOR, AUTHORITY, OR MAVEN?
I'm noticing a trend among leaders embracing astrology to enhance team dynamics. The IAM framework—Innovator, Authority, or Maven—from The AstroTwins' latest book, The Astrology Advantage, is gaining traction for its ability to highlight individual strengths. FYI: I'm an Authority Maven (AM) - a creative force who brings big ideas to life.(N/J!!) Now, do yours and email it to me!
YOU NEED A HIRING SOP - HERE'S WHY:
Don't hurt your brand with a poor system. Job seekers expect transparency in your hiring process. If you don't have a clear recruiting and/or hiring system, it will backfire. Set up your automation and be upfront about your process.
Show candidates you value their effort. Simple tweaks like this will protect your reputation and keep that top talent wanting to be part of what you're building.
Reality Check: Hiring Takes a Lot of Time
Think you can fill that Creative or Marketing role overnight? Nope.
Here's the harsh truth:
Initial Research and Outreach: 2-6 weeks (Now through mid-November 2024)
Candidate Assessment: 3-8 weeks (Late November 2024 through January 2025)
Negotiations and Offer: 1.5-4 weeks (January through February 2025)
Notice, Transition, and Relocation Planning: 2-12 weeks (February through May 2025—because top-tier talent needs to wrap up their current gigs before they can jump into yours)
Onboarding and Integration: 3-8 weeks (May through July 2025)
Total Time: 3-9 months (That's right now through July 2025)
Here's the kicker: This timeline isn't just for recruiters—it's for everyone. Your team, your hiring managers, interview panels—everyone involved gets pulled away from their day-to-day to make this hire happen.
If you're not leaning on a recruiter to tap into the deepest talent pool, this process could drag on even longer. Can you really afford to wait that long?
Job Seekers and Career Dreamers
Nail your own #BFFResume Test
In my recent interview on Laid Off Life: Tips for Kick-Ass Personal Branding, I got real about the challenges of job hunting, shared my top tip—the #BFFResume Test—and opened up about navigating my own (second) layoff. I also discussed the lessons learned before launching The Keva Dine Agency in 2001.
Tune in to discover how to land a job in a tough market by optimizing your LinkedIn profile, crafting a personal brand strategy, and aceing the BFF resume test!
EMAIL ETIQUETTE IS REAL!
TeamKDA gets thousands of emails each week, and honestly, 80% of those emails suck. Need yours to stand out? Think of us as busy airports, and map out your route before you hit send.
DON'T GIVE US HOMEWORK!
Recruiters are a no-homework zone! When you email us, don't make us dig for info. Hit us with everything upfront: links to your profiles, your resume, who referred you, and how you found us. The Who, What, Why, Where, and When matter—so don't hold back!
Ditch: “My friend says you're da-best; I need a new CD job.”
Do: “CJ Davis sent me > Creative PM X-Gap/Netflix, SF>LA.”
UP YOUR GAME: ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
With Boomers retiring rapidly, it's time for Gen X and Millennials to truly step up. While many successful careers thrive without formal leadership training, proving that the career growth you crave or the promotion you deserve is hard to demonstrate without it.
If you've been running your own show or working in company cultures that don't prioritize leadership development, how have you leveled up?
Many of my recruiting discussions revolve around candidates ready to make a move in shifting landscapes—Creative Directors eyeing VP roles, SVPs aiming for the C-suite, and those seeking advisory positions. Creative minds thrive in complexity, and it's time to harness that beauty and transform it into influence.
Leadership training, cohorts, and collectives can help you up-level and amplify your impact in the market. It's time to level up, but how?
Here are a few ways to elevate your game right now:
Lightning Lesson: How Design Leaders Stand Out
Tune into this free fireside chat and learn how to stand out in a competitive market and make informed career moves
Ask for it!
Request a coaching budget during your next job negotiation—why not do it tomorrow with your current leader? According to Indeed, asking for this budget not only shows initiative but also signals your leadership potential.
KDA Coaching: Level Up Like a Boss
“I’ve seen countless talented creatives and marketers struggle to gain traction in their careers simply because they refused to seek expert guidance.”
Let's be real: LinkedIn is a grind
With millions of profiles out there, standing out is tough. If your profile isn't aligned with your career goals—or worse, not showing up in searches—you're missing out on opportunities. Updating your LinkedIn can feel like a chore, but you don't have to tackle it alone.
Team KDA has now cracked the code, and after optimizing hundreds of profiles - we know what works, and it shows.
40% increase in job offers.
70% boost in interview requests.
70% increase in DMs and email replies.
- Keva
CEO | The Keva Dine Agency
The Expert Creative Recruiter with 23 Years' Experience Placing Top Talent | Driving Client Success & Revenue Growth! #BFFRecruiter