As readers know, the reach of our weekly print magazine is broad and impactful. Being the flagship publication of the American Chemical Society, C&EN has a unique position in the industry to utilize that network for career advancement, as well. C&ENJobs has been supplying recruiters with the largest pre-vetted talent pool in the world, plus the tools needed to reach hiring their objectives.
One such tool: hands-on assistance with our newest team member, Kimberly Mallory, our recruitment sales & marketing account executive. Here, Kimberly introduces herself, and gives us her advice for recruiters and advertisers.
C&EN: Welcome to C&ENJobs, Kimberly! Tell us a bit about your background, and how you came to C&EN.
Kimberly: I’ve been in consultative advertising sales and marketing in just about every media – from television to print – which includes both the newspapers and magazine industries – to outdoor advertising, online media, yellow pages, radio – you name it! Part of the consultative aspect of my work involves understanding the needs of employers and creating custom campaigns that help them achieve their objectives.
I’ve been doing this for about twenty years. I’m also a graphic and web designer…I’m truly a creative at heart and enjoy solving problems, and creating solutions to assist others better. Ironically enough, I applied to this job through a recruitment agency!
C&EN: With this extensive background in advertising and sales in mind, what are some unusual –but effective- ads you’ve seen over the years?
Kimberly: I’ve seen many unusual ads… mainly when I worked in outdoor advertising, but as far as effectiveness is concerned, it really depends on what the advertiser wants the effect to be. Some want ROI, others want to brand – or rebrand, or just start a conversation. But I saw a unique outdoor ad this morning, which I’m sure is familiar to many readers. It was a mini-cooper vehicle that was wrapped with a Red Bull message and logo, and on top of the vehicle was a large, tilted Red Bull “Can”. Creative, yes… it caught my attention. Would I go out and buy Red Bull because of it? Debatable! Either way, I am definitely talking about it, which could very well be the effect the advertiser wanted.
C&EN: For those who may not be so adventurous, what would you advise for a strategy or ad placement that always works?
Kimberly: Always? Well, advertising in general works. You just have to reach the correct audience, with the right message, at the right time, through the proper placement in the correct media. Easier said than done, right? I believe that seeking the assistance of a consultative advertising sales person is very important – one who wants to understand your objectives and provide viable solutions based on your objectives and budget. They are there to help and assist you in getting the results you desire.
C&EN: Since you’ve seen many different sides of advertising, would you say there’s a difference between recruitment advertising and more traditional product display advertising?
Kimberly: Well, they both have objectives. Recruitment is an “immediate” need, where traditional product display advertising may not always be immediate. For example, it could be a branding ad that gets results slowly over time. But I think they both require a personal touch. So from my perspective, I would need to start either process by trying to understand what the person I’m working with needs. What’s the goal? What ROI is important to them? I try to understand their objectives, and for C&ENJobs, it’s obviously an objective focused on the right hire. But regardless of any of the end results, it all starts with a conversation.
C&EN: What’s one way a recruiter can ‘refresh’ their recruitment strategies?
Kimberly: Think outside of the box. It doesn’t have to be the Red Bull can, but every advertiser has their own ‘outside the box’ to experiment with.
C&EN: And finally, for something not quite recruitment related, what’s on your reading list?
Kimberly: Most of what I read relates to graphic design, web design and marketing. I use various online sites, depending on my interest at any given time. From the personal perspective, I love Houzz and Pinterest. I also read my Bible app on my iPad, and subscribe to Entrepreneur Magazine.
Thanks to Kimberly for her time! To get a conversation started around your own recruitment strategies, you can reach her at 202-452-8918 or k_mallory@acs.org. And for more recruitment strategy tips and best practices, watch the C&EN Marketing Elements blog, where we’ll have a new Recruiter’s Lab section featuring content specifically for recruiters in the science and chemical industry.
