Craft

I've been re-reading our business plan for 2024. Did anyone's 2024 go to plan? In December 2023, we set out our vision for 2024. Pillar #2: COMMERCIAL CLARITY At Craft, we were growing in too many different directions. We lacked alignment and made decisions in the dark..... Low on data and big on ‘feels’. Looking back, we tried to change too much, too quickly. We tried to do a year's work in the first quarter. And so of course, we didn’t execute as well as we could. Lessons learned? · Don’t rush into change. · Don’t overcomplicate. Simplicity drives better decisions · Provide direction, and leave room for people to do their thing · Clarity on what “done” looks like means smoother execution · Experiment with teams, review, refine and then go wider · Process exists to empower, not constrain Pillar #1 for 2025? Commercial clarity. A never-ending pursuit. Next year's looking fun. We go again! 

We're checking out for the festive break after today, and we'll be back in action on 2nd January. Miss us already? Don't worry, we have lots to look forward to in 2025... 🍒 Our next Common Interest event hits Manchester on 27th February > tickets will be available in January! 🤖 What's the future of the design team? Our report is coming soon - have your say with our 16-question survey: https://lnkd.in/en8yjcGX 🏙️ Want to see Craft at SXSW London? Sign up and search for our talk 'Design Next' here: https://lnkd.in/e-wviKfc Thank you to all of our wonderful partners, contacts, freelancers and friends for a super 2024. Wishing you all a relaxing break, and see you in 2025 - we have big plans! #festivebreak #SXSWLondon #commoninterest #2024 #2025 #design #designrecruitment

In December 2023 we set out our vision for 2024. It was distilled into three pillars. Pillar #1 was LIVING OUR VISION We felt we spoke a big game internally but kept ourselves to ourselves, and lacked conviction in how we showed up in the industry. LIVING OUR VISION for 2024 meant: · proactively moving the creative industry forward · seeking inspiration, attending some of the best creative events in the world · getting out there, in the right rooms with the right people · keeping curious, pursuing professional and personal growth When you’re in it, it’s hard to see progress. >>>> Now. Reflecting. One year on. I’m crazy proud of what we’ve achieved. Living our Vision 2024, Top 5... · Launching our own global events series – Common Interest · Attending D&AD Festival, in particular, Brian Collins and Leland Maschmeyer’s talk on brand world frameworks · Starting DesignNext>> our annual survey that looks at the state of the design industry · Going to SXSW was pure inspiration, offering unrivalled insights into emerging trends · Hosting Dan Forster at our most recent All-Agency Day to talk us through his practice Excited for what 2025 holds as we continue to do our part to help drive the creative industry forward. Roll on next year! #CreativeIndustry #DesignLeadership #2025Goals

She’s amazing. When Priyjah Paramasivam dropped into my inbox 6 months ago I couldn’t believe my eyes (or luck). The expressiveness of her work, her attention to detail and her brilliant eye for color immediately made me realize I was in the presence of a superstar. Fast forward to December and our much-loved Pri is now (naturally) smashing it in her new role as Associate Creative Director at How&How; helping to host our female-focused GetEven webinars and performing at sell-out talks, such as the Common Interest event run by the great team at Craft in November. Pri’s talk, Asian Other, reflected on personal insights from her Tamil heritage and how it profoundly shaped the way she creates and leads. It explored the importance of bringing your authentic self to work and the power that comes with it. She reflected on the idea of “cultural fit” and how it can feel limiting—especially when building teams that thrive on diversity and individuality. She argued that embracing different perspectives, rather than forcing conformity, creates stronger, more dynamic teams. Couldn't agree more. Bloody well done Pri. You’re an inspiration to us all ✨ Onwards.

Our beautiful Christmas card this year does what we always do: celebrates fantastic creative talent. This year, we partnered with Kezia Gabriella, an artist and illustrator currently living and working in Singapore. “I wanted to visualise the joy of collaboration and togetherness during the festive season, showing how each person’s contribution brings the Christmas tree to life. Putting up a giant Christmas tree has always been my favorite Christmas tradition, so I wanted to capture the process and the fun rowdiness and chaos it can bring.” We love it! Thank you Kezia, Chloë M. and Grand Matter 🎄 #christmas #christmascard #illustrator #artist #design #designcommunity #creativity #designindustry

🎯 Why you should hire for ‘cultural add,’ not ‘culture fit’ Building a team that fits your existing culture might seem logical — but it can limit creativity, diversity, and innovation. That’s why we encourage you to reframe this, and look for cultural add instead. A great team isn’t one where everyone thinks alike or behaves the same way — it’s one where differences are valued and ideas are challenged. Here are some things we encourage our clients to consider: 🌟 Define values, not personality types Focus on a team foundation of shared values, not cloning personalities. Ask how interviewees align with your mission, while keeping your mind open to something new. 🌟 Prioritise growth potential Look for those who can help your company grow in ways you haven’t yet considered, with new strengths. 🌟 Embrace diverse perspectives Seek people with unique backgrounds, experiences, and ideas that can broaden your approach to creative problem-solving. 🌟 Invite challenge Hire people who ask ‘why' and 'what if?’ These people will positively push boundaries and drive continuous improvement. 🌟 Vary your WOWs By hiring a diverse team, you will invite new behaviours and ways of working. That means you may need to give your meetings, socials, and processes a bit of a makeover - but that’s probably been on your to-do list for a while! What else can employers do to invite culture-add, not culture-fit? #culturaladd #designrecruitment #teamdiversity #designinnovation #growtogether #designteam #teamspirit #designjobs

We are delighted to be on the table for a talk at SXSW London in the summer, alongside some of the most incredible creatives, thought leaders and big thinkers. To vote for our talk at SXSW, please sign up here >> https://lnkd.in/e-wviKfc So what's it about? 👇 Your job will not look the same next year. What’s next for creative talent? What do we want from employers and employees? How do we best manage emerging roles in the design industry? Backed by fresh data and insights from the worlds’ greatest design studios, Craft share a future-focused, actionable deep dive to fuel your own career and grow your team. With a global perspective, this presentation will keep you ahead of the curve on creative talent, and inform the decisions made in your business. #SXSW #SXSWLondon #designindustry #designtalk #design #designtalent #creative #creativeevent #creativelandscape #talent #designrecruitment #team #growth

💡 Why we say ‘power skills’ — not ‘soft skills’ In design recruitment, a killer portfolio gets you noticed, but power skills secure long-term career success. These are the essential human skills — communication, adaptability, empathy, leadership — that showcase a high EQ (emotional intelligence), driving collaboration and fuelling innovation. We’ve moved away from calling them soft skills because there’s nothing ‘soft' about capabilities that shape team dynamics, win clients, and lead projects to success. In today’s design industry, where creativity thrives on connection but is being challenged by AI, power skills are the ultimate career accelerators. Let’s rethink how we value and develop these critical skills — they’re the real force behind career growth and business success. How have power skills helped you or your team excel? Share your thoughts!👇 #Powerskills #Designrecruitment #Careergrowth #Leadership #Empathyindesign

🚨 Exciting opportunities alert 🚨 We’re recruiting for a variety of design roles with some incredible companies across the globe. Check out our latest roles below and click the link to apply if something catches your eye! 👀✨ 🚀 Freelance Art Director 📌 Manchester 💷 £275-300 per day https://lnkd.in/e7r-Tcbp 🔥 Account Manager 📌 New York 💸 $75-90k https://lnkd.in/eXCp-zNb 🧠 Digital Content Designer 📍Manchester 💸 £30-35k https://lnkd.in/eagZR48S 🚀 Design Director (fixed term contract) 📍London 💸 £55-65k https://lnkd.in/e8rmVrjC 💃 Senior Packaging Designer 📍 Leeds 💷 £35-45k https://lnkd.in/enZD_BZT 🕺 Freelance UX Designer 🌎 Amsterdam 💰 €450-500 per day https://lnkd.in/eBbVytFz #design #designrecruitment #creative #creativerecruitment #creativebusiness #studio #freelance

The latest YouGov data reveals that one in four young people have exaggerated their experience on their CV. How can you address this when hiring design talent? A portfolio presentation is your chance to dig deeper and uncover the true scope of experience behind the roles listed on somebody's CV. Here are a few questions to help guide the conversation: 👉 Talk me through your involvement in this project. 👉 What challenges did you face in this role, and how did you overcome them? 👉 What skills or insights did you gain from this experience? 👉 If you could revisit this project, what would you do differently and why? 👉 How did you collaborate with others to achieve the final outcome? We use this approach as part of our recruitment process. And we don’t rely on AI to ‘scrape’ CVs. Instead, we take the time to understand the skillset, experience, and drivers of the design professionals we represent. Hiring the right talent isn’t about keyword matching, and it shouldn't be about lying to get your foot in the door — it’s about people. #designrecruitment #design #creative #designjobs #designindustry #cv