Latest Jobs from Steve Cooper...

Creative Director
(Ref: 6220)
£30-35k
Worcestershire
New & Urgent - This Worcestershire based agency is a fusion of a graphic design and a corporate publications agency. Their work ranges from traditional marketing campaigns for SMEs to pioneering digital comms for big name companies They specialise in designing high quality magazines, newsletters and employee publications, many for blue chip organisations. You’ll need to be a highly experienced senior creative or creative director who has both traditional and Mac based design skills and you’ll also need to demonstrate a keen interest in, and knowledge of, digital solutions. Are you the ambitious, inspirational, outrageously creative, project focused and quality obsessed team leader my client is looking for? – If so get your CV and work samples over to me asap!
Please send CV’s to:
steve@stevecooper-crs.co.uk
Please send CVs via email as PDFs plus examples of your work.

______________________________________

Senior Designer – 12 months maternity cover
(Ref: 6219)
£neg
Worcestershire
New & Urgent - An experienced designer is required with a particular strength in publications for a 12 months maternity cover position. You’ll need to be creative with an eye for detail and able to work with pace, flair and passion. This Worcestershire based agency is a fusion of a graphic design and a corporate publications agency. Their work ranges from traditional marketing campaigns for SMEs to pioneering digital comms for big name companies They specialise in designing high quality magazines, newsletters and employee publications, many for blue chip organisations. For this role you’ll need proven experience of creative work on high quality internal comms, newsletters and employee magazines. Top notch Mac skills in CS3 and Quark will be essential. If this sounds like you get your CV and work samples over to me asap!
steve@stevecooper-crs.co.uk
Please send CVs via email as PDFs plus examples of your work.

______________________________________

Photography Manager
(Ref: 6217)
Birmingham
£20-23k - according to experience (F/T) + bonus

New - This leading makeover photography studio with big plans for expansion require an enthusiastic, dynamic individual to manage their Birmingham photography department. This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated and creative individual to further develop their commercial and managerial skill sets.

The successful applicant will be responsible for administration, staff performance analysis and management, reporting, equipment maintenance and motivating a team of photographers to carry forward the creative direction of the photography department. The role will report directly to the Head of Photography.

The successful applicant will preferably have people management experience and an excellent working knowledge of digital photography with a strong portraiture portfolio. You will have excellent administrative experience including working knowledge of Excel and other IT skills. You will be highly organised, proactive, have excellent communication skills and be capable of following instruction in addition to using initiative.

Please send CV’s to:
steve@stevecooper-crs.co.uk
Please send CVs via email as PDFs plus examples of your photography.

______________________________________

Digital Press Operator
(Ref: 6218)
Telford
£17-20k
New - This In-house design and print studio are looking for a full time Digital Print Operator to work within their Telford offices. You’ll need good digital press experience, preferably on a Xerox 5252 which they have at the moment but are changing to a Xerox 700 soon.
Please send CV’s to:
steve@stevecooper-crs.co.uk

______________________________________

Creative Web Designer
(Ref: 6216)
Worcestershire
c£25k
This design agency is looking to recruit a proven Creative Web Designer. Based in near Redditch this small but busy design agency are getting busy in the digital area so you’ll need top notch skills with the full CS3/4 suite including Flash and Dreamweaver, HTML, CSS and knowledge of development/coding using PHP or .NET. If you have a portfolio of creative websites and proven industry experience please send your CV and links to your work.
Please send CV’s to:
steve@stevecooper-crs.co.uk
Please send CVs via email as PDFs plus links to your online work

______________________________________

Creative Designer
(Ref: 6215)
Shropshire to£25k
New - Creative Designer required for this in-house studio based in Telford, Shropshire. You'll need to be skilled in CS3 or 4 and have experience of working in an agency or in-house design studio working on brochure and printed material. If this sounds like you send CV and design examples to:
steve@stevecooper-crs.co.uk
Please send CVs via email as PDFs

Talented Copywriter

I've just interviewed an excellent Junior Copywriter who is available for freelance and permanent roles in the Midlands and Warwickshire.

If you'd like to see a full CV for this candidate contact: steve@stevecooper-crs.co.uk

Funky Designer available...

Click to view the flyer full size.

Star Trek rocks!

I am an avid fan of Star Trek Next Gen, Voyager, DS9 and Enterprise I loved the original series, but was never as keen a fan as I was of newer stuff. So I was both unsure and excited about the new film and how it could be reborn by Lost creator J.J Abrams nearly a decade into the 21st century.

For those who haven’t boldly gone the cinema yet the movie is a prequel that begins before Spock and Captain Kirk first met but spins it in an innovative and gritty way. I don’t want to give it away but instead of telling a story where we can expect it's outcome they have completely reinvented Star Trek.

Setting the scene with young versions of Kirk and Spock the film shows Kirk as less cheesy and more gritty with a James Dean style and major attitude struggling to find his way in the world. The young Spock is similarly afflicted as he struggles to cope with his Vulcan/Human heritage. Bones is brilliant, Uhura is ‘as fit as’ and of course Simon Pegg as Scotty injects a massive dose of humour into the film, if a little late on.

Visually the film is stunning, the CGI is quite simply spot on setting a benchmark for not only further Star Trek movies but to other blockbuster movies. Set design is clean and precise, the cinematography style has a lot of lens flares and color shifts that again gives off a futuristic style yet doesn't polish it to the point of being tacky.

The action scenes are awesome and fast paced. I loved the Sky dive from space onto a drilling platform, then Sulu pulls out a Samurai sword that extended out like a light saber, ace! I also had to smile at the random guy in the red shirt who you just knew was going to buy it!

With J.J Abrams in the director's chair there is a young, new and dare I say it ‘sexy’ cast that are boldly going to go where no one has gone before.

While it's always a bit risky tinkering with a much loved piece of science fiction, J.J Abrams appears to have kept longstanding fans happy whilst introducing Trek virgins to the Star Trek universe by creating the first Star Trek for everyone. In my opinion he may just well have produced one of the best prequels of all time.

Steve Cooper

Recruitment Agencies need to adapt to survive recession

As a Linked In user I was reading the discussion about recruitment agencies needing to adapt to survive the recession.

Our stand on this at SCR is to continue to supply a first rate recruitment consultancy service, where we understand the needs and requirements of our clients. We are empathizing with our clients who are struggling through recession themselves. We are offering free help and advice to our clients with regard to redundancies including find work for any of their redundant staff. For those that are recruiting we are only presenting fully interviewed candidates (portfolios assessed where needed) who match the exact brief given. We have reduced our recruitment fee's and offer a further prompt payment reduction, please call for details.

In the current climate, we are only able to assist candidates with backgrounds and experience that exactly match the general requirements of our clients. We are unable to help candidates with limited experience or those looking for a career change. We meet our candidates face to face in a full registration interview, offering feedback to improve CV, portfolio's or interview techniques. We take a proactive approach to find new opportunities for those candidates we register.

In the Discussion there was talk about a CV service, where I assume candidates post CV's which are forwarded directly to companies without a sifting process for a reduced fee. I can see no benefit in this to anyone. As a candidate you'd have no control over your CV and to whom it was sent including all of your personal information and it could go to your current employer. As a client you'd be inundated with e-mails and calls from unsuitable candidates as people try to spread their job searches, this is based on the numbers we are dealing with on a daily basis. It would be a nightmare for all concerned. I'm interested to hear if anyone has any comments on this scenario

We are all highly experienced Recruitment Consultants in the Creative/Marketing sectors, who are hoping this high level of service along with our expertise will see us through the recession.

Ann Downs

ann@stevecooper-crs.co.uk

Oink Oink!!

This is hilarious! It's nice to see that the creative skills of packaging designers is not going to waste in these challenging times. Also it's good that the media is now getting hysterical about something else rather than the downturn.

Don't do it Ann - only 3 days to go!

As I prepare for the Easter Break by brushing the hot-cross bun crumbs away and trying to resist eating the Creme Egg (Carl’s just bought) until the end of lent on Sunday. I feel the need to make a comment about how quiet recruitment can be at this time of year.

There is a lot of talk about the recession effecting businesses and recruitment at the moment.

BUT it is traditionally quiet over Easter, for a couple of reasons:

Firstly: Year End 5^th April 2009. Business budgets are decided including marketing and recruitment spends. When I’ve worked in other sectors I’ve known companies scramble to recruit through March to make sure they spend their recruitment budget to prevent cuts in the next financial year. Unfortunately I’ve not seen this trend in the Creative & Marketing Sector but companies tend to reassess business including shortfalls they may have in their staffing requirements. I think this will be particularly beneficial for candidates with digital experience whether creative, marketing or technical.

Marketing spends – there should be some clearer indications of how much has been allocated. I don’t think for one minute that everyone is going to spend huge amounts through 2009 but there has been so much uncertainty this year, that some guidance should see some decisions been made about campaigns. This should have a knock on effect – as agencies and studios are briefed with work, those who have consolidated, will need extra staff to complete work, whether freelance or permanent.

Secondly - the kids are on holiday so parents take time off. It’s the first major break in the year and lots of people take time off, whether it’s the same as the schools or tacking a week either side. This includes decision makers, making it a difficult time for general business & recruitment.

So I’d like to think that towards the end of April, we will see more marketing budgets been spent and more freelance & permanent vacancies appearing.

Back to Easter and my cravings for Chocolate... just how many calories are there in a Crème Egg?

Hope you all have a lovely Easter Break.

Ann

ann@stevecooper-crs.co.uk