Marketing Director
Ben Thompson joined Intelligent People in October 2022, after working in hospitality for 5 years. After managing over 70 people in his previous role, Ben decided to move into product management recruitment in order to become in control of his own success.
Let’s find out more about Ben
You’ve been at Intelligent People for just over a year. Tell us a bit more about your role and what you do day-to-day?
I am a recruitment consultant specialising in product roles, so my day-to-day typically involves speaking with candidates about ongoing roles we have on, and that ranges from a Junior Product Manager / Product Owner through to Chief Product Officer level. When speaking with candidates, I always refer them to our blogs, especially our CV advice and LinkedIn profile blogs, as it’s really important to make sure these are in the best condition possible whilst the recruitment market is tough.
Other aspects of my job involve speaking with clients who are looking to hire, identifying what they’re looking for and finding it quickly.
What do you love most about your job?
The satisfaction from making a placement is what I’ve enjoyed the most. However also speaking with different people every day from different backgrounds, is extremely rewarding
What is the proudest moment in your career so far?
This year has been incredibly tough – the market has been quiet, lots of layoffs in the tech sector and companies are seemingly reluctant to hire in this uncertain market. I started this 360 recruitment role with no sales experience, and so I’m very proud to have made multiple self-generated deals this year.
What is a current problem in the recruitment industry that you want to fix?
The perception of recruiters in general. We provide businesses with access to the best candidates in the market and do this at great value!
What is the biggest mistake that candidates make during the recruitment process? What advice do you give to them along the way?
I think the biggest mistakes candidates make is in their CV – it’s their shop window, and each candidate needs to ensure that the hiring manager or recruiter that is quickly scanning the CV, is able to not only see previous roles / companies worked at, but most importantly, what achievements and successes the candidates have had in their career.
We have an article which covers this best practise CV tips in more depth, however I always advise candidates to have a brief summary of company and role, and then two sections to follow: 1) key responsibilities and 2) key achievements. In the achievements section, candidates should include deliverables and associated key metrics. Every Product Manager has broadly the same responsibility – it’s what each candidate does with that / the impact made to the business which sets one candidate apart from the other.
What are the top 3 things that employers are looking for from product management candidates today?
- Relevant industry experience
- Familiarity with fast paced environments and a can-do attitude
- Willing to get stuck in and be hands on
If you had to describe yourself in 3 words, what would they be?
Kind, driven and supportive.
What is your favourite quote?
“The most important thing is to enjoy your life – to be happy – it’s all that matters.” – Steve Jobs
