Hannah Scragg's 2021 Summer Business Plan

Today we're talking to Hannah Scragg who is head of marketing for Zoek, the Cheshire-based intelligent job matching site and app which operates in the UK, USA, and India.

May is the last month of Spring – how has Spring been for you so far? 

Given how challenging winter was, both on a personal and business level, Spring has felt a lot more refreshing with us starting to see a light at the end of this very long Covid tunnel! 

That feeling you get at the end of a Wednesday ‘Hump Day’ is how I am perceiving Spring – it’s downhill from here, surely?! 

It has been nice to be able to see a few more familiar faces recently and not just through a laptop screen as we have started to open back up our office space for those who wish to use it. All in all, Spring is showing promising signs of new growth for Zoek which is great to see. 

What are your plans for the Summer – for your business and for you? 

The team at Zoek are working closely together undergoing big plans to re-vamp our global websites throughout the summer. We plan to continue improving the performance and user interface/experience of our job sites to encourage more job seekers/hirers to use Zoek, ultimately increasing our overall business turnover. 

On a more personal level, I plan on making the most of seeing my friends and family in person again as restrictions continue to ease. Re-booting my social life and maintaining more of a work life balance is needed after this past year of lockdowns.  

What are you most looking forward this summer which you had to step away from last summer? 

If Covid restrictions do fully lift this summer, I’m looking forward to (hopefully) not having to pre-plan/over-think through everyday activities which seem to have become a bit of a nuisance over this past 12+ months. The simple things like turning up to a shop and not having to queue up for ages to get in. 

Doing more spur of the moment things and travelling to new places without having to worry if it’s legal to do so. I want to have some fun and make up for the lost time we spent stuck indoors in the recent lockdowns. 

May is National Walking Month, and walking was an activity which was one thing we could do over the last 12 months.  Please share your walking experiences in recent years. 

In recent years I have discovered many scenic walks, some in Cheshire and others further afield. The Gritstone Trail is one of my local walks and is lovely, providing views of the Peak District and Cheshire Plain. Some notable places along the route include White Nancy, Tegg's Nose Country Park, The Cloud and Mow Cop. Alternatively, I’m a big fan of walking up The Wrekin, a hill in east Shropshire close to Telford, with amazing views from the top. 

Where is your favourite place to walk? 

I really enjoy walking around The Roaches which has stunning views of Tittesworth Reservoir in the Peak District. On a clear day you can see out for miles. Escaping to the countryside is good for the soul as it is so peaceful out there. 

Can you name one day in May which is important for you in your business or in your personal life? Why is that date important? 

An important day for Zoek this year was May the 4th (‘…be with you’) – Star Wars Day. Why? Well, we revealed the launch of a very exciting recruitment marketing campaign. 

We recently partnered with Sent Into Space to run a competition which gave three job seekers the opportunity to be the first to have their CV launched into space and the footage shared nationwide! Given the impact of the pandemic on people’s jobs, we know how tough it can be to get noticed by employers and therefore, this presents an opportunity for the winning candidates to get creative with their job search and really stand out from the crowd. 

Are you attending (have you booked) any events at all for you as a business person, or for you personally that you are really looking forward to? 

We are very much hoping to exhibit at some well-known recruitment industry B2B events later in the year which were originally set to take place in 2020. 

All being well, team Zoek are looking forward to showcasing our global job site and networking with prospective hirers and partners at the following expos:

-       In-House Recruitment Live, London (14.09.21)

-       In-House Recruitment Live, Manchester (06.10.21)

-       Recruitment Agency Expo, Birmingham (06.10.21-07.10.21) 

What’s your one top business tip to help others be positive about their business in May 2021? 

Try not to take on too many tasks in one go – instead, prioritise and complete one task at a time. Even if you know you’ve got a million and one things to sort in order to keep things afloat, you’re likely to end up with tasks half done or of less quality by attempting them all in one go. Break them down in to manageable chunks and feel the sense of accomplishment each time you finish one.  

Have you got any Spring services or special offers you’d like to mention? 

If your business, or someone you know, is looking to advertise job vacancies this Spring, take advantage of our exclusive Spring Sale with 15% off our Pay Per Job advertising model*. 

Simply use code “SPRING15” when you post 1, 3 or 5+ jobs on Zoek, purchased through our Pay Per Job model*. Plus, new hirer sign-ups based in the UK will also receive a complimentary Zoek goodie box. 

*T&Cs apply. 15% offer only available for new hirer sign-ups on your first purchase with Zoek. Offer expires 21.06.21. 15% offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or discount. Additional incentive to receive a complimentary Zoek goodie box is only valid for businesses based in the UK. 

For more information visit https://zoek.uk