#32Under32 Sponsor Spotlight: Creative Circle

The #32Under32 Nominees have been announced and the awards ceremony is just shy of a month away.

We are highlighting the top sponsors who make all this possible. Creative Circle is a Gold sponsor, for the second year in a row. Greg Holmes, a recruiter at Creative Circle shares his experience, and why people under 32 in the industry are important and a little advice.

1. Tell us a little about yourself and your career path with Creative Circle.

My name is Greg Holmes, and I’ve been a Recruiter with Creative Circle here in Minneapolis for the last 15 months. I’m originally from Plymouth MN, and now live in the North Loop downtown with my Maine Coon Murph. Hobbies include photography, cars and being a mini golf aficionado.

My ad career began six years ago in Boston MA as an account coordinator for MMB, and has since included stops at Pixel Farm, FRWD and BBDO where I was an Account Supervisor on Skippy and Hormel Chili. I’ve freelanced with some of the best talent here in Minneapolis and have been able to foster plus grow new relationships within my current role. I made the switch to recruitment because I’m proud to represent the best Minneapolis has to offer, and believe in encouraging people to reach their own goals.

2. What do you love about being a part of Creative Circle?

I love the people I get to meet every week, and that my account services background comes into play every day. In one day I’m negotiating on behalf of our talent, providing advice on resumes or portfolios, meeting new people, connecting with people we haven’t talked to in a while or learning about an emerging discipline, every day allows me a chance to support those around me and have a real impact on helping others achieve their goals.

3. Why are people under 32 important to Creative Circle?

They are the explorers, the ones that question and the ones who challenge the way things have been in the industry. The ones under 32 absorb what the industry is doing and has been doing, and relentlessly find a way to do it better. And we get to be part of that evolutionary process.

4. Can you give an example of how people under 32 are making waves in your company and the industry?

People under 32 in my company and industry are constantly moving the needle forward on deliverables, capabilities and quality. Whether we hire a new recruiter who blows the door open on expectations for someone with less than a year experience, or I meet a designer in their 20s who is able to do things I’ve never seen, the bar keeps going up.

Example: I met with a candidate some time back and he was interested in transitioning from construction into the UX field. He had done some light freelance work, but hadn’t landed anywhere. His major differentiator was having a demo reel of him on a project, which I had never seen before. A demo reel? Seriously? For me, that was a game change on expectations. It showed me his process, approach and final result in a seamless, beautiful way. He ended up landing a job within two weeks of me meeting and him and is officially “in” the field.

5. What do you think, or what have you seen be the biggest hurdle for young people in the industry to overcome?

The biggest hurdle I see for younger people is to be comfortable with saying “I don’t know.” Just because you don’t know the answer right now doesn’t mean you can’t figure it out. It doesn’t mean you have to give up. It means you need to dig your heels in and get to work.

6. What would be your advice to young people in the ad community young in their careers with eyes on leadership positions down the road?

The best advice I can give to young people who want to be leaders in this industry is to not forget what’s been done before you, and appreciate the sacrifices other ad people have made in order to make your opportunity possible. Don’t forget the Pat Fallons, Sue Krolicks, Ray Mithuns, John Olsons, and other Minneapolis giants. They are the ones who knocked the doors down and made the Minneapolis ad scene the beautiful thing it is today. And we all expect you to give it your best every day you’re with us.

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