After graduating from Strathclyde Business School with a degree in Marketing and founding a marketing agency, I knew I wanted to stay close to the fast-moving world of marketing. My passion for business growth, creative problem-solving, and building meaningful connections made recruitment a natural next step.
Now, one month into my role as a specialist marketing recruiter at Nine Twenty, I’ve already seen the impact the right hire can have, not just on business performance, but on team culture and long-term success.
In this blog, I’m sharing a little about my background, what attracted me to Nine Twenty, and what I’ve learned during my first few weeks in the role.
From Agency Founder to Marketing Recruiter
Before joining Nine Twenty, I launched and scaled Glasgrowth, a marketing agency that worked with businesses from large multinationals to family run businesses. As a founder, I was responsible for everything from client delivery to business development. But one of the most challenging (and rewarding) parts of running the agency was hiring.
I quickly realised that finding the right marketing talent was one of the biggest blockers to scaling successfully, not just for my agency, but for many of the clients we worked with.
That experience sparked a passion for recruitment. I understood the real-world importance of building marketing teams that align with a company’s culture, goals, and growth plans. Today, I get to use that knowledge to help other businesses navigate the same journey - and avoid costly hiring mistakes along the way.
Why I Joined Nine Twenty
Nine Twenty stood out to me because of its specialist focus, strong reputation, and supportive team culture. From my first conversation with Kerry, at the Scottish Marketing Network Event, it was clear this was an organisation that valued expertise, collaboration, and doing recruitment the right way.
In my first month, I’ve had the chance to:
- Support talented marketers with advice, finding them opportunities, that align with their career goals
- Partner with businesses across Scotland to understand their hiring needs
- Build a growing network of marketing professionals across both agency and in-house teams
- Be a part of running the Scottish Marketing Networking Event
It’s been an exciting start - and I’m just getting going.
What Makes a Great Marketing Candidate?
With my background in marketing, I know what hiring managers are really looking for when they say they want a “great marketer.”
Some of the key traits I look for in top marketing candidates include:
- A strong foundation in digital channels (such as content, paid media, or email marketing)
- Curiosity and a willingness to learn, especially in fast-moving industries
- Confidence working with data to inform decisions and measure success
- A creative mindset with commercial awareness
- Familiarity with tools (Meta Business Suite, Google Analytics, WordPress, and Adobe Creative Cloud)
Ultimately, it’s about more than just technical skills, the best marketers are proactive, adaptable, and passionate about making an impact.
How I Help Businesses Overcome Hiring Challenges
Many of the businesses I speak with are struggling with common challenges when hiring for marketing roles. These include:
- Low-quality or irrelevant applications
- Difficulty identifying candidates who are both creative and strategic
- A lack of cultural fit with new hires
- Time-consuming and unclear hiring processes
At Nine Twenty, I support clients by going beyond the job spec. I take time to understand the business, the team, and the goals behind the hire. I then use that insight, combined with my marketing background, to connect clients with candidates who are not only skilled, but aligned with their culture and values.
What’s Next for Me
Over the coming months, my focus is clear:
- To become the go-to expert for marketing recruitment in Scotland for marketing agencies.
- To support graduates and emerging marketers in launching their careers, as well as those more experienced careers kick on with their career.
- To help more businesses build high-performing marketing teams.
You might be hiring your first marketer or scaling a full digital team, regardless I’m here to help.
Get in Touch
If you're looking to grow your marketing team, or you're a marketing professional considering your next move, I’d love to hear from you.
You can reach me directly at:
+44 7796 973130
madams@weareninetwenty.com
www.linkedin.com/in/matthewadams02