Meet the Magnopians: Ben Page
Ben has spent nearly seven years in recruitment, beginning in the agency world before transitioning in-house to focus on building lasting teams he could also be part of. At Magnopus, he’s been involved in hiring across programming, art, design, and support functions in the UK, helping bring the talented people behind our amazing projects on board. Working in the immersive industry means thinking outside the box to find the right talent – a challenge Ben thrives on!
Tell us about your role at Magnopus.
Day to day, I work with hiring managers and senior leadership to figure out the team and the wider company's needs, then go out and find the right people to join us. Right from the start, my focus is on communication and building a real connection with candidates. It's about genuinely getting to know them and ensuring they feel informed and prepared every step of the way. I manage everything from that first conversation to keeping interviews on track, and I contribute to hiring strategy when needed. Because the roles I cover are so varied, there’s always something different going on – something I really enjoy. The best part for me is seeing someone settle in and do well here. Aside from day-to-day recruiting, we’re always looking for ways to improve our processes and keep the candidate experience top-tier, so there are always side projects on the go, too.
How did you get into recruitment in this industry?
Before Magnopus, I’d mostly been recruiting in financial services, so stepping into creative tech was definitely a learning curve. I came across the role and checked out the work Magnopus was doing – it immediately caught my eye. Seeing the projects on the website made me think it would be incredible to be part of that. Even though I hadn’t hired in this industry before, I’d spent years recruiting for niche and technical roles, so I knew I could bring those skills to the table and learn the rest along the way. Looking back over the last three years, the projects we’ve worked on have been even more impressive than I imagined.
What do you look for in applicants? What makes someone perfect for Magnopus?
In my experience, the people who thrive at Magnopus aren’t just skilled in the tools of their trade – whether that’s a game engine, DCC package, or something entirely different. What really makes someone stand out is their mindset. Our work is often experimental and pushes the boundaries of what’s possible, so we look for people who love exploring new ideas, figuring things out, and learning by doing. Collaboration is a huge part of what makes our projects work, so being someone who shares knowledge freely and builds on others’ ideas is key. If you’re naturally curious, creative, and enjoy solving tricky problems together, you’ll fit right in here.
What three skills do you think are essential for anyone in a recruitment role?
If I had to pick three skills, I’d say communication, empathy, and resilience. Communication is key for connecting with candidates and hiring managers, empathy helps you understand people’s motivations and experiences, and resilience is essential for navigating the ups and downs that come with recruiting.
If you had unlimited resources and funding, what project or initiative would you launch? Doesn’t have to be work-related!
If I had unlimited resources, I’d put them into changing the way English speakers (especially us Brits) think about learning other languages. We rely so much on everyone speaking English, but you miss out on so much culture when you’re unilingual. I only changed my mindset in my mid-20s when I started learning French, and I can say firsthand how tough it is to learn as an adult. But it’s been so worth it. I’ve had conversations with strangers while travelling in French-speaking countries that I never would’ve had otherwise. If we encouraged that mindset earlier in life, people would get so much more out of the world.
Tell us something that would surprise us!
I used to compete as a national-level springboard and platform diver when I was younger. It feels like a lifetime ago now, but the skills still come in handy whenever I find a cliff on holiday!
What’s your tactic for surviving a zombie apocalypse?
Honestly, I think everyone’s outlook in a zombie apocalypse would be pretty bleak. I’d probably just let the first one bite me and hope my experience was more like Warm Bodies, where you keep your consciousness and can carry on living.
One place you want to travel to in the world?
I’d love to visit the Norwegian fjords. The idea of staying in a little log cabin with a sauna, surrounded by the water and mountains, sounds pretty perfect to me.
What’s your favourite thing to do when you’re not working?
Long walks with friends where we frequently stop in pubs along the way. I think it has a name?
