How did you join the team at Coleman James?
Before coming to Coleman James, I had worked in internal recruitment for 10 years in a different sector. I felt I was ready for a new challenge. One of my friends worked at Coleman James and always spoke highly of the company and culture. Based on her positive comments, I decided to reach out to Coleman James and register my interest.
I was invited to go into the office for an informal chat to discuss my aspirations and what I wanted from my career. I then came back for an interview with Beth, my soon-to-be manager, before meeting Andrew, the managing director.
What stood out to me when meeting the team was how at ease I felt. I knew this was the place I wanted to be.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Every day is different, which is something that I love. I work securing candidates for various roles within the civil engineering industry. That can be commercial opportunities and operational roles, to finance and health and safety.
I can spend my day head-hunting candidates, reaching out and sharing details of the roles I have available, suited to their backgrounds. I’m often out and about meeting people. Whether that’s visiting new or existing clients to understand their business needs and build relationships, or meeting with candidates over a coffee to find out more about them as an individual so that I can support them with their next career move.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
For me, it’s the job satisfaction that I get from finding a candidate their dream career. I get to know each individual from day one; finding out what’s important and how we can make a difference in their life. Seeing that through to the end and finding them the job they’ve always wanted is the thing I enjoy most.
You recently won the Rising Star award at the Coleman James Awards. How did you feel about winning the award?
I’d been with Coleman James for just over a year at that point, so it was the cherry on the cake after a fantastic 12 months. We had a fabulous day in York celebrating the team, and winning made the day extra special.
That’s one of the things I love; every time Coleman James celebrates our success, it’s something completely different. I’ve attended two celebration events, Everyman Cinema and The Ivy in York and Rockcliffe Hall last year. One year there was a trip to Croatia. It’s always something fun and exciting, and it’s nice to be rewarded for the hard work we all put in.
What are the key ingredients for a successful career in recruitment?
You need to be resilient. It’s easy to let things get to you when they don’t go to plan, especially when you genuinely care about what you do. But you’ve got to have the ability to bounce back and respond to changes like shifts in the job market and different demands from candidates and clients. You need to have that resilience and not let things get you down.
What would your advice be to anyone considering a career in recruitment?
I fell into recruitment by accident, but I love it. It broadens your skill set and experience. You could go from relationship-building and networking to negotiation skills. There’s a real diversity in the activities that you undertake as a recruiter. It helps you grow both professionally and personally. It can be a rewarding, engaging, and interesting role.
What training and support is on offer at Coleman James?
The training is fantastic. I went through a 12-week training programme, which included our processes, systems, and industry knowledge. I also had regular catch-ups with Jemma, our People Manager, to ensure I was on track with everything. The whole process was brilliant.
I also had regular training sessions with an external training provider, Sophie. I attended a couple of workshops with Sophie that were informative and I took a lot away from them. Having been in recruitment for ten years, sometimes you feel like you know it all, but you don’t! So even though I’ve been in the industry a long time, the training sessions were really useful.
Aside from the formal training, I’ve also had a huge amount of support from my manager, Beth. She has shared so much knowledge and expertise with me. It’s been so helpful and has played a key part in my success at Coleman James.
Everybody in my team, and the whole organisation, is supportive. There are no egos, everyone just wants each other to do well. So whenever you need support, everyone chips in to help each other. It’s rare to find that.
Why would you recommend starting a career at Coleman James?
Yes, absolutely. You’re working amongst the best. There are a lot of people here who have been in the industry for a long time. They have a lot of experience and knowledge and they’re always willing to share it.
Coleman James tailors its approach to each member of staff. Everyone learns differently, everyone takes in information differently, and everyone has different personal circumstances. Coleman James adapts to everyone and supports us all in any way we need as individuals.