Below she shares what has changed in her time with us, as well the things that remain important constants in order to be successful in the industry.
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
I would say, number one is my team, it’s really important as we are a close-knit team. I would describe them as a second family. They are all very different, real individuals but we all pull together and support one another. It’s important to me to have the respect of my team, they don’t have to love me – but I want them to know that my door is always open and they can come to me for guidance and support and that I am firm, fair and honest.
Learning and development is huge at Reed and I never stop learning. My desire to learn has never wavered. I embrace new technology, new ideas in terms of growing business; doing the same business but with a different approach. It presents challenges, but it can be extremely rewarding.
I still get a huge amount of satisfaction from placing the best people with my clients, we work hard to ensure that we understand what the client wants and build upon those relationships. It’s great to see all the hard work come to fruition.
I thrive on being recognised as a successful team, working hard yes, but working SMART. It’s important for me that my team see the value in what they are doing, for themselves, their clients and candidates.
You’ve been a co-member at Reed for 35 years, what have been the most notable changes?
Embracing the technology, I’ve always recruited consultants who are better at it than me, as they tend to have new ideas on how to get the best out of new technology. When I started my career at Reed it was a pad, pen, yellow pages and a pink card with client information on. I was a successful Temps Consultants, then a Perms Consultant before I became a Manager.
The importance of the customer service for clients and candidates is probably more important than ever now…
I will say though that no matter what technology is available, that the job is still the same in terms of the service delivery. The importance of the customer service for clients and candidates is probably more important than ever now, being an expert in your field and someone the client can trust.
The growth of the Reed network over the years is vital too, you have that expertise running throughout the group to communicate with and develop internal relationships which in turn help to forge stronger external ones.
What advice would you give to new Recruitment Consultants or someone considering a career in the industry?
With new Consultants, I always look at what they’ve done well previously. Always focus on a WIN-WIN situation; someone who can walk away from a situation leaving everyone involved with a ‘good feel’ factor.
I’ve always grown up with this mentality at Reed. It might be you have to meet them half- way sometimes, but if the experience and outcome has been a positive one, that’s the best way to be and how you will and retain and grow relationships . Focus on the last positive feedback you had and repeat the good things you do and learn from your mistakes.
If you are considering a new career in Recruitment, I would advise that you need to make sure you really want it. Research the industry, what’s required of the role, the sector you are applying for and talk to people in the job. Recruitment is unique, it’s a role that demands many talents and skills, but it can also be extremely rewarding both career-wise and financially.
Some of the traits I’ve noticed in successful Consultants I have recruited in the past, are that they:
Have the ability to listen well
Learn quickly
Ask lots of relevant questions to test their understanding
Persevere when it seems impossible
Are adaptable
Have the desire to, and strive to, succeed
Christine Lambert Linton is the Area Manager for Stratford Business Support. For more information about our office locations click here.