Alex So, Charley. Thanks for taking the time to speak to me today.
Charley No problem!
Alex Let's get straight into it then. First, I'm wondering - can you give me some background on your recruitment experience? What's your story?
Charley Well, my first grad job out of uni was at Boots as a recruitment resourcer. I was on a 6-month fixed term contract at first, so I was also picking up weekend shifts at Tesco.
Alex That sounds intense! How did you cope?
Charley I stuck at it for a while - although my contract at Boots kept getting extended I didn't feel it was as stable as my Tesco job. Over time though, I needed to focus more on my 9-5. I ended up in the store recruitment team, and was then moved onto recruiting for a big-name makeup brand (we were under NDA, but the face of the brand is an international superstar, so no prizes for guessing who!)
Alex No7?
Charley Not exactly, haha. Let's just say Rihanna's makeup line. I moved into the non-store recruitment team after that. We covered everything from finance, to HR and legal, and even Martech.
Alex You'd have to get good at learning quickly, with all that variation.
Charley Yeah, exactly. I do find it ironic I did everything except IT, though!
Alex So, how did you come to learn about Big Red?
Charley About 6 months in, I was working under two managers in a team of about 10. I got on really well with one of them - we really clicked personality-wise and built a strong rapport. She gave me lots of support, and let me shadow her in meetings. Because of her agency experience she was really thorough and I learned a lot from her.
Alex Who was it?
Charley Emily! She spoke really highly of Big Red, even when my other colleagues warned me off the "agency environment".
Alex What do you mean?
Charley Well, coming from internal recruitment, agency recruiters have the reputation of being really fast paced and high pressure.
Alex Ah, it's similar in marketing, too.
Charley Yeah, it's a common theme. I know I was supposed to be put off by that, but actually it sounded like...
Alex ...Exactly what you wanted?
Charley Yes! There's nothing wrong with internal recruitment, it's just quite a slow environment.
Alex Chain of command a mile long?
Charley Totally.
Alex So, once you'd heard about Big Red, what made you want to apply?
Charley Well, I'd been feeling kind of stuck for a while. Em told me all about the culture, the incentives, the targets... It sounded great but I wanted to do my due diligence. So, I got on a call with Hayley - it wasn't an interview, just a chat. I got on with her immediately and we quickly moved to the next stage.
Alex Which was?
Charley I had a day of annual leave left, so I popped down to the Big Red offices to meet with Paul. It was... interesting.
Alex How so?
Charley Well, it was the first interview I've ever had that didn't feel like an interview. I got talking about everything from my family, to where I grew up, how I found school, why I went to Uni... my motivations and interests. It felt more like a therapy session than an interview!
Alex I know the feeling! What happened next?
Charley I met with the team - I think it was James, Jacob, Joe and Sophie.
Alex How did that go?
Charley Well, they all sat across from me, and it felt like a panel interview. So I decided to switch it up and ask them questions instead.
Alex I can imagine that went down well.
Charley Yeah, I really enjoyed getting to know everyone. I think I was giving Jacob grief within the first five minutes.
Alex Nothing's changed there, then...
Charley Nope!
Alex When did you find out you got the job?
Charley I remember it vividly. I drove home. It was a gorgeous sunny day and my partner was in the garden. Em called me and offered me the role. I was over the moon!
Alex I'll bet! Now, some people might not know this about you, but you live quite far away from Big Red. For people looking to negotiate flexible working in their next role, could you describe how you went about this?
Charley Well, it was pretty obvious from the outset that I wouldn't be in the office all the time. Paul knew I lived a couple hours away, so it was cards on the table so to speak. I feel like Paul was initially cautious - Big Red has a really great office vibe and leadership values the engagement the team gets by being around one another. I mentioned that I'd be happy to come in once a week, but that I was pretty comfortable with my work-life balance as it stood. He was fine with that, and now I come into the office once a week, or for a few days at a time if we have an event/trip away.
Alex How does this affect you personally?
Charley It's great, I really like my work from home setup - I get the flexibility to do more with my day. I walk my dog at lunch and head to the gym straight afterwards. And when I'm in the office I make the most of that day - I don't schedule tons of calls or meetings. I use my time there to maximise face to face interaction and learning from the team.
Alex Smart. Now, cast your mind back. What do you feel is your stand-out moment of the past year?
Charley Oooh, is it cheesy for me to say the Devon trip?
Alex Not at all!
Charley Then it's definitely Devon. I mean, which other jobs give you 3 days off to chill with your work mates and get to know everyone better?
Alex It's definitely rare. How do you think it's impacted the wider team?
Charley Well we're all more motivated to make it bigger and better. I feel like it's helped narrow our focus on what needs doing to get to our goals. And we're all a lot closer now, which makes for a more effective team dynamic.
Alex Couldn't agree more. On that note - looking back at past roles, what do you think sets Big Red apart?
Charley Honestly, it's our accountability values. We really do take full responsibility for the client's pain and problems... we make it our own. And the accountability means they can rest easy knowing we're getting it done to a high standard.
Alex I love that. More reflection: if you could start again a year ago, would you do anything differently?
Charley Oooh, interesting. Maybe one thing - you know how I mentioned before about the reputation agencies have?
Alex Yeah - fast-paced and difficult?
Charley Exactly that. If I could do this past year again, I'd be more confident in my ability from the outset. Yes, I had to learn about the financial side of recruitment, which was new, but I think I adapted really quickly. I know it's only natural to hold back on self-promotion at first, but I think Charley of a year ago was more than capable.
Alex That's a really great point. I think getting into any new job is daunting, especially when you've got high standards for yourself.
Charley Totally. And that leads into the one thing I'd do similarly, if I had to do this past year again.
Alex What's that?
Charley I asked ALL the questions, and really committed to learning. I think in any job that's crucial but in recruitment, if you don't ask you'll fall behind. I'm glad I had the foresight to make connections with the team and ask about anything I didn't understand.
Alex Great advice. Now, my last question for you is this: What advice would you give someone looking for their next recruitment role?
Charley Always be yourself - I know it's cliche. But in practice this just means bringing your personality along. People buy into people. Picture yourself as the recruiter you'd want to help you find your next role. And really work on your communication skills: be honest, set and manage expectations, and build rapport with everyone you speak to. You never know what that Little Black Book will yield in future!
Alex Thanks Charley. Loads of great stuff to chew over here.
