I have recently joined the Selective Group as a Commercial Recruitment Consultant and one of the things that I have noticed since entering the recruitment world is just how few Women are in positions of leadership in our industry. I understand that predominantly these roles have been male dominated, but women are now rising the ranks and balancing the scales.

I have the benefit of sitting in the same office as one of those women helping to shift the balance and I thought it would be a great opportunity to sit down with her and have a chat about her experience and career journey to become the Managing Director of Selective Group.

I have the pleasure of Introducing Emma Hunt, my MD and one of my mentors.

Hi Emma, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to speak with me today.

We have had various chats in the office together regarding our industry, woman in business and how to develop my own career, which really inspired me to take the conversation and set it into an interview style article.

I really admire your leadership style as well as the advice and guidance you have offered me so far during my time at Selective. I think that you and your story of how you have grown your own career to MD status as well as balancing your time as a working Mum, is something that would speak to a lot of other women who are aspiring to achieve the same goals.

Can I start by asking you how you began your career within the recruitment industry?

My first steps into recruitment were by pure coincidence. I am a qualified accountant and following the birth of my first daughter 16 years ago I found myself redundant whilst on maternity leave. It was a pretty daunting time for my family. There was no such thing as hybrid or remote working 16 years ago, so my only route was to seek a part time opportunity.

I was struggling to find the right job and unfortunately nothing was really standing out to me. So, for the first time in my working life, I approached an agency to help me.

The Agency I walked into register with was Secondcite, which we now know as Selective Group. Whilst registering with one of the consultants they asked me if I had ever considered the recruitment industry?  It just so happened that they were recruiting internally for a credit controller to join the team and felt that I would be a good fit.

I was invited to interview with a lovely lady called Nic, who I am still in contact with today. Nic was so warm and welcoming and immediately put me at ease. It really felt like we were having a conversation, she was relatable, we were both working Mums and she made me think that I could do the job well. I was really impressed with the opportunity that Secondcite offered me and accepted the job.

I worked as their credit controller from 2008 until 2016, I started part time, and as my children grew up my hours increased, and I found myself taking on more responsibilities within the business.

The role was a great introduction to the recruitment industry, and I learnt a lot. It gave me a unique overview of how our business worked and enabled me to build direct relationships with every single client on our books. I learnt about every sector, from transport, to healthcare, commercial and industrial. I am a firm believer that building those business relationships, truly understanding their needs, and establishing trust with the decision makers and hiring manager then led to the growth of our business and has been the key to my own success within the recruitment industry.

How did you persevere through the tough times?

I try to remember that it’s a tough time not a tough life. I am very lucky to have a great support network, I learnt to manage my time effectively and I also understand the importance of asking for help when I need it. I firmly believe that trusting the team that you have built around you is vital to successfully negotiating your way through tough times.

During Covid we set up the covid testing sites up and down the country and we had no idea what that looked or felt like. I encouraged the team to get out there and be my eyes and ears. They worked in every role within the site as we needed to understand the set up and build a blueprint for other sites that we opened.  This time was tough for our industry and the resilience the team showed me, their hard work and determination was what got us through proving that you are only as strong as the team around you.

What are your top tips for growing a company?

Network, Network and Network some more. Business relationships are key to any successful business.

Never over promise, always be honest and have integrity.

What are the three most important habits to be a successful?

Be yourself: People won’t trust you if you are faking it. You need to show genuine interest in their business and have enthusiasm for their success.

Be consistent: In everything you do, utilising the relevant technology to ensure that you are compliant, be an effective communicator, I strive to treat people how I wish to be treated.

Have resilience: Recruitment is a tough industry, and you need to understand that it is not always going to be easy. That’s why it’s so important to have the right team around you.

What’s your favourite aspect of working within our industry and what is your worst?

My favourite is working with a people. I get a buzz from winning that account, placing that candidate. I genuinely love seeing other people achieve whether it’s a client building a successful team, helping a candidate get their dream job or the best one watching my own team achieve and supersede their own goals and ambitions.

And the worst…

Umm possibly working with people… No, in all seriousness people are our industry and we must accept that everyone is human, however it can lead to frustrations and disappointment especially when people are dishonest and take advantage of others.

Do you ever experience resistance when you are leading men?  How do you deal with it?

Truthfully in the past yes, but I’ve learnt that preparation is key. If you are setting a task, then don’t give that person an opportunity to say no. Also, I know my business and I find that if you can come to anyone with your facts and figures, it’s hard to argue with that or resist with your point of view.

I am fortunate that I haven’t come across this in Selective, both my bosses are male, and they trust my judgement, will allow me to steer the business and are great at taking onboard ideas.

How do you stay on top of industry trends?

I work with a group of fantastic Managers, and other Managing Directors who are very well informed. We regularly get together to share ideas and discuss trends within our market.

Describe your leadership style and how you “lead” others. Is it different from your male counterparts?

I don’t think I necessary do things differently to a man per say. I don’t like to micromanage, and I think that I strive to treat people fairly.

I am visible to the team and try and be approachable, give ideas and advise when asked for it or just be a sounding board for my team. I have found that active listening is an essential skill, which has given me a huge amount of prospective.

Ultimately, I trust my team to do their job. I encourage them to think outside of the box, ask questions and give them a forum to openly share their ideas. It makes a huge difference to their overall confidence when they realise that they have the answers and you’ve just helped them see it, made suggestions to improve it or share your benefit of experience.

When you began your career, did you ever imagine that you would have a leadership role in this profession and who inspired you to be a leader and why?

I didn’t join this industry or company to be a leader, I never imagined that I would be a Managing Director within the Recruitment Industry. I was very fortunate, and I had a lot of encouragement and support from my bosses. They really believed in me and felt that I could lead this team and business successfully.

In your opinion what factors impact a woman’s ability to lead others?

Lack of confidence in her own abilities or belief in herself.

In my opinion and experience men aren’t as afraid of vocalising their expertise or talking about their strengths and are great at self-marketing.

Most woman, not all I grant you, are naturally more modest about their abilities and cautious about vocalising their talents. They don’t want to appear as arrogant or difficult. In my experience the most successful woman leaders are balanced with their approach; they take on the mentally of being more vocal about their talent and abilities and dare I say it not caring or being self-conscious of what other people think, at least in public. It is challenging to overcome that stigma of woman boss, but I would always encourage other women to empower themselves as well as other women around them.

Teamwork to make the dream work?

Exactly that, a great team is vital to any successful business.

Have you ever felt the imposter syndrome, and if so, how did you navigate your way through it?

Of course, it’s impossible to avoid the inner monolog of how did I end up here? Am I good enough? I think it’s important to actively review your journey. Stop and take a moment to see how far you have come. It’s humbling but it’s also a great reminder to yourself that you wouldn’t be where you are now by accident. Your hard work and achievements have got you here and that’s what should help you get through those times.

How important is it to have a mentor to grow as a leader?

So important, I would not be where I am without the support of my Mentors. I highly value the time and guidance they have offered me. Their faith in me has been fundamental to my success.

What strategies can work well to promote inclusion in the workplace?

Unconscious bias is a real issue that as an industry we must try and overcome. Every organisation has different strategies to tackle this, and I think it depends on the size of your organisation on how best to promote inclusivity within the workplace.

Personally, I believe inclusivity can and should be a business greatest strength. Ultimately, it shouldn’t matter how you choose to live your life outside of work, how old you are, where you come from, if you are privileged or not.

What I pay attention to when looking for an ideal candidate, is do you have integrity, are you good at your job, what drives you and can you add value to the team and business.

What advice do you have for women looking to grow either their own business or women within this industry?

If you are starting in this industry, it can be an exciting and rewarding job. It’s important to find the right people/agency to work with that will give you great training and opportunities to thrive. Soft skills cannot be taught but the principles of great recruiting are vital to your success. Learning from the top biller, understanding the basics fully and performing them to the highest standard.

So, to borrow from Coco Chanel “Always keep your head, heels, and standards high”

Yes definitely.

In terms of starting your own business, this is a tough industry so I would find a mentor who will invest their knowledge and experience, which is a great way of up-skilling yourself and helping you stay on target to achieve your goals.

What advice would you give your 25-year-old self?

Let go of negativity. Keep going you don’t know what opportunities are coming, don’t be afraid to take more chances and be less fearful.

What are the ways you stay grounded and take care of yourself?

I spend time with my kids, I ride my horse, she is very good at humbling me regularly especially if I don’t ask her to do something in the correct tone, she will quickly unseat me and put me on the ground. Nothing quite more grounding than being put flat on your back by a 14-hand moody mare.

What do you want to achieve next?

I try not to set out too many advance expectations on myself.

I have learnt to never over plan and set unachievable goals. Don’t get me wrong I am always happy to grow and develop but I think that by applying too much pressure to achieve, is just a recipe for burn out and failure.

I have never worked well under those circumstances, personally I think that you should be open to opportunities that present themselves, appreciate what you have and encourage your team to achieve, and you will grow and achieve with them.

As recruiters we have all experienced the dreaded call from our clients.

Client: “The candidate isn’t here yet?”

Recruiter: “I am so sorry, they confirmed their attendance, and I text them this morning, let me call them and find out where they are?”

Recruiter then calls, texts, sends an email, DMs, checks their LinkedIn, WhatsApp’s, voice notes and sends a carrier pigeon, message in a bottle but to no avail. Zero response from the candidate that had faithfully confirmed their attendance to the interview and spoken to you about how excited they were to attend!

YOU HAVE BEEN GHOSTED

A recent survey revealed that a staggering 83% of candidates had ghosted potential employers. So why is this such a common trend?

Ghosting can happen at any given time during the recruitment process. The candidate may not attend the interview, stopped responding to contact following a successful interview, or they may have accepted an offer and then simply not shown up on their first day of work.

This behaviour is seriously frustrating not only for the recruiter but for the hiring managers. It is a waste of time, resources and can potentially damage reputations and business relationships. 

Good Manner’s Cost Nothing

So, what is it that drives this behaviour have we really reached a time in our society where good manners have been lost as well as the ability to value people’s time. It is thought that the fear of confrontation plays a significant psychological factor, which then contributes to candidates choosing to ghost rather than have potential uncomfortable conversations, that can for many people trigger feelings of anxiety and stress.

It’s not tit for tat

Now the trend seems to be catching on with recruiters and hiring managers alike with some candidates experiencing ghosting during the application process. Not hearing back from recruiters or having to chase hiring managers for feedback. It’s all starting to feel a little bit like playground tactics of well if they did it to me, so I’ll do it back. It’s time for us to all, dare I say it, grow up and have an adult conversation.

Lead by example

Ensure that as recruiters you hold yourself accountable, effectively communicate with all candidates and applicants, No one likes to deliver bad news and I admit it’s my least favourite part of the job, but you need to treat people fairly and follow up on your promises. Make sure that people feel that you value their time. Building good solid relationships won’t stop ghosting entirely but it will help to identify if there is any holes in your communicative style and could help avoid it from occurring.

Remove the fear from the equation

Encourage open and candid conversations without judgement with your candidates and clients. If we know that candidates can be triggered by confrontation and if the fear of having difficult conversations is the root cause of the ghosting culture, then remove the fear. Ask open questions to the candidates at the point of screening to establish if they are considering other opportunities, do they have a preference, and don’t take offence if the answer is not your role.

At least you will know where you stand, and it will give you an opportunity to look at alternative candidates ahead of them potentially regretting your clients interview or offer. Or it could help you to decide how serious the candidate is about the opportunity in the first place.

Make it okay for your candidates to say no

As recruiters we make our money by placing candidates, we are salespeople, and ultimately, we tend to have a nature to push and not to take no for an answer. But this is can be counterproductive especially when trying to engage with candidates who are struggling to communicate and may find it too intimidating to speak to you on the phone especially if it’s not positive news. If that’s the case, encourage your candidates to provide you with open and honest feedback. Explain that you are happy to except that an answer by email or text and this is perfectly acceptable. Don’t try and force a conversation with candidates that don’t want to communicate. Best to move on and not waste your time and energy. 

Consistent Communication

Feedback is so important, but so is consistency. It is important to establish good practice measures to your communicative style. Create checklists for yourself to ensure that you are consistent with your communication and try and treat each interaction with your candidates as an opportunity to confirm their status.

When confirming an interview: I personally verbally confirm their availability and at this point I check if they have reviewed the job spec and what research they have done. By doing this it again helps to confirm their level of commitment and interest.

I then email confirmation to both candidate and client, I ask for the candidate to confirm their attendance by receipt of my email.

Follow this up with a further call to confirm they are ready; do they need help with interview preparation. Have they effectively researched the company, read through their CV/the job spec and do they have any questions prepared.

Send a “get out” and good luck text the morning of, which could read “Hi just checking all is well for your interview today, if you are having any issues attending, please can you contact me asap so that I can rearrange or cancel on your behalf. Wishing you best of luck and look forward to hearing how it goes. Kind regards”

Follow up with a debrief call. This allows you to get a feel for the candidate’s initial gut instincts, do they have any concerns, what did they think about the company,  text if they don’t answer straightaway.

I have recently been speaking to a lot of candidates that are either taking their first steps into the world of work or candidates that haven’t had much interview experience. So wanted to share some helpful tips that may help you prepare to go into your next interview with confidence.

1. Read The Job Description

While the first interview is mainly used to get to know you, and the questions asked may be quite general, Make sure you read the responsibilities, qualifications, skills, and other requirements of the vacancy. This means you can reflect ahead of time on the personal experiences and knowledge you want to present to the Hiring Manager.

2. Review Your CV Before The Interview

Read through your CV or application form and think about things the interviewer may ask you about. For example: are there any career gaps or short temporary contracts (be prepared to explain the gaps and any temporary contracts you may have worked) What are your achievements, and highlights of your career?

3. Avoid Speaking Negatively

Even if you had a bad experience, talking negatively about your pervious employers or colleagues will just reflect badly on you. If asked why you left your last job, it’s best to be respectful and keep it simple.

4. Mind your Ps and Qs

It sounds obvious but remember to present yourself in the best light, speak clearly using formal business language, be polite and have good etiquette. Please don’t use slang or swear words and be respectful. This showcases that you can meet business contacts, customers and communicate in an appropriate way. Be mindful of your body language, make eye contact and look alert and engaged in the conversation.

5. Prepare Some Examples

During the interview, this is your chance to sell yourself and showcase why you are the right candidate for the job. The interviewer may ask you to give an example of when you have used a particular skill set or demonstrate your strengths as a candidate. For instance, you may be asked how you showed resilience or handled conflict in the workplace. Be prepared to provide examples that show you have the right skills, personal qualities, and experience for the position and company you are applying to.

6. Stay Calm

It’s okay to be nervous, it shows that you want to make a good impression and that you care. Just remember that the person interviewing you is a person too and that they just want to get to know you. If your nerves are getting the best of you, take some deep breaths, and compose yourself. If you stumble or are unsure of how to answer a question, simply say to the interviewer, “Is it okay to circle back to that question I would like some time to think about how to answer it” Then when you are ready you can drop your answer into the conversation at the appropriate time.

7. Research The Company & Hiring Manager

Many candidates overlook this and it’s such an important step. Review the company’s website, social media, and communication channels, if possible, look up the person interviewing you on Linkedin. Having a full understanding of the company’s operations will give you confidence going into the interview and help you to focus some of your answers or raise questions to ask the hiring manager. Make sure you know what the company does, what are their values, mission statement, and what are its goals for the future.

8. Review the Company’s Product or Service

If the company sells a product or service, it is a great opportunity for you to review the process from a customer’s point of view. If you are hired for the position, your goal will be to create value for the customers, and being a user is the first step to understanding their needs. It will also show the hiring manager that you are greatly interested in the position.

9. Be Punctual

Ahead of your interview, ensure that you know how to get to the location of the interview. Figure out public transport options or places you could park in advance. Plan to arrive 5 to 10 minutes before the interview starts and make sure to call your recruiter if you are running late or lost so that they can advise the client that you are on your way.

10. Dress to Impress

First impressions always count, and it can have a significant effect on the way your interviewer views you. There is a reason people say, “dress for the job that you want”. We would always recommend business formal attire, even if the company has a casual dress policy. It is better to be overdressed and go for more formal business attire and please if you are wearing a formal shirt don’t forget to wear a tie.

11. Don’t forget to Ask Questions

Everyone dreads it when and interviewer asks you “Do you have any questions” at the end of the interview. However, this is a fantastic opportunity for you to really drill down and showcase your interests in the role and company. Many interviewers use this to evaluate if you have genuine interest in the company and position. It gives you yet another opportunity to leave the interviewer with a positive and lasting impression. We would recommend that you prepare some of your questions ahead of time. You can use your research on the company, position and hiring manager to inspire you. It’s fine to go in with a list of questions to hand if you are worried about remembering them. If you are stuck, then being proactive and asking the interviewer for feedback on how they felt the interview went or asking them if they have any reservations on offering you the role, is a good way of gauging your chances of being offered the job or a final opportunity for you to address and reassure them of any concerns they may have.

11. Video Interview

• If you are having a Zoom/Teams video interview these are our top tips for success.
• Wear the same outfit that you would have if the interview were being held face-to-face.
• Have a neutral background free of distractions. Best practice would be to blur your background.
• Do the interview in a quiet spot where you won’t get disturbed.
• Make sure you have a good internet connection or strong mobile signal if you’re tethering.
• If your device’s microphone isn’t very good, try using some earphones with a mic. For example, the kind you get with a mobile phone, or a headset.
• Try to look into the camera when you’re talking. That way you’ll be maintaining some form of eye contact.

Overall Being properly prepared will set you up for success, set you apart from other candidates and will account for the impression you will leave the hiring manager with. It will also give you an opportunity to reflect on your own needs, which will then help you better understand if the company and position is the right fit for you and your career aspirations.

If you are looking for your next opportunity, please feel free to get in touch.

Gail.farmer@selective-group.com
01235 462 938