1. What inspired you to pursue a career in talent advisory with Barden?
What inspired me the most to make the change was the opportunity Barden gave me to use my ACA Qualification in a different way by helping people. I knew straight away that Barden’s core values aligned with mine, specifically caring about people and always doing the right thing for people. To that effect, I knew that I would really enjoy the talent advisory aspect of working at Barden, I instantly felt that I belonged here, and my 3 years have flown by!
2. What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?
Two lessons in particular stand out:
- Always give 100% effort
- Always keep your word
Hard work and integrity are key attributes to succeed in any career and no matter what, if you always stay true to those values day-to-day, you can go home content.
3. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone considering a career change?
Be as informed as possible. Have conversations with trusted advisors, peers who may have made similar career moves, etc. Be curious and ask questions so that you have all the information you need to help make the best decision for you.
4. Can you describe a project or accomplishment at Barden that you’re particularly proud of?
Being promoted to Senior Associate last year, alongside my amazing colleague, Bernie Duffy. Bernie and I started together with Barden on the exact same day 3 years ago and it has been so nice to share this journey with her. She keeps Brian and I on our toes, in fairness – which is needed at times!
5. What aspect of your work at Barden excites you the most?
The people aspect! Whether it is working closely on recently qualified accounting roles with my teammates Brian and Bernie, working with talent through advisory sessions, CV reviews, and interview preparation, or going to meet clients at their offices – I really get energised from meeting people and helping them!
6. What’s a hobby/ interest you have that might surprise us?
I am big into tennis. I am a member of Sunday’s Well tennis club at home in Cork and it is a fantastic club, in a beautiful setting overlooking the River Lee. The highlight (this came as a surprise to me also!) was being asked, along with 10 other club members, to play some exhibition matches at Queen’s tennis club in London for a weekend last summer. Needless to say, I don’t think I won any of my matches, but it was a great experience to play on their famous grass courts!
7. If you could master a new skill instantly, what would it be and why?
To be fluent in the Hindi language! For some context, my wife, Monika, is originally from India. We met in college at UCC 6 years ago, and she is perfectly bilingual in English and Hindi. We travelled to India quite recently to celebrate Diwali with her family and had the most amazing time. However, when my wife and mother-in-law converse in Hindi and, on occasion, look at me and laugh, I would love to understand and be in on the joke! I have picked up some key words, such as “Sundar”, which means beautiful, and “Maff Kardo” which means “I am sorry” but these words only win me a couple of brownie points, especially when I overuse them!
8. If you could swap jobs with anyone for a day, who would it be and what would you do?
I would swap jobs for a day with the Formula One driver, Charles LeClerc. The opportunity to drive a Ferrari in a Formula One race would be simply incredible – for the adrenaline rush alone! Also, the fact that LeClerc lives in Monaco, surrounded by luxury and yachts, sounds like a nice lifestyle! I even noticed that he got VIP seats at Wimbledon this year and recently, attended the Gladiator II Premier in London with Paul Mescal – so yeah, a day in the life of LeClerc could be really enjoyable!
9. What’s one thing you’d like to accomplish, personally or professionally, in the next year?
In January of 2023, not content with just playing tennis, I decided to take up padel tennis as a sport, and I actually came up with a 2-year plan to make the Irish Padel Tennis team by the summer of 2025. A fanciful New Year’s Resolution let’s say! Well, we are over two years into that plan and let me tell you, that dream is no closer to becoming a reality! It is a bit like when you are growing up and you say I want to be a professional soccer player – a pipe dream really, but you never know!
10. What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?
Just be yourself! Be your own authentic self in everything you do and don’t be afraid to create your own personal style. That is one thing that stood out when I joined Barden 3 years ago – Barden really champions and encourages the mindset of embracing your individuality, and it really makes working here a fun and comfortable environment to thrive in! So, yeah – be your authentic self!
Barden have been appointed to act on behalf of Jonathan Sheahan and his team in Compass Private Wealth to support the appointment of a Financial Advisor to strengthen their growing team nationally.
“Compass Private Wealth was formed on holistic top-down asset allocation advice to clients – putting their needs and future first and backing that with up with concrete data. Pat mirrors our intuitive approach in Compass and his depth of experience and network is exactly what we need to together bring the business forward”– Jonathan Sheahan, Managing Director of Compass Private Wealth.
With Pat Holohan’s recent appointment as Senior Financial Advisor, Compass Private Wealth are embarking on a new phase of growth as they enter their second decade of business with a highly established and robust existing client base composed of significant organisations and high net worth individuals. The Compass team have big ambitions in terms of the service they provide and the nature and depth of the clients they support as they head into 2025 and beyond.
Jonathan and his team are looking to appoint a CFP-qualified finance professional who operates in an advisory first manner, has investment management experience, and can support key clients for this next phase of business.
If you are curious about what the team are doing and would like to be part of this next phase of growth, reach out to Jodie.meehan@barden.ie for a confidential conversation
We are asking YOU to join US to help THEM
A little about the Barden & Barretstown Christmas Swim:
Every December since 2021, the Barden team and our wider community have been taking the plunge for Barretstown, from the 40ft in Sandycove, Balscadden in Howth, the Persian Gulf in Dubai, the Atlantic of the Algarve, and even as far afield as Fountainstown in Cork!!!!
Hundreds of brave people have helped us raise over €30,000 for the amazing Barretstown and this December, we go again…
This year, our goal is to raise at least €20,000 to support the children of Barretstown and make 2025 as memorable as possible for families across Ireland.
If you’re here, then you’re thinking of getting into the water this December for a truly wonderful cause – well done and thank you!
Got togs? Then you can help 🙂
Here’s how it works:
Once 100 swims have been logged, Barden will donate €5,000 to Barretstown. If we surpass our goal of 100 swims, we will even dig a little deeper for extra donations towards Barretstown 😉
Want to go the extra knot?
- After your swim, nominate three friends to get into the water!
- If you would rather stay dry but still want to support, you can contribute to our GoFundMe page here >>> and help spread the word by sharing it with family, friends, colleagues, and WhatsApp groups.
A little about Barretstown:
Just in case you don’t know, Barretstown is a beacon of hope for children and families facing the unimaginable challenges of serious illness. Barretstown offers specialised therapeutic recreation programmes and creates a safe haven for children and parents to build cherished memories. The impact of Barretstown is immeasurable. Families struggling with the daily realities of illness find respite, hope, and a sense of community through the extensive care and support they provide. They empower children and their families to regain control of their lives and look towards a brighter, more hopeful future.
Every Swim & Donation Counts!
1. What inspired you to pursue a career in talent advisory with Barden?
I met with Elaine for an advisory chat about my next career move in finance. We talked about what was important to me in my next role like having the opportunity to work with and support people and working for an organisation that aligned with my values. After listening to everything, Elaine said that I was talking myself into a job with Barden! We spoke about it more and I went home with a lot to think about.
In years previous, a couple of people had told me that I would be a good fit for working in recruitment, including Elaine and Ed. I had worked with Barden for a long time as both a hiring manager and a candidate. I always admired the team and how they treated people. What started as a conversation about my next move in finance, ended with me taking a leap of faith and trusting Elaine, Ed, and everyone at Barden. Here I am two years later and haven’t looked back!
2. What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in your career so far, and how has it impacted your work?
You spend so much of your time at work, make sure you are spending it with people that you trust, respect, have fun with, and whose values resonate with your own.
3. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone considering a career change?
Having made a career move myself from Finance Director to Recruitment Consultant, I understand only too well how moving careers can be very daunting. Knowing your ‘why’ and recognising what you already bring to the table can make it easier. Do your homework, figure out your non-negotiables, and don’t rush your next move.
4. Can you describe a project or accomplishment at Barden that you’re particularly proud of?
It’s probably the very first placement that I made in Barden a few months after joining. I helped this person to get a role with a company that she had been trying to work with for years. She was over the moon when I gave her the good news that she got the job, and I got such a buzz from it. This made me realise the positive impact that we can make on people’s lives. Being able to help and support people to figure out the stepping stones of their careers is very fulfilling.
5. What aspect of your work at Barden excites you the most?
Being part of a very talented team where innovation, creativity, honesty, and building teams are what we are all about and not just filling jobs. Having been a client of Barden’s for so long, it has been a fascinating journey to make the move to the other side of the table and learn from the best. Day in, day out, I see how passionate the team is to support people on their journeys; always putting people first and transactions second! We focus on building lasting relationships with those we work with, advising and helping them to navigate and advance their careers. This is the part of my job that I absolutely love.
6. What’s a hobby/ interest you have that might surprise us?
I love travelling and have been to over 50 countries, including places like Zanzibar, the Galapagos Islands, Colombia, and Vietnam. My two kids are curtailing this somewhat now, but I am looking forward to when they are older, and we can start our exploration again! Although we did manage to travel to Alaska with them last year – albeit on a Disney cruise!
7. If you could master a new skill instantly, what would it be and why?
For me, it would be speaking a new language. I have been learning Spanish on Duolingo for nearly a year now and my Spanish is still basic, at best! I would love to properly immerse myself in the language and become fluent.
8. If you could swap jobs with anyone for a day, who would it be and what would you do?
Aimee Connolly, the creator of Sculpted by Aimee. I would love to walk around for a day in her shoes, understand what motivates her, and how she has achieved so much already. She is such a powerhouse, a truly impressive lady. She was my wedding make-up artist and was such a lovely person too. I have been keeping a close eye on her career trajectory since and find it amazing what she has done in such a short time. A lot of the Barden ladies wear her products too!
9. What’s one thing you’d like to accomplish, personally or professionally, in the next year?
I have just joined the CAI Leinster Society Committee, and I am really enjoying it so far. I see this as a great opportunity to support and give back to the accounting profession.
10. What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?
Go with your gut, trust yourself. Your first instinct is usually right. You can second-guess yourself but even after you have been through all the pros and cons, your first instinct is usually the right one.
Barden, Ireland’s leading Talent Advisory and Recruitment Firm, is proud to announce the appointment of Phonsie Irwin as an Associate in the Part Qualified Accountants & Operational Finance team.
“We’re excited to welcome Phonsie to our Dublin team as a specialist talent advisor and recruitment professional. With his background in the Dublin market, Phonsie brings valuable experience to the team. We look forward to his contributions as he strengthens our support for clients and talent across the region.” – Cole Carroll | Associate Director | Part Qualified Accountants & Operational Finance | Leinster
Welcome to the Barden team Phonsie!
1. What inspired you to pursue a career in talent advisory with Barden?
After completing my training contract and qualifying as an accountant, it was quite clear the accounting path was not for me. I was keen to not let this experience go to waste, so was delighted to discover talent advisory with Barden. Talent advisory allows me to use my knowledge in a career than is much more suited to me and allows me to help individuals who were in my position.
2. What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in your career so far, and how has it impacted your work?
Always have the long-term view in mind. Don’t underestimate the learning. While we are all obsessed with the destination, the journey to getting there is just as important if not more so.
3. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone considering a career change?
The best advice I could give to anyone is to do your research beforehand and not rush into anything. Take time – ahead of starting applications, speak with a reputable talent advisor on the market, research your different options, read and compare job specs and research companies. It is better to take this time and get something that is a fit and aligns with your long-term goals, as opposed to regretting a rash decision.
4. Can you describe a project or accomplishment at Barden that you’re particularly proud of?
The accomplishment I am most proud of is my promotion to senior associate last year. There was a lot of work behind the scenes, so I really felt like I had accomplished something by the end of it.
5. What aspect of your work at Barden excites you the most?
I love meeting new people and I get the opportunity to do that every day. That and when I can see that I have genuinely been able to help someone or make a difference even if it is just with advice.
6. What’s a hobby/ interest you have that might surprise us?
I have no crazy hobbies, but I do love interior design. I used to up-style furniture in my spare time.
7. If you could master a new skill instantly, what would it be and why?
A very boring one – but definitely time management. I feel like there are never enough hours in the day.
8. If you could swap jobs with anyone for a day, who would it be and what would you do?
I think I would have to say Michael O’Leary. The way he does business is so unique and I would just love to see what goes on behind the scenes!
9. What’s one thing you’d like to accomplish, personally or professionally, in the next year?
Professionally continuing to develop my skillset and network and then personally it won’t seem like a big one for a lot of people but working up to running a 10k. I ran my first 5k this year!
10. What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?
You are the sum of the people you spend most of your time with. I am lucky to be surrounded by great people who encourage and inspire me every day.
1. What inspired you to pursue a career in talent advisory with Barden?
After years of working in finance, one of the things that I always enjoyed was the team dynamic — especially when a team clicked and worked together like a well-oiled machine. Working with Barden as both a client and candidate, I was genuinely impressed by their advisory-first approach for both talent and client. Recruitment was something I was always quite curious about, and over time, I got to know the team at Barden better. One coffee meeting led to another, and, well, here I am!
2. What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in your career so far, and how has it impacted your work?
I have found that bringing energy and really following through is key — sticking with things until they’re done. Effectively, this all leads to building trust and dependability, which, in my mind, is the most important thing for career progression.
3. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone considering a career change?
Start by trusting your instincts. Listen to your gut and think about what you really want. Consider your ‘Must-haves’—whether it is progression, balance, salary, etc — your ‘Can’t-haves’, and maybe a few things in between. While too much advice can be unhealthy, getting input from people you genuinely trust or those who understand your field is key.
4. Can you describe a project or accomplishment at Barden that you’re particularly proud of?
Honestly, making the leap to join Barden is what I’m most proud of. It’s a completely different job from my previous finance roles. I was doing quite well in those roles, so making that move took some bravery.
5. What aspect of your work at Barden excites you the most?
I love how interactive and fast-paced it is. No two days are the same and, even with a plan, things can change in an instant. I really enjoy that variety! Plus, I get a real buzz from working with and interacting with people so there is no better job for that!
6. What’s a hobby/ interest you have that might surprise us?
I can solve a Rubik’s Cube…. I blame COVID for that one!!
7. If you could master a new skill instantly, what would it be and why?
I’d love to be a little more Zen —to be okay with simply doing nothing, switch off a little, and be present. It’s probably the same answer every parent of small kids would give! 😊
8. If you could swap jobs with anyone for a day, who would it be and what would you do?
This might sound a bit random, but I’d love to pick music for a movie soundtrack! I’ve always wanted to do this for some reason. I loved the likes of Trainspotting and Pulp Fiction growing up, so maybe that’s a factor. Who knows, maybe I’ll discover I have a hidden talent for it!
9. What’s one thing you’d like to accomplish, personally or professionally, in the next year?
As an aging dad who recently had knee surgery, I simply want to get back to a bit of 5-a-side soccer. Older man goals!!!
10. What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?
This isn’t exactly advice, but I really like Tim Minchin’s speech to university students in Australia. I might not get it perfectly right, but it ends with something like: ‘Don’t rush. You don’t need to already know what you’re going to do with the rest of your life.’ It’s definitely worth a look if you haven’t seen it! (Check it out here>>> 😉)
Ed Heffernan, Managing Partner of Barden Ireland, and Treasurer of Ireland’s Employment & Recruitment Federation writes for the Sunday Business Post, examining prospects for remote and hybrid work.
Amazon signalled the end of its hybrid work policy last week, with staff due back in the office, five days a week, from January next. The opportunity to better invent, collaborate, and be connected to each other was cited in the reasoning for the move.
As COVID was coming under control here in the summer of 2021, Government advised some workers could return to their offices by the end of August. 80% of us were recorded as working remotely, during the pandemic, and three months later, at the end of 2021, two in three workers (65%) worked remotely, as detailed in the Our Lives Online CSO Pulse Survey. Around that time, Barden did a rough study of clients, and it came out that 70% of businesses had a hybrid working structure, typically three days in the office. 15% of businesses were fully remote, and 15% were fully in the office. We did that study again this summer and, although remote working still very much exists, there’s definitely a shift.
Working Monday and Friday from home seems to raise particular productivity concerns, as an extended weekend, so some workers are now obliged to come in on certain days of the week.
How Remote is Remote?
US-owned firms are big advocates of a return to the office, it seems, with more flexibility from smaller firms and Irish-owned businesses. A trend we are also seeing is that remote working is not always that remote, even though hiring managers might advertise a job as such.
For example, if I have two software developers lined up for interviews in a Dublin-based company, one living in Kerry and the other in Dublin. Normally, the hiring manager opts for the person who is physically closest, all other aspects of the candidature being equal. Why? Because if there is a need to meet, it’s less of a problem. And no company doesn’t have a couple of days in the office every month. So logistically it makes sense.
Jobs might be remote to the office, but they’re less often remote to the location of the office.
Full employment strengthens employees’ hand
Meanwhile, employment continues to grow, year on year, to near full employment. Ireland’s unemployment rate was 4.2% in June, down from 4.4% in June 2023. Talent demand should support certain workers insisting on remote, hybrid, or flexible working arrangements.
Last year’s 2023 Remote Working in Ireland Survey by the Western Development Commission saw 92% of respondents, working remotely, say that access to remote or hybrid working would be a key factor in their decision to change employer.
By-products of hybrid working, like reduced commute times and transport costs, lower childcare expenses, more family time, and being able to live in lower-cost locations, are difficult for employers to compensate for, particularly in an inflationary pay environment.
So too, insisting on staff being onsite can impact the ability to attract necessary international talent who wish to work fully remotely.
Gender Balance
There is also concern that firms’ desire to get workers back in the office will hamper gender participation in the workforce, according to Siobhan Kinsella, President of the Employment and Recruitment Federation and Managing Director at Strategic Placements:
For many, especially women, flexible working makes for a better family life. But Siobhan Kinsella believes employers can offer flexibility in other ways, like flexitime or nearby creche provision.
“If a parent can drop children to school, and head to the office afterwards, there’s an opportunity for the best of both worlds”.
Employer View
From an employer’s perspective, the negatives of remote working include the inability to seamlessly learn, sitting at a desk, or chatting around the water cooler. Collaboration and learning are cited in the push toward office work, particularly when it comes to training new hires. There is a fear that young workers are missing out on the human, softer skills.
Professional services firms, in particular, want new intakes in the office, as they rely on them learning from senior staff. Exposure to colleagues is necessary for training. Extended hybrid or remote working is more likely to be facilitated for workers with a longer tenure, especially mid-level IT and administrative occupations.
While, for the most part, some hybrid and remote working is supported, arrangements are likely to remain informal, as employers wait for a code of practice and legislation.
There is currently a right to request remote work. However, specific dictates may lead to complications for employers in the future, particularly when balancing requests with operational needs and having different employees on various working arrangements.
People management remotely requires more time, outreach, and ongoing performance KPIs, as well as upskilling. It can be difficult to ensure people feel connected and get the necessary networking opportunities for business development, succession, and career planning.
About the Employment and Recruitment Federation (ERF)
Ireland’s Employment and Recruitment Federation is a voluntary organisation to establish and maintain standards and codes of practice for the recruitment industry. Representing over 220 member companies across Ireland, the ERF promotes training, information and advice, and member’ services, such as vetting, as well as lobbying on national and EU policy and industry issues impacting the labour market.
1. What inspired you to pursue a career in talent advisory with Barden?
When I went into recruitment, I did it with the intention of having my daily interactions with people be filled with a spirit of collaboration. As cliché as it sounds, I wanted to help people. That remains my driving force. However, earlier on in my career in recruitment, I was sometimes made to feel like that view was somewhat naïve or too romantic. But at Barden, talent advisory and providing a first class experience to the individuals we interact with is truly at the heart of the business – its “why” is fully aligned with mine and it allowed me to come full circle and put in practice the motivations that drove me into recruitment in the first place.
2. What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in your career so far, and how has it impacted your work?
I can be quite a “head down” type of person when I’m at work. I like to focus on the task at hand, cancel out the noise, and be as fast and efficient as possible. However, the downside of that is that one might miss out on learning opportunities from other colleagues or come across as not too sociable. I think I’ve learned (or am still learning I guess, work in progress!) to put my head up a bit more, spending more time bouncing ideas off the people around me or asking for someone else’s advice.
3. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone considering a career change?
Always go with the people that feel right for you. This sounds obvious but it can be tricky to get right. The “follow your gut” advice has the right sentiment behind it, but you should also question your gut instincts. There will be people that will tell you all the right things, will tell you all you want to hear and give you all the reassurance in the world. It can be easy for your gut to tell you to follow this person or company. I would prefer someone who gives me the good, the bad, and the ugly. Someone who tells me what the challenges or difficulties might be, where the department or company is lacking or can improve, where my expectations might not be met, etc. So absolutely go with people who make you feel good but who are also real and genuine.
4. Can you describe a project or accomplishment at Barden that you’re particularly proud of?
I’m a qualified lawyer from Portugal and, although I was very lucky to come into Ireland with a great job lined up, when I did want to move away from said job, I saw how difficult it can be for a foreign qualified lawyer to have the same opportunities as an Irish or a UK qualified Solicitor. Because of my experience, I have a soft spot for professionals in these circumstances, particularly when they have come to Ireland without a job lined up and in search of better opportunities for themselves and their families. I’ve been privileged to help some foreign legal professionals throughout my career but a recent one stands. A Brazilian qualified lawyer, a single mother, with excellent experience back in Brazil but none in Ireland and who was doing everything she could but was having a tough time finding a good opportunity for her. I introduced her to a company and role that was quite coveted in the market, and she was able to shine through and be the successful candidate in the end. Getting such an opportunity can really change someone’s life and set someone to be in a much better position in the market for potential future opportunities if they ever choose to progress their careers elsewhere. Her tears of joy when we extended the offer to her said everything – it’s why I do what I do.
5. What aspect of your work at Barden excites you the most?
Being surrounded by like-minded and exceptionally talented people. I look around and feel such admiration for everyone I see. I think that is so rare!
6. What’s a hobby/ interest you have that might surprise us?
Well, I’m 39 years old and still love playing video games, so some people might find that surprising. Also, I’ve recently ran out of tv series to watch and started putting on some of the reality tv shows on Netflix just to have something playing in the background – wouldn’t you know it, but I got hooked on it! Those that know me well would definitely not see me as a reality tv type of guy but there you go…
7. If you could master a new skill instantly, what would it be and why?
It would either be playing the guitar or playing golf. I’ve always loved music and had this dream of being able to play an instrument. I’ve tried and failed – I don’t think I have it in me. Golf is something I’ve only taken up recently and I think I still have time to get decent enough at it. But if I could snap my fingers and be good overnight, I wouldn’t say no!
8. If you could swap jobs with anyone for a day, who would it be and what would you do?
For one day only (and no more than that!), I’d like to know what goes on behind the scenes as President of the USA. I’d probably spend most of the time trying to gather all the classified information I could on aliens or UFOs. It wouldn’t be a very productive day.
9. What’s one thing you’d like to accomplish, personally or professionally, in the next year?
To be honest, my main goal in life at the moment is very personal and I can’t say it’s very concrete. I have 3 young kids, the youngest being 1 and half years old. It can be really difficult to have time for myself or one-on-one with my wife or to socialise in general. I can already see some glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel and as things become progressively easier, I want to recover some of that sense of self or identity, which I think is inevitably lost when you dedicate the good portion of a decade to these little human beings. What does that look like in practice? I’m not sure!
10. What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?
When I was a teenager, going through all the internal turmoil that teenagers go through, an aunt of mine asked me if my room was messy. It was. She suggested I try to tidy and clean it up to see how I felt. I did, and I felt much better. What she meant and what I’ve come to realise and still practice to this day, is that if my physical surroundings are tidy and organised, I will usually have a much clearer head and can be much more present in the moment.
1. What inspired you to pursue a career in talent advisory with Barden?
Good question. I wanted a change of scenery outside of finance, but I really had no idea what that would look like. What I did know, was that I wanted to get out of my comfort zone, I enjoyed working with people and was keen to find a role that valued the 15+ years I had gained working in a number of controllership and finance transformation-type roles.
I first met Ed and Elaine in 2014 when they placed me in a senior finance role. I experienced the full VIP Barden experience from meeting Ed for a coffee in town to having an interview for a great role with a great company to Ed calling me with an offer! As a result of this positive experience, a couple of years later I reached out to Ed as a client to help support me in recruiting a senior finance team.
In April 2023 I decided to reach out to Ed for an initial chat, and the rest is history!
2. What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in your career so far, and how has it impacted your work?
Finding that balance between focusing on your career and spending time with your family. I see it a lot with the talent that I chat with – working late evenings and weekends and not spending any time with their young family.
I’m now in a position where I’m extremely fortunate to have that all-important family time. I see my kids training on weeknights and playing matches at the weekends.
3. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone considering a career change?
Consider all your options first – don’t rush it! Are you considering a career change because you’re bored or annoyed in your current role? Have a chat with your manager and with a mentor or someone you trust. I also recommend having a conversation with a talent advisor like us here at Barden to hear their advice and explore external options.
Make sure you’ve done your homework on both sides of the fence before making a change.
4. Can you describe a project or accomplishment at Barden that you’re particularly proud of?
I’m still very much learning the trade in the talent advisory and recruitment world. I get the most enjoyment out of having chats with people who are at the stage in their careers where they’re not sure where to go next and being able to give advice based on own learnings and experience.
5. What aspect of your work at Barden excites you the most?
Definitely the Barden team! They are the best bunch to work with.
6. What’s a hobby/ interest you have that might surprise us?
I’m a huge Australian Rugby League fan, so to keep updated with all the matches and the players I get involved in a very competitive NRL fantasy competition with a bunch of Kiwi lads. We have a fancy NRL silver ring plus a good bit of money that is challenged each year so it is fiercely competitive!
7. If you could master a new skill instantly, what would it be and why?
Being able to sleep on an aeroplane. When I’m flying back home to New Zealand, I’m one of the few lads that’s watching movies in the middle of the night!
8. If you could swap jobs with anyone for a day, who would it be and what would you do?
I’d love to swap jobs with the All Blacks captain Ardie Savea, lead out the All Blacks, play against the Irish rugby team, and score the winning try in the World Cup final. It would also be a laugh seeing Ardie work in my role in recruitment!
9. What’s one thing you’d like to accomplish, personally or professionally, in the next year?
Get fit and run for 20 minutes without stopping.
10. What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?
My Nan always had a saying “Don’t come into my house if you’re in bad form. Only come in if you’re going to be happy.” She lived to be 102…
