Jump Back
1. What inspired you to pursue a career in talent advisory with Barden?
Having worked for 13 years in recruitment with fabulous people and companies, I had the feeling that there might be a way to do recruitment a little differently. Myself, Elaine Brady and Jonathan Olden, while very different people, shared the same moral compass and why when it came to recruitment. It was just a natural thing when we started Barden back in 2014.
2. What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in your career so far, and how has it impacted your work?
No matter what the situation, be it internal or external, the thing that guides me most, and I say almost every day to people, is “it doesn’t matter what you say or do, it’s about how you make people feel”. It is a simple sentence, but it has a deep, resonating meaning when it comes to life and business.
3. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone considering a career change?
Career change is kinda like a diet – there is usually never a good time to just do it. Most people procrastinate for their entire lives, “wait till next year”, and never end up making that change. That said, it’s not something to do lightly and requires lots of planning – you will usually take a financial hit (earning follows learning, and if it’s a career change, you’ll be doing more learning than earning for a while), so you need resources to see you through that. Also, it has impacts on those around you, so you need to be sure you have the support and backing of those who matter. Sometimes, it’s not a complete career change that people need, but rather a repositioning – be it a different team, a company with a different purpose or a different-sized company where the roles are broader or indeed narrower. Changing Career does not need to be about moving straight from “Banking to Lion taming” (Monty Python quote there for anyone who fancies a bit of that) – it can just be about understanding what you enjoy in your role and seeking somewhere that you can do more of that.
4. Can you describe a project or accomplishment at Barden that you’re particularly proud of?
Look, it has to be the people who choose to work here, their personal and professional growth, their achievements, and how, for them, Barden is a vehicle to both do good for themselves and for others. Nothing I have ever done in Barden myself comes even close to that in terms of pride for me.
5. What aspect of your work at Barden excites you the most?
The people – getting to work hard and take our jobs seriously, but not ourselves – that’s the single most important thing for me! Sure, I love a bit of marketing, and I love the opportunity I am afforded to think about how recruitment could be different and how we can go about designing that future. But that’s zero fun unless you’ve got people around to do it with.
6. What’s a hobby/ interest you have that might surprise us?
I love strategic board games or card games. I love history, maths, and all things science. I love “ideas” and concepts and things that wise people have said in ages past that resonate so strongly in life today – things that make me think and discover new perspectives. I actually love recruitment too, but that might be a bit sad to put out in the public domain!
7. If you could master a new skill instantly, what would it be and why?
Piano. I have been self-teaching myself for 2 years, much to the disdain of my family, so as a relief for them as much as a joy for me, it would have to be Piano.
8. If you could swap jobs with anyone for a day, who would it be and what would you do?
There is a certified mad genius who works in Barden as Creative Lead – I’d love to try my hand at that at some stage!
(editor: Watch out Luke!)
9. What’s one thing you’d like to accomplish, personally or professionally, in the next year?
I’m on a bit of a mission at the moment (and have been for 10+ years) to try and define recruitment as an actual professional service. If there were one thing that would be bucket list ticking on that front, it would be to have made progress in that regard. But let’s just say getting more fit and doing a 10K, because that is a more normal thing to want to achieve 😊
10. What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?
“Never attribute to malice, that which can be explained by incompetence” – Hanlon’s Razor. This has helped me so much in situations that could have been stressful and frustrating otherwise. Keeping calm, not reacting to information but getting curious instead – it’s a good way to exist!