Here at Change Recruitment, our recruiters come from a wide range of backgrounds. We believe that diversity is a crucial ingredient for running a successful business, so we actively look for people with different skill sets.
Some of our staff members have always worked in recruitment, while others started careers in fields like healthcare or auditing and then made the change. We sat down with Change’s Senior Recruitment Consultant Craig McKellar to talk about his experiences of switching careers after working as an Audit Executive at EY.
How long have you worked in recruitment?
I made the move on 16th May 2016, so three years now.
What made you change from being an auditor to a recruiter?
Honestly speaking, I worked as an Auditor for nearly six years before deciding that it was not the career for me. I then decided to start a small business of mine while thinking about what I wanted to do next.
After two months of unemployment, I realised that I enjoyed meeting new people in businesses, which led me to investigate Change’s advert for a recruitment consultant. The rest, as they say, is history.
How did you find the transition?
The first six months were difficult. I wasn’t well-known in the industry and was up against some strong competition. However, I worked hard and felt like I was making progress. The senior management at Change also helped support my transition.
What initially attracted you to Change?
After the first chat, I discovered that I would have some autonomy and would be working to realistic and meaningful KPIs, unlike like other recruitment roles.
With your background as an Auditor, how quickly did you integrate into a sales role?
Auditing teaches you how to work with different businesses and people. It can also involve confronting senior management and having difficult conversations. You gain people’s trust and put in some long hours studying for exams, which in turn gives you a good work ethic.
These are all skills you need in a ‘sales’ job like recruitment to meet your monthly target.
What opportunities have you had at Change?
Since joining, I’ve received promotions and had the opportunity to recruit for some important roles. For example, I recently helped fill a senior position with a large European bank and created a new team in Ireland as part of an asset manager’s growth plans.
What’s the biggest benefit of working at Change?
I enjoy having the freedom to decide how to schedule my days and having lots of coffee meetings for work!
What values of Change do you particularly respect or align with?
I find the specialism I recruit for very interesting as I need to understand the entire sector to talk to clients and candidates about it. I enjoy these conversations and have even had after work drinks to talk about the future of credit risk.
What’s the culture like at Change?
It’s an adult culture. Our youngest team members might be in their mid 20’s, with most of us in our 30s and 40s. We have a table tennis table in both our Edinburgh and Glasgow office, which we often play during lunch or after work.
Where do you see your career in 5 years?
It’s difficult to answer this one. I’m personally all about progressing in life. So, I want to make progress every day and only expect my career to keep going up and up. I also think BIG, and so the typical career ladder may or may not be how I go about it.
What challenges and opportunities do you see in Change’s future?
Technology is always advancing, and while platforms help us to connect with some candidates, we might also find it challenging if this technology advances so far that it can do a better job than a standard consultant. Overall, I think there’ll always be a need for specialist recruitment consultants like Change Recruitment.
Browse Upcoming Recruitment Opportunities at Change Recruitment
Whether you’re an established recruitment professional or are looking to start a new career, we have some fantastic opportunities. Browse job openings and find out more about what it’s like to work with us here. Or, speak to one of our internal recruitment specialists.
Other Career-Related Interviews
Supporting New Parents to Return to Work & Succeed at Their Careers
We interviewed Clare Dearlove, Accountancy & Finance Recruitment Consultant, to discuss her experiences returning to work after maternity and how Change has supported her to balance parenthood and work-life.
How We Retain Long-Term Employees
We spoke with Senior Business Service Consultant, Catrina Short to discover why she enjoys working with us and has chosen to commit to our company long-term. As of January, Catrina has been a valued member of our staff for over 16 years.
How We Support People Entering the Recruitment Market
We sat down with Judith Wiemer, a German native who joined Change Recruitment after completing a Masters in Strategic Sustainable Business. While she had HR and administrative internships and placements during her degree, we were her first full-time role post-graduation.