Victoria Cameron is Managing Consultant of our Public Practice team in Edinburgh. She worked for Change from June 2012 to August 2015, and returned in January 2016.
It ticks all the boxes - we’ve got a good system, we’ve got great infrastructure (our new offices are excellent!), great clients, the best commission scheme that I’ve ever heard of, a great culture and a good work-life balance.
Change Recruitment Group: Thanks for joining us Victoria. You joined the Change team in June 2012. What prompted you to join?
Victoria: Before Change I had worked for two other major recruitment companies and I got a very different feel from Change from the very first meeting. One of the reasons that I had a conversation with Change was that one of the directors who I got on well with from a previous role had moved to Change and had great things to say about the business. I wasn’t even looking to join another agency, but he said ‘look, it’s completely different, come along and have a chat and find out for yourself’, so I did, and it was. I was sold from the very first day that I met Deborah (HR Manager, Deborah Gillespie). I had an interview with another agency that day also, which had also gone well, but the gut feeling that I got from the meeting with Deborah and Change was different and much more of a family feel. I felt it was a more hands on, people focused approach and environment as opposed to ‘you’re a number, you’ve got a KPI over your head…’. Throughout all the interviews that I had, I was given the option, did I want to go into Financial Services, did I want to go into Public Practice and it was very clearly laid out what my options were which was a huge selling point. It also meant that I was able to meet a number of different Manager’s and Consultant’s which again left me with a great impression. Everything was very clear. It wasn’t a case of we’re interviewing you for this role and you have to do this, there was options there for me and never once did I feel pushed into anything or rushed into making any decisions. I felt that Change wanted to find out about me as a person, what I enjoyed doing, how I enjoyed working and what motivated me. Due to my background I felt that moving into Public Practice was the best option for me and it really did live up to everything that I hoped it would be.
Change: And following a successful three years, you left us for six months before returning in January
VC: I was approached about an opportunity with one of my Big 4 clients, and whilst I wasn’t looking to move, I really felt this would add another string to my bow and allow me to see the other side of the process from the client’s perspective. It was always made clear to me that if things didn’t work out for me then I could always come back to Change. That was a conversation that I’d had with Scott and Mark (Scott Taylor, Associate Director of Accountancy & Finance; and Mark Wilson, Director of Accountancy of Finance). They were very supportive throughout this entire time and I went with their best wishes. It was such a relief knowing this as I was nervous about it but it was great how much support I had during this time Even when I left, I wasn’t actively looking to move, as I say I had been approached and I thought, the opportunity from a Big 4 organisation, who were also one of my clients… it was a big moment for me. I felt more secure though, knowing that if it didn’t work out then I could always come back. I’d obviously kept in touch with people from Change during the few months that I’d been away, and had heard about some of the changes that had been made, even in such a short space of time that I’d been away. There’d been the office move (in Edinburgh), and it seemed like a much more mature place to be. The changes that had occurred all struck me as being really positive and with me already knowing what a great company it was to work for, I didn’t even consider working for any other company and I was excited to go back.
Change: And how have you found the company in the six months that you’ve been back?
VC: There has definitely been a positive shift, I’ve always found it a really supportive culture, regardless of whether you have a success story or need to lean on someone for support. There genuinely is always someone to share it with, someone that can lend you an ear. If your manager’s not there then there’s always someone in another team that will be willing to help out or give you a different perspective on things. It’s also probably the only place I’ve ever worked where everyone genuinely gets on really well outside of work too and are all great friends. I find it a good balance between a friendly environment and a mature environment so it is the best of both worlds. Having a supportive environment is for me probably one of the most important factors in a role, mature and professional would be next but the fact it’s a genuine company who are open to change just makes it better. If you see something that can be improved or that isn’t working, anyone can take action to make things better. If somethings not right, we can have things fixed very quickly, just by someone taking the time to point it out. There’s no process for the sake of process, and there’s no hierarchy in the traditional sense. Anyone can make a change. You can really make a difference here.
Change: What would you say to anyone thinking of coming to work at Change?
VC: I would genuinely recommend the company and I think it’s testament that I have had friends who have come and worked here. It ticks all the boxes - we’ve got a good system, we’ve got great infrastructure (our new offices are excellent!), great clients, the best commission scheme that I’ve ever heard of, a great culture, a good work-life balance – yes, it’s hard work like any recruitment job is, yes, there’s times when we’re not doing 9-5.30pm - but it’s a far better balance than any other company that I’ve ever worked for before when previously I would be in the office from 8 until 8 or 9pm.
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