I moved up from the northeast to sunny old Scotland because my partner is from Scotland. My background was sales-based, but I looked online and came across a job at a recruitment agency based in Edinburgh which looked exciting and rewarding. That's where I dipped my toes into the recruitment life, but I knew I ultimately wanted to work somewhere I felt part of something bigger. At the agency, I was just telling people about these different things, but working here I get to be part of something I really believe in, and so I've been here with IVC Evidensia since July 2021.
There are differences between my previous work and the veterinary industry, but the soft skills cross over - at the end of the day it’s all about speaking to and connecting with people, which I love. It’s easy for me to connect with people in this industry because I'm a ‘crazy dog person’ at heart, I've got two greyhounds who I adore. All pet owners develop a relationship with their vet, but working in this industry has made me realise how much more is going on behind the scenes when I take my dogs to see the vet.
Something I find particularly meaningful is that when I’ve helped match someone to that dream job, I get to find out about some of the procedures they’ve done in that position. It makes me realise ‘I’ve really helped that family and that pet’ because without that person being there, they might not have been able to do that procedure. It means a lot, knowing you’ve helped make a difference.
I focus on referral vet recruitment. Specifically, dentistry, dermatology, exotics and surgery. It’s certainly interesting! You can be looking for orthopaedic surgeons or exotic specialists and it's all about uncovering these skilled individuals and being the first point of contact for them to potentially find a new opportunity.
As a Talent Partner, my role isn’t to assess the clinical skills of candidates, but you can judge the culture fit. We’re focused on building a team which is going to collaborate and get along. It’s all about creating that team and environment where everybody's voice is heard, and people are happy.
You do have to be a people person and be good at building your network. You've got to understand that not everybody's going to be the same. Ultimately, it's about finding the right balance and what's going to work for individual people. I want to understand what someone is looking for and what we've got which should match their requirements. Our disciplines are niche, so even if I don't have anything available right now for someone, there will come a time when I have a relevant opportunity and it’s my job to know who will get excited about that opportunity.
Our primary goal is to find the right role for the right person. My job is to have a good understanding of a job, and then to understand what a candidate is looking for and help make that perfect match.
When you are speaking to people you have an opportunity to share our values and what makes us different, to say that what you see on our website that's actually what we do, which I think is important for a lot of people. And then if they're speaking to somebody who's been very honest and open it gives them a lot of confidence and shows I’m not just telling them everything they want to hear just to get them through the door. Because what I want to do is to make sure that people are coming forward, coming to our hospitals, and ultimately being there for the next five, ten, fifteen years.
All our practices share the same values, but each hospital has its own identity. My job is to help identify the very best fit for candidates and I’m confident it’s working! I know the hospitals well, I speak with them regularly so I know what the culture is like, and can recognise who will be the best fit to join those teams.
We're a close-knit bunch that's for sure. The team are incredibly supportive of each other which I absolutely love, we all want to do our best, and ultimately, we're there to help. There’s a lot of camaraderie. And we know that if one of us shines and is doing well, it reflects positively on us all, and that means we’re helping our candidates and hospitals.
Definitely that feeling of getting somebody starting in their dream role. I don't think that will ever go away, because ultimately you know that you've made a real difference to somebody.
Our recruitment process moves at a pace that is comfortable for the candidate. It's not uncommon for these to last a few months as there can be a lot to consider. I'm in regular communication with my candidates from that first introduction, and I find out a lot about them. To then be able to pick up the phone and say they’ve got that dream job which they wanted and hearing that elation in their voice…I mean that will never get old, it really won't.
It’s been great to see how the team has grown from one or two people to where we are today and is looking to grow further in the future. It's been exciting to start right from the beginning and get to where we are now.
It can be daunting, but we are here to guide you through the process. You'll always have a point of contact to speak to, and that'll be somebody from our Talent Team. In later stages, you'll be speaking to heads of department, hospital directors, etc but your Talent Partner will continue to check in on you throughout the process.
And because we work across multiple different sites there’s a lot of choice and potential for progression. So, if somebody goes to an interview and doesn't feel like it's going to be the right fit for them, they can be honest and say that. Ultimately, my role is to get the right fit for everyone.