{"id":265974,"date":"2020-12-07T02:59:00","date_gmt":"2020-12-07T02:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/welovesalt.com\/be\/?p=265974"},"modified":"2023-06-19T11:19:53","modified_gmt":"2023-06-19T09:19:53","slug":"interview-ruby-celine-from-pr-consultant-to-recruitment-manager","status":"archive","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/welovesalt.com\/be\/news\/insights\/interview-ruby-celine-from-pr-consultant-to-recruitment-manager","title":{"rendered":"Interview: Ruby Celine \u2014 from PR Consultant to Recruitment Manager"},"content":{"rendered":"
We caught up with Ruby Celine<\/a>, <\/em>Practice Lead from our Kuala Lumpur office, to talk about creating futures and the evolution of her career from a PR Consultant to a Recruitment Manager<\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n What did your life look like before Salt?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Wow that seems like ages ago now! I was a PR Consultant before I became a recruiter. Naturally with a communications degree, I figured an agency would be the best place to start my career. I\u2019d get to be creative with different brands while learning the ropes. The trajectory I had in mind was to embrace agency life for a few years, then move into corporate communications or an in-house role. But, then I met Salt!<\/p>\n What led you to recruitment?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n I honestly think it was happenstance. I\u2019ve always been curious about recruitment but never seriously considered pursuing it. After three years with a boutique PR agency, I was at a crossroads. I approached Salt as a candidate looking to explore PR opportunities and that\u2019s when it all happened. I guess it was the right opportunity at the right time. Salt so happened to have been looking for a consultant to take on the PR\/Communications specialisation \u2014 what were the odds! It was definitely a penny drop moment and now here I am celebrating my 4th Salt anniversary this month!<\/p>\n How has your background shaped your role in this position?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n What excites me about a job is the opportunity to consult, guide decisions and help others. That\u2019s essentially what I do on a daily basis here. I didn\u2019t realise this right away, but being a recruiter combines all the experiences I\u2019ve had. So, whilst I wasn\u2019t expecting to switch lanes when I did, it makes so much sense now. I\u2019ve always been drawn to sales and service-oriented roles. After graduating in Perth, I accepted a job as a Sales Consultant and did that for two years just for the experience. I remember being thrown in to lead a brand new sales team early on too, which definitely stretched me, but I reckon it\u2019s shaped my perspective as a manager today and taught me how to problem solve.<\/p>\n What skills in your career have helped you as a consultant?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Interpersonal skills for sure. Sounds elementary but being a consultant takes practice. We\u2019re constantly engaging, negotiating, positioning, and advising \u2014 it\u2019s our job to create the best client and candidate experience. I also think we need serious marketing skills. Everyone\u2019s striving for an edge. Everyone has a compelling story to tell so how we tell ours needs to resonate and be relevant. I don\u2019t know if this is considered a skill, but I believe in GRIT. We deal with multiple moving parts on a daily basis; changing expectations, timelines, personal targets, people and their aspirations. As a recruiter you learn to juggle, and you have to love the chase!<\/p>\n What do you find fascinating about your job?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n The idea of creating a future for someone is fascinating. I honestly think I\u2019ve learned more life lessons as a recruiter than I\u2019ve learned in any other job. Plus, you\u2019re often involved in recruiting for more than one sector, so you get a glimpse of how different businesses operate. That\u2019s invaluable.<\/p>\n What challenges do you frequently face in your position?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Handling objections is part and parcel of the job. We have to be okay with that, and know how to find a balance between expectations and what is realistically achievable. What makes recruitment such a delicate process is there\u2019s always a risk when we\u2019re dealing with people, and we have to be absolutely on top of everything from start to end. As we know, our success rides on our ability to find the right people for the right jobs but ultimately we don\u2019t make the final call.<\/p>\n How do you continue to build your expertise and stay connected?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Social media aside, I enjoy speaking to people in the field. I always step away enlightened whether I\u2019m speaking to an associate or business leader. That\u2019s when I really get to understand things inside out and it gives me better perspective for when I\u2019m interviewing the next person, taking a job brief or making a recommendation.<\/p>\n How do you juggle both clients\u2019 and candidates\u2019 expectations?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n It really starts from the first interaction \u2014 making sure I take the time to fully understand the needs on both sides \u2014 and then it\u2019s about keeping the communication lines open for regular feedback and temperature checks. What we don\u2019t want are surprises along the way, and we like to get to a point where we\u2019re able to operate as a partner because finding the right skills for the job isn\u2019t the hard part. It\u2019s figuring out whether someone would fit and thrive in the culture.<\/p>\n What advice would you give someone who wants to be a consultant?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n How does it feel to win the Recruiter of the Year (Individual) (Bronze)<\/a> award at the Asia Recruitment Awards 2020 by Human Resources Online?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n That came as a pleasant surprise and I have the team to thank for it. This has been a period to reflect and recollect and I must say, it came at a good time. 2020 has given me so much to be thankful for. Are you an employer who needs some help with hiring digital talent? Visit our Employer page<\/strong><\/a> to submit a short brief and we\u2019ll be in touch shortly.<\/p>\n\n
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