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Get to know James Dubowski!

Name: James Dubowski

What is your role at Ashley Kate HR and Finance? HR Recruitment Consultant

How long have you been in your current role? 5 months

What was HR Market like when you first started and has it changed? Due to starting towards the end of the year, the HR market was initially fairly quiet. Much of my first couple of months was spent undertaking in-house training and shadowing the other Consultants, which I feel helped me to be able to focus fully on learning the most important aspects of recruitment.  The in-house training at Ashley Kate HR was very interactive and informative and really helped me to improve my understanding of HR in general.

Since completing the training and becoming an independent recruiter the market has really picked up. I cover South London as well as the South East region so am very fortunate to have an excellent area with many fantastic clients to work with.

 

What challenges do you face on a daily basis? The role of an HR Recruitment Consultant is an extremely challenging one! No two days are ever the same and I have had many ups and downs. The greatest challenges I face is competition, whether that be from rival recruiters all vying for the same clients or from candidates having their pick of opportunities. There is definitely a shortage of talent within the HR market, which not only means strong HR professionals have more opportunities available to them, but also their current employers don’t want to lose them resulting in strong counter offers. Fortunately, Ashley Kate HR has a fantastic reputation within the market which helps to attract the best candidates and due to the service we provide means that our clients keep coming back to us.

What does the ideal candidate look like? Due to the different types of jobs, companies and sectors that Ashley Kate HR recruit for, rarely are two roles the same so I don’t believe there is an “ideal candidate” as it very much depends on what the company is looking for in terms of experience. That being said I still believe that for any candidate to be successful they need possess strong communications skills, be reliable and trustworthy as well as possessing the right attitude.

What’s your favourite thing about your job? I love my job as no two days are ever the same and it offers the right blend of challenges and rewards, but if I was to name my single favourite part of the job then it has got to be the feeling I get when I tell someone that they have landed their dream job! There is a lot of rejection in recruitment but this makes it all the sweeter when a client calls me to tell me they would love to offer my candidate the job and I get to give the good news. It is a real buzz to know that you have helped someone progress within their career and it really motivates me to keep going.

What makes a good client? For me, the best clients I have worked with are the ones who are completely open and honest from the start and are clear about what they are looking for in a candidate. As a recruiter, time is very precious so it is important that every conversation I have with a client is meaningful and beneficial for both parties. This can only be achieved when both parties are working on the same page.

What makes a CV stand out for you? When you read as many CV’s as I do you become a bit of an expert when it comes to knowing what stands out and what doesn’t. In my experience, I have also noticed that sometimes HR professionals have trouble selling themselves as they have a tendency to play down their achievements.  I often have to remind candidates that their CV is there to highlight why they are the right person for the job so don’t be afraid to talk yourself up.  I think the best CV’s are those that are informative but also concise. I believe a CV should always include a list of key strengths/achievements and these should be relevant to the role being applied for.

 

If you could give one piece of advice to a candidate what would it be? The best piece of advice I would give to a candidate is to make things happen. If you aren’t happy in your current working life, then do something about it. I have known lots of people over the years who have been stuck in a rut and stayed in the same place too long. Sometimes all it takes it submitting your CV and having a conversation with someone

 

Summary and Plans for the next 6 months.

Reflecting back on my first 6 months at Ashley Kate HR makes me realise how hard I have worked and how much fun I have had. There have been good days and bad days but overall I have absolutely no regrets as I can genuinely say I love my job and the company I work for. I am still learning new things every day and am very lucky to have an excellent team around me who are always there to offer support and advice when required. Ashley Kate really is one big team and it great to work with people who genuinely put the needs of the business above their own. I am now looking forward to the next 6 months of my career and have some very exciting and ambitious plans to grow my desk further and help support clients with finding top talent and my candidates find their dream jobs.

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