Meet the Recruiter: Ashlene McFadden

 How long have you been with HRC Recruitment? I have been here around 18 months now. What made you want to join? I was looking for a change in career path and I was asking anyone who would entertain an interrogation from me – “What do you think I’d be good at?” My sister and my close friend, who is a recruiter, suggested recruitment. I then went to meet a recruiter for an entirely different role and he also thought I’d make a good recruiter so I looked into it, made a few applications, HRC invited to their graduate assessment centre and here I am… From the minute I walked into HRC’s office, experienced the environment and culture, met some of the consultants and senior management staff, I was hooked! What career path did you follow to get to your current role? Straight out of school I did a Masters degree in Pharmacy followed by a year’s pre-registration training in King’s College Hospital, in London. After completing my training, I had a sense that pharmacy wasn’t for me. I had danced from the age of 4 so I took a chance on an audition for a touring show, got it and then spent the following eight years travelling and preforming with different touring productions. During this time, I did a post-graduate Masters in Dance Performance at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance and became a guest tutor their on the BA and Masters courses for 5 years.When I decided to step away from dancing and have my son, I looked for a career change and that’s what brought me into Recruitment. What was your dream job as a child?   Businesswoman – I wanted the power suit, jet setting lifestyle and the briefcase (yup this was 90’s style day dreaming). Also swung between a detective and a vet occasionally. How have you found working from home? I love the flexibility and additional time it gives me with my 3 year old son. I also love having my home comforts around and being outside the city so I can get a walk in the park at lunchtime. On the flip side, I miss the direct human interaction with colleagues, clients and candidates. What does a typical day look like? I have the morning walk to nursery with my son Kaiden along with a quiet coffee when I get back which helps me get set up for the morning, before jumping on our team kick off call. The majority of the morning is spent speaking with clients and moving live roles forward. The afternoon is centered around speaking with candidates -new registrations, headhunting and catching up with my wider network. At the end of the day it’s another walk to the nursery which helps me switch off and then the evening is anyone’s guess with a toddler at home! What’s the best part of your job? Delivering an incredible job offer to a candidate knowing it’s going make a huge impact to them and potentially their family life too. There is also a huge amount of fulfilment in delivering services and solutions that leave our clients fully satisfied and returning to work with us in long-term partnership. Overall, I just love meeting and interacting with people, finding out their goals, their challenges and getting to know them on a personal level. Describe the company culture here. Inclusive, supportive, innovative and ambitious. It’s incredibly fun working at HRC and there is genuine support for everyone’s health and wellbeing, particularly during this difficult period. I am surrounded by experts in their field who are generous with their knowledge, skills and time. HRC absolutely strives to be the best on the market and that means it’s both fast paced and collaborative. What’s been your biggest success so far? My son Kaiden – he astounds me all the time and I love seeing him learn and discover the world around him. He also makes for a frighteningly good negotiator so staying one step ahead of him is a daily win! On a professional note, my biggest achievement is undoubtedly being promoted twice in my initial 18 months at HRC. I’ve been supported at every turn so anything is possible when you’re part of that culture. When we’re not in the middle of a pandemic, what do you like to do in your free time? I’ve done a lot of travelling over the years and it’s only in recent years that I’ve started to fully appreciate Scotland, particularly the Highlands. One of my favourite trips up north has been to Skye. My dad is from Ireland and we have a house there in the North West of Donegal, right on the coast. Normally I visit family and friends several times a year. It’s my wee haven with miles of beaches. I love being outdoors and Kaiden is a real wee adventurer too so we are happiest getting out and about. What is most important to you? My family, close friends and having fun, good experiences and making good memories. Describe yourself in three words. Driven, empathetic and trustworthy. If you would like to speak to Ashlene about securing top talent for your business - or if you're looking to make a career move - click here to send an email and get in touch.