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Philippe's Blog - Life as a Recruitment Consultant at Nigel Wright


Philippe's headshot

 

To portray a real representation of the culture here at Nigel Wright, we asked some of our Consultants to answer a series of questions about their careers and about working at Nigel Wright.

Our recently promoted German Manager Philippe Weissenburg shares why he decided to join Nigel Wright, his typical working day, the key things he has gained from working at Nigel Wright and much more. 

How did you first learn about Nigel Wright? Why did you join? How has the company changed?

I had already been working within recruitment and career coaching for almost 10 years when several candidates and clients, who were in contact with Nigel Wright, told me about the company and the professional and transparent approach. Then just by coincidence I was contacted by Nigel Wright through my network and had an interview with the local managers. I was impressed by the openness, authenticity and professional approach of the business and the international network. So, I joined and have not regretted it since. Since then, the company and especially the local German team have developed strongly. Not only by headcount and turnover, but also the image and knowledge about the brand within the market.

What does a typical day look like for you and what are you currently working on?

I particularly like that no day is like any other! There is still some routine that provides some consistency. One day I will be travelling and meeting clients throughout Germany and the next I will have briefings on new jobs, interviews with candidates and interesting business development conversations. In addition to this, the development of my team is an important part of the role that really motivates me. I help to recruit for a variety of positions across many different industries which allows me to gain an understanding of many interesting consumer products and sectors. This has helped me to understand how our world works and how we are influenced as consumers.

How do you balance your career at Nigel Wright with life away from work?

The balance between work and private life is easy within our team. There is a lot of flexibility to combine work and essential things like sports activities, family, etc. Moreover, I never really feel as if I am 'working', as we have a great team and being in the office is always fun, even if there is often a lot to do.

What have you gained from working at Nigel Wright?

Personally, I have gained what I was looking for in a job:

What have been your proudest moments whilst working at Nigel Wright?

When I placed a candidate that my client would have never considered in the first briefing. Even after several years, the candidate is still working there.

When my team members get promoted or develop further - this makes me incredibly happy!

Whenever I have a possible client who is reluctant to work with us but once I have met with them and convince them of our approach, they agree to use our services.

Also, based on my performance I have been promoted frequently after a considerable time. I have recently been promoted to Manager and that makes me proud because both the company and my clients have done their part to boost our business and make this happen. Especially my team did a great job and lay the foundation for my next step and hopefully, they will benefit from that as well.

What do you enjoy most about working at Nigel Wright?

The clear vision and strategy, the team and the real international network and company.

How is Nigel Wright different to other companies?

I got to know several companies in recruitment and I have never seen one like Nigel Wright before - one with such a good team spirit, is truly international on a daily basis, shares so many insights and market knowledge throughout the whole company and is totally transparent/works so closely with clients and candidates.

What do you find most rewarding about working as a Recruitment Consultant?

Helping people to change their lives, supporting companies in obtaining the best talent in an interesting market and being paid well for the service we provide.

Is a career in recruitment what you thought it would be like?

Actually, I never thought of becoming a consultant in recruitment. I studied industrial engineering and did my MBA. I worked in the marketing departments of two different corporations. However, projects lasted years and I got into a routine without any real development or challenges. I liked working with people (and someone in an interview I had once told me: “OK, then go and work in a circus - there you’ve got people and even animals…”) and also seeing the outcome of my actions within a succinct period of time. I was fortunate that an HR Manager suggested that I apply for jobs in recruitment, which I did, and since then I have been happy with that choice! However, I never thought it to be so fascinating and motivating. At the end of the day, it is a sales job, but as you are not selling a “product” you cannot really predict or classify, people and a service. That makes it very interesting indeed.

Interested in joining our team?

If you’re interested in becoming a Recruitment Consultant, we’d love to speak to you. Find out more about us by visiting our careers microsite and visit our internal vacancies page to apply for one of our roles. Alternatively, please feel free to contact our Group Internal Talent Partner, Jane Burrage via jane.burrage@nigelwright.com or 0191 269 0717 for more information.

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