So far, we have explored what Randstad has to offer - from our introduction to BOLT, through to our senior directors and our inhouse services team: RIS. These are just some of the teams at Randstad though, so now we are diving deeper into Life At Randstad by introducing you to people across our business. At Randstad, our people have the opportunity to accelerate their recruitment career, and grow as far as their ambitions take them. We caught up with Shane Austin, Branch Manager to find out a bit about his career at Randstad and why he enjoys #LifeAtRandstad.
tell us a bit about yourself
I joined Randstad in September 2017. Prior to joining Randstad I had a successful recruitment career for six years and achieved top biller and team awards during that time. Although I was doing well and celebrating success with my colleagues, I wanted a new challenge and Randstad appealed to me, particularly because Randstad provided me with the opportunity to work in the construction recruitment industry. Given how much the economy was set to grow in the UK construction market, I was keen to learn about it. I was also very aware that Randstad is a leader in the construction recruitment arena.
what’s it like at Randstad?
In one word, brilliant (and I’m not just trying to sell it). Even through some tough market conditions, (Brexit and Covid as an example) Randstad have pulled together as a team, diversified, adapted and supported every member of staff exceptionally well. Aside from this, the opportunity to grow and accelerate my personal career has been a fantastic experience and I know many of my peers feel the same way. It’s a great place to work!
what about the vibe at Randstad?
I’d best describe Randstad as a global company with an inclusive and collective feel to it. Each office has a unique and fun culture which has developed over time and everyone works cohesively as a team to achieve global goals. Everyone wants the best for each other, regardless of their role or tenure and we work hard to achieve our personal, team and wider business objectives, whilst maintaining a fun approach - I see a lot of smiles when I am in virtual meeting rooms and when I visit the office as part of my flex@Randstad, so we have a happy, enjoyable and fast paced vibe at Randstad.
talk me through your day
There is no typical day and every day is different - that’s a good thing because I’m never bored and I am always learning through experience. I'm a billing manager, so my time is split between running my own desk and growing a successful office with 12 direct reports. I like to mix up my day and meet clients and candidates face to face where I can. I do this because it allows me to have a more personal approach to how I work with my customers. There are days where I am in the office, either developing business, closing jobs, celebrating sales and coaching my team, but there are also other days, thanks to flex@Randstad, where I have the opportunity to focus on my work, without distraction, in my home office.
you mention it being a happy and enjoyable culture. Tell us more.
We took part in a lot of virtual activities through lockdown; quizzes, team meetups, virtual deal or no deal to name a few. These were great because those of us with families at home could still be involved (and sometimes the family got involved too!). Now we have returned to some level of normality, those of us who can will sometimes get together as a team. I'm looking forward to Christmas here as there’s always an activity going on and a buzz around the office. We know not everyone can get together after work, so it’s great that the team gets on so well and can have a laugh in the office too.
how quickly has your career accelerated?
I joined as a senior consultant, taking an initial step back in my career to learn a new industry. In the four years I have been at Randstad I have enjoyed four promotions, now running a very successful team in the UK - proof that meritocratic career progression is fully supported and nurtured at Randstad. I've had clear targets to achieve for each promotion, knowing exactly what I needed to achieve to get to the next step in my career. The training available at Randstad is also incredible. The whole L&D team are proven recruiters themselves, so they know how to help you set yourself up for success. This, combined with tailored programmes and self-learning events available, has given me the opportunity to grow my skills and career rapidly.
so why join us?
Randstad is a large, financially secure business with significant infrastructure to support everyone to successfully achieve business objectives, whilst simultaneously offering a boutique business culture in all of our offices. We’re a business that listens to our employees, implements change to adapt to the ever changing world and promotes and develops their staff. The sky's the limit, so we focus on where you want to take yourself in the world of work.
what next?
If you or someone you know is excited to read this and feel that #LifeAtRandstad is what you want out of your career, please reach out to our internal talent acquisition team through our careers site and live vacancies or email us at itauk@randstad.co.uk to arrange a confidential introduction to the world of work.