Recently we took five minutes to chat with Jessica Gahang, Associate Consultant in our Melbourne office. Jessica was previously a tax consultant in the Finance industry she now recruits in and talks to us about what life is like at Ambition as she continues to build her recruitment career.
Jess joined Ambition in May 2022 and within two months of Jess being in her role, she placed her first candidate. For the last 8 months, Jess has been working closely with, and mentored by, our Director of Victoria, Kylie Blackwell. Jess has seamlessly fitted into the Melbourne team, bringing her authentic, kind, and good-humoured personality to the group. We have no doubt that Jess will have a long successful career in recruitment and we are proud to have her starting it here at Ambition.
So the big question is, is it Jess or Jessica?
It's Jess
You only recently turned to a career in recruitment, what made you make the change, and how did it happen?
Like so many others, I had a bit of a “what am I doing with my life?” moment during lockdown. I was working in professional services and knew it wasn’t my forever job, so I quit and decided to channel my energy into thinking about what career I wanted to pursue next. I considered being a project manager, becoming a lawyer again, or starting my own business. I finally landed on recruitment and once I decided, I was working at Ambition within 2 weeks.
What made Ambition the right fit for you?
Having previously worked in a large organisation, I wanted to go the opposite way and work in a more intimate workspace. I also wanted to make sure I was setting myself up for success by choosing an environment that was supportive and where I was certain I would get the training and mentorship that I needed to build a solid foundation for my recruitment career. I chose Ambition because I felt like the leadership team would do what they say and deliver on the things I needed and because the staff seemed like genuinely good people. I don’t regret my decision – it’s been amazing.
What are you most inspired by in your role?
Our agency has a lot of inspirational recruiters – not only in terms of their billings but more so that they can remain so down-to-earth about their achievements.
Who has influenced you most when it comes to how you approach your work?
Working so closely with our leader, Kylie, in the accounting and finance space, has meant she has been the most influential in how I approach my work. Being able to learn from someone who’s had 20 years of experience and who has proven success in the industry has meant I’ve had the best possible training you could have as a rookie. I’ve also learned a lot from other consultants by listening to them on the phone – they all have such different styles, so it’s good to pick and choose techniques that work for you.
What is your approach when building relationships with your clients and candidates?
I think many of us tend to think that we need to be a certain way to get people to like us (whether they be clients or candidates) but I’ve learned over the past 6 months (and as cliché as it sounds) that being authentic will get you far. Also, just being courteous and being a decent human being seems to be well received.
What advice would you give to job seekers right now?
I would encourage job seekers to really understand the roles that they’re applying for. I’ve had numerous experiences talking to candidates who were enticed by higher salaries into roles they soon discovered were very different from what they were expecting. Make sure you ask both the recruiter and the employer exactly what your role entails so there are no nasty surprises once you start.
What is your secret talent that no one knows about?
I’m very untalented. I’m pretty good at Wordle….wouldn’t say that’s a talent though.
If you are looking for the next step in your recruitment career like Jess, contact Linda McEvilly, People & Culture Manager for a confidential discussion.
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