insights Fostering strong relationships, championing diversity and building high performing teams
Tell us a little bit about your professional background?
I’ve been handling all things “people and culture” for close to three decades. I align strategic human resources and recruitment plans with business priorities and work with hiring managers to acquire all levels of talent to suit their business needs. I am responsible for fostering strong relationships, championing diversity and inclusion and building high performing teams.
What inspired you to become a recruiter?
I have found recruitment (also known as talent acquisition) to be the fun side of human resources and the employment lifecycle. In recruitment you don’t have to handle serious employee relations issues or terminations, instead you are responsible for finding great people for great roles—kind of like fitting pieces into a puzzle. You get to play detective, matchmaker and negotiator all at the same time, while being innovative, entrepreneurial and positively impacting other people’s lives.
One of the greatest parts of being a recruiter is that you’re constantly bringing people together. It’s an opportunity to strengthen workplace diversity and inclusion, achieve tangible goals and challenge oneself through the thrill of the hunt for talent that includes networking, engaging with a variety of people and backgrounds and connecting them to the right role. It is deeply rewarding and emotionally satisfying work.
What is the best thing about your job?
The best thing about my job is being a strategic partner to my business groups, working with a variety of people with different backgrounds and talking to diverse candidates, learning about their career, motivation and skills. I enjoy helping them in their career journey to find their dream role which has such a positive impact on their life. There’s nothing better than helping people find roles they’re passionate about.
What’s the moment you prefer in a job interview?
For me, the best part of an interview is when I meet candidates and learn what research they have done on the company, what their strengths and goals are and why they’re interested in the potential new role. I like learning about their career journey, their “roadmap” and what path they have taken to get where they are at now and where they hope that path will lead them in the future. Then, to determine how they can fit in with the hiring manager’s needs, it’s like fitting that final piece into a puzzle.
What challenges do you face in your role?
The candidate market is tight and sometimes in niche roles, there is a limited pool of qualified candidates. Therefore, we had to be creative and change our recruitment strategy to be aligned with the market. Sometimes it can be like a sport, there is a lot of competition in the war for talent that keeps recruiters on their toes. It’s a challenge to keep up with what the competitors are doing, stay on top of the latest news and trends and implement better new talent acquisition strategies. A good internet connection and solid recruitment management technology always helps, especially with the challenges we face with the pandemic. Many of us are working remotely and so having a good communication tool like MS Teams or Zoom allows us to connect with candidates more effectively. However, there have been many times when we have had to help candidates navigate the technology, like when we have to remind them they are on mute.
What qualities are necessary to be a recruiter?
There are many qualities that are relevant in recruitment. You have to be self-motivated, proactive and confident in your ability to negotiate and sell the company and job to the candidate. A recruiter must be skilled in relationship building with potential candidates and hiring managers and be able to network effectively with passive and active candidates. A recruiter must also have a keen understanding of the business and overall market, while keeping tabs on current trends and on top performers in the industry who could be potential candidates.
Building trust and rapport is important. Make sure to keep your candidates in the loop. Follow up with them throughout the process, even if they were not selected. When candidates trust you, they are more open to future job offers or opportunities at your company. As a recruiter you are the face of the company. You talk the talk about the values and understand the employer value proposition and sell that to prospective candidates.
What does diversity mean to you?
I have been a strong advocate of diversity and inclusion. Diversity is representation from a wide range of traits, backgrounds and experiences. When we can connect and engage with individuals with different perspectives from our own, and we leave unconscious bias at the door, we can successfully achieve our overall goals. Inclusion is important as well; it brings a sense of belonging in any environment. Think of it this way, “diversity” is being invited to the party and “inclusion” is being asked to dance.
Why is AtkinsRéalis a great place to be?
I often hear that candidates come for the job and stay for the team. Great people build great companies and at AtkinsRéalis Lavalin we have great teams that are ambitious, driven and focused. The company offers a collaborative, creative, supportive and empowering work environment. It’s really about the people here, the people make the company what it is, and we certainly have a great group of people working here who make it one of the leading engineering companies in the world. People have an opportunity to work on exciting projects that not only impacts their role, but also the community they live in.
What is the best advice you were ever given? Who was it from?
A previous leader use to say to our team, “Give me the best of you.” Basically, what it meant was that whatever you do, give 100%. If we give something our best or try our best, then we will most likely succeed. We may make mistakes along the way, but that’s okay. It’s a part of learning and that is what makes us stronger. We pick ourselves up and try again and give it all that we can. We give it the best of us.
Interested? Find out more about life at AtkinsRéalis
Sign up to receive the latest content tailored to your interests
Our articles
Preview
GeneralContent type
BlogsPublish date
10/11/2024
Summary
Hello. I'm Karen, a Senior Programme Manager in Project & Programme Services at AtkinsRéalis in the UK. Born to Ghanaian parents and raised in North London, my journey has been one of resilience
Preview
CanadaContent type
BlogsPublish date
10/10/2024
Summary
From engineering internships to leadership roles: My journey at AtkinsRéalis Discovering leadership through my civil engineering internships Allô, my name is Karolane. I work at AtkinsRéalis
Preview
EuropeContent type
BlogsPublish date
10/08/2024
Summary
At AtkinsRéalis, we believe that sustainability is more than just a goal - it shapes everything we do. For over a decade, our team members, like the one you'll meet today, have b
Preview
Middle EastContent type
BlogsPublish date
10/02/2024
Summary
In the rapidly evolving world of energy, having the right foundation in nuclear and net zero energy is crucial. AtkinsRéalis stands at the forefront of this sector, offering abundant opportuniti
Preview
Middle EastContent type
BlogsPublish date
10/01/2024
Summary
We interviewed Turki Ghesheyan on his experience with the AtkinsRéalis Saudi Graduate Program. Tell us a little bit about yourself My name is Turki, I am an Architectural Engineer who graduated from
Preview
Middle EastContent type
BlogsPublish date
09/30/2024
Summary
At AtkinsRéalis, we have a team of local, regional, and international experts in the UAE who are dedicated to delivering innovative solutions in the market to meet the needs of our clients. The UAE i
Preview
EuropeContent type
BlogsPublish date
09/30/2024
Summary
Hello, my name is Sherif, and I work at AtkinsRéalis in London. As a principal fire engineer, I'm proud to "engineer a better future" every day here, specifically as our work relates to shaping
Preview
EuropeContent type
ProjectsPublish date
09/30/2024
Summary
Hinkley Point C (HPC) is the first nuclear power station to be built in the UK since the 1990s. Technically complex and the country’s largest infrastructure project – our talented people from
Preview
GeneralContent type
BlogsPublish date
09/30/2024
Summary
Hi! I'm Alina, an associate director specialized in transport infrastructure engineering. I lead the North-West Estimating team in Project & Programme Services here in Manchester. Over the past
Preview
Middle EastContent type
BlogsPublish date
09/27/2024
Summary
Across the evolving landscape of the Middle East, Architects play a large part in designing and planning complex building structures that are in line with groundbreaking innovation. The constructio
Preview
Middle EastContent type
BlogsPublish date
09/24/2024
Summary
In the fast-paced world of consultancy, architecture, and project management, the need for forward-thinking leadership and innovative strategies has never been more critical. At AtkinsRéalis, we
Preview
EuropeContent type
BlogsPublish date
09/13/2024
Summary
Hello, my name is Dilini! Two years ago, after completing my doctorate in structural fire engineering, I began practicing in the UK fire engineering industry. I'm proud to have contributed
Related jobs
Salary
Location
Riyadh
Job Type
Full Time
Career Area
Civil engineering
Category
Permanent
Location
Riyadh
Description
We are hiring an experienced Senior BIM Coordinator for our Middle east delivery team. This person will be carrying out a mix of functions to support project delivery. The successful candidate should
Reference
R-121852
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
Location
Dubai
Job Type
Full Time
Career Area
Human resources
Market
Corporate
Category
Permanent
Location
Dubai
Description
Job Overview:The Head of Learning & Talent Development (L&TD) will be responsible for designing, driving, and implementing the learning and talent development strategy for AtkinsRéalis in the Middle E
Reference
R-121800
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
Location
Riyadh
Job Type
Full Time
Career Area
Architecture
Category
Permanent
Location
Saudi Arabia
Riyadh
Description
About AtkinsRéalisCreated by the integration of long-standing organizations dating back to 1911, AtkinsRéalis is a world-leading professional services and project management company dedicated to engin
Reference
R-121741
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
Location
Dubai
Job Type
Full Time
Career Area
Finance
Category
Permanent
Location
Dubai
Description
AtkinsRealis offers exciting opportunities for growth and development in the thriving markets of the Middle East. With offices in major cities such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Al Ula and Doha, we are
Reference
R-121734
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
Location
Riyadh
Job Type
Full Time
Career Area
Project management
Category
Fixed Term Contract
Location
Riyadh
Description
About AtkinsRéalisCreated by the integration of long-standing organizations dating back to 1911, AtkinsRéalis is a world-class engineering services and nuclear company dedicated to engineering a bette
Reference
R-121544
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
Location
Abu Dhabi
Job Type
Full Time
Career Area
Quantity surveying
Category
Permanent
Location
Abu Dhabi
Description
AtkinsRéalis is a world-leading design, engineering and project management organization. We connect people, data and technology to transform the world's infrastructure and energy systems. Together, wi
Reference
R-121485
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
Location
Dubai
Job Type
Full Time
Career Area
Project management
Category
Permanent
Location
Dubai
Description
AtkinsRéalis is looking for a Project Manager, in UAE.About AtkinsRéalis Created by the integration of long-standing organizations dating back to 1911, AtkinsRéalis is a world-class engineering servi
Reference
R-121360
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
Location
Dubai
Job Type
Full Time
Career Area
Project management
Category
Permanent
Location
Dubai
Description
AtkinsRéalis is looking for a Senior Project Manager to be based in UAE.About AtkinsRéalisCreated by the integration of long-standing organizations dating back to 1911, AtkinsRéalis is a world leading
Reference
R-121359
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
Location
Dubai
Job Type
Full Time
Career Area
Consultant
Category
Permanent
Location
Dubai
Description
AtkinsRéalis is looking for Senior Consultant /Manager - Risk Management to join our team in UAE.About AtkinsRéalis Created by the integration of long-standing organizations dating back to 1911, Atki
Reference
R-121358
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
Location
Riyadh
Job Type
Full Time
Career Area
Linxon - NewCo
Category
Permanent
Location
Riyadh
Description
Job Title: Senior Project EngineerLocation: Riyad, Saudi ArabiaJoin Linxon!We combine AtkinsRéalis project management expertise and Hitachi Energy’s deep technological knowledge to create a company de
Reference
R-121343
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Equality, diversity and inclusion
We’re devoted to growing the diversity of our people, promoting an inclusive culture, providing everyone with an equal voice because simply put, it’s the right thing to do. Click to learn more.
Find out more