This year, we witnessed the professional and personal growth of some of our recruiters in our various offices.
Recruiting despite its high-rewards is not an industry for everyone or anyone. What does a recruiter do and what does it take to succeed? Let’s find out how from these consultants…
Last week we spoke to Abigail and Georgie about their journey in recruiting and life at Cogs. This week we have Loris and Mona share with us their own experience…
According to The Undercover Recruiter, on average, a recruiter spends 78,352 minutes on the phone and speak to at least 13,000 different people a year.
These numbers might look intimidating or paint a monotonous view of recruitment life but on any given day, speaking on the phone is just amongst the other things a recruiter would be involved with. There’s so much more to it than calls and meetings with clients and candidates.
Q: Can you tell me a little about yourself?
Loris: I’m a very chilled out person at work and outside of it, some in my team might say that I have a love for overpriced potted plants. I also love travelling to different countries and try to see as much of the world as possible.
Mona: Off work, I make time to attend Upfront which is a UX & Frontend meetup. I’m a proud member of a book club and a martial arts studio, I also have a yearly subscription to an art house cinema, I love theatre and I go running beside the Landwehr canal. I practised singing in a pub choir and I go for stand up paddle trips with my friends on one of the many lakes around the Berlin. I host and participate in fundraisers for Berliner Tafel who collect leftover food from supermarkets to distribute amongst financially challenged families. I’m also part of an urban gardening project in my street and there is this Alpaca farm I still haven’t been to. There are too many things in Berlin to do.
Q: Tell us about your journey at Cogs?
Loris: I’ve been with Cogs for 3 years now, and I started as a consultant – following that, I was promoted to Senior, then Principal and I am now heading the Design recruiting team.
Mona: I joined Cogs in 2014 after a couple of years as an agency account and project manager. Back then, Cogs Berlin was just a 2-person team. I actually started out as an office manager, moving rather quickly to a researcher and then a consultant role while taking care of marketing for the German office as well. What keeps me going, is that Cogs is always evolving. I can suggest new ideas and execute them freely and there’s always new clients and unique business models to work with.
Q: Describe your typical work week.
Loris: The work week can be very diverse, which is one of the really exciting parts of doing this role. From meeting with an array of clients from start-up’s to global tech companies to boutique agencies, the list is endless. I also spend a lot of my time meeting with candidates and on occasions, I get to attend really interesting tech events.
Mona: I plan my week very thoroughly every Monday morning: client meetings, new business, candidate calls, operational tasks and administration. Unfortunately, by noon, my plan usually becomes obsolete. We are in the business of people. Moreover, at Cogs, we are in business with people who are looking for change. So my plans and my tasks are adjusted to their needs.
Q: How do you deal with pressure or stressful situations?
Loris: In stressful situations, I usually like to take a step back and detach myself to see the whole picture clearly before making a decision. I also like discussing with my team as I really value their thoughts.
Mona: Recruiting can be a rather stressful job: changing briefs from demanding clients, no-show candidates, high pressure from your competitors. My strategy is, be sure you always have a plan B in your back pocket. And most of all: It’s a business. Don’t take anything personally and don’t take anything home.
Q: What are your next steps here at Cogs with your new title?
Loris: My aim is to continue the growth of the team, push innovation and work in new and exciting ways where we continue to add great value to our candidates and clients. I hope to improve their experience and satisfaction levels.
Mona: Now that I’m a Principal Consultant I use the opportunity to focus more on strategic tasks as well and expand Cogs’s services in consulting. Apart from that, I’m looking forward to further develop the Berlin commercial team and become a mentor and a coach for new starters as we grow.
Thanks for sharing Mona and Loris! We wish you both a productive last quarter of 2018.
If you want to find out more about recruiting or connect with Mona or Loris, you can drop them an email at mona.braun@cogsagency.com or loris.shala@cogsagency.com.
Whether you are a fresh graduate or an experienced professional, there’s something for you with us. View all open positions at Cogs worldwide today.
Read more about the life of recruitment in Cogs from our other consultants below:
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- Cogs Story
- Recruiting Life