Gravitas (3)

​1. What does joining Gravitas mean to you?

I am really excited to be joining the team, I have positive feelings about where Gravitas is headed.

I wanted to find an opportunity where I could be surrounded by people that have the same energy and I feel like I’ve got that with Gravitas.

I know it’s going to be a cultural change but I feel ready for this learning experience. I have spent my first couple of weeks working in the London office to embed into the Gravitas culture and it feels brilliant to be in London with the team. I am going to take all these positive feelings back to Germany with me.

2. Why is now the right time for this move?

I was looking for an organisation that was moving forward, where I would be surrounded by people that have the same energy and drive as I do. When I first spoke to Jonathan Ellerbeck his energy was contagious and I knew then that Gravitas was the company for me and now was the time to join.

Having now met the wider team, I can already feel their energy and I cannot wait for the future.

3. How do you feel about the opening of the German office?

I’m incredibly excited. I know it won’t be easy, and starting any new venture can be a bit of a fight. We know we have some strong competitors and we have a lot of hard work to do, but I know that I can help convince others to join me on this journey.

Gravitas is a people business and I am looking forward to finding the right people that fit our culture and vision.

4. In your eyes, what will this expansion mean for Gravitas as a whole?

It is a great opportunity for all, I am a big fan of moving forward and I feel like Gravitas is in this unique position of growth. It’s going to create a positive impact for everyone. If a company is growing, its people can grow. It feels like we all get to grow together, which I love.

5. What makes you passionate about recruitment?

I’ve been in recruitment for the last 13 years, and at the heart of everything is communication and connection with people. Instead of selling a particular product or service, you’re connecting personalities which I love.

It’s great communicating with such a wide variety of people and putting them forward for opportunities which I believe are a perfect match.

6. What have been your biggest learnings in the sector according to your experience?

One thing I’ve learnt is that everything relies on equal commitment coming from all sides. If there’s one weak link, or one side of the triangle doesn’t match the effort it will collapse. There needs to be an equal commitment between the client, candidate and yourself to get the best result.

7. What has been your biggest achievement?

I think always being able to help push growth in the roles I’ve taken at every level has been one of my proudest achievements. Being able to achieve this whilst still keeping a personal touch has been important to the way I work - I always want to have an open door, so people at any level feel comfortable coming to talk to me.

These are things I’m now ready to keep building at Gravitas.

8. What do you think are the main gaps and opportunities in the market at the moment?

Particularly in the German market, I think there are opportunities to be taken when it comes to freelance/contracting and flexible working.

There’s been a lot of pushback on this in Germany historically, and it’s not something often recognised as a model that works for families. But since the pandemic people have been able to see the benefit of more flexibility, whether that's through remote or flexible working opportunities.

There has been a real shift - now you see a lot more opportunity in this area, and it’s much more common for people to be working from home.

9. What do you think are the largest challenges in the current market?

When it comes to clients, the challenge is always around the understanding. We have to make sure we can meet specific needs and specialist expectations. We face tough challenges in terms of seeing smaller and smaller pools of people available, however, we have a brilliant team so we know we can overcome challenges.

10. What kind of challenge are you expecting to see in this role?

With any project like this, there is of course a challenge that comes with starting anything from zero.

But that also opens up so many great opportunities - nothing is fixed, and we can have real flexibility in where we take things, it’s a big chance to push for great growth.

11. Where would you like to see Gravitas going next?

I am looking forward to building up the team in Germany and then after that I am excited about looking at new locations and opportunities. It will be fantastic to just continue to see the company go from strength to strength and build on the hard work going into this expansion.

12. What do you personally want to achieve in the future?

I am in an incredibly interesting and exciting position being employee number one in Germany and I cannot wait to see what we can achieve together.

13. What drives you in a work context?

I am quite an impatient person when it comes to working, I am always striving to get things done and to move forward.

14. When you’re not at Gravitas, what drives you?

I love being outside and I am a big fan of mountain biking, running and tennis. I also love being able to travel, not only personally, but also for work.

I am also very fascinated by the economy and what is happening in the world, exploring how this impacts businesses like ours and others, and what it means for their future.

15. What's one thing in the sector you wish more people were talking about?

I believe that recruitment has a bad name and that people in recruitment aren’t appreciated. Recruitment is about so much more than sales, it’s about human connections and finding the right opportunity for the right person. In recruitment you are making a difference to a person's life as well as making a difference to the future of a company.

16. With Gravitas continuing to expand in an international market that's seen a lot of disruption over the past few years, why is now the right time?

I’ll be honest there is never going to be the perfect time in terms of what is going on in the world, things can change so quickly and we’ve learnt that a lot over the last few years. In order to succeed you need to have the confidence as a company to know that if you don’t succeed the first time that you’ll try again.

Gravitas has proven that it can expand successfully and I honestly believe with everyone's passion and energy we will succeed and I am excited for the future.

17. What would you say to anyone thinking about applying for a role at Gravitas?

Gravitas is at a pivotal moment in its journey, you will be getting a unique opportunity to join and grow alongside the company and celebrate its successes.

18. If there was one piece of advice you would give to someone starting out in the same industry as you, what would it be and why?

I would recommend not comparing yourself to others and to always believe in yourself.

Also, don’t be afraid to set the reset button.What you have achieved in previous roles isn’t important now, what’s important is what you do moving forward.

If you are outgoing, you love people and you want to make a direct impact on a person’s life then I believe that recruitment is a fantastic career path for you.

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