Hot seat: Patty Buwaj talks about her career move into recruitment
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Rachel Williams

Mar 03, 2016

Hot seat: Patty Buwaj talks about her career move into recruitment

Patty has been at Cast UK for 5 months now, working as a consultant on our Purchasing and Supply Chain team, recruiting for Supply Chain, Procurement and Purchasing roles in the FMCG sector across the South London. Find out what made Patty chose a career move to the recruitment industry:
1. What attracted you to a career change to the recruitment industry?
At my last job I was given the opportunity to participate in an internal recruitment project and I found it so satisfying and rewarding that I continued as an assistant internal recruiter for over 5 years at the company. I found such great joy in the role and the responsibilities of that position that I decided to pursue a career in recruitment.
2. How did you find the transition from industry to a career in recruitment?
I found the transition quite smooth. In my past role I dealt with a lot of people in supply chain, planning and logistics so recruiting for these types of roles really made the transition much easier for me. This is mainly because I have experience working with people in these departments so I have an understanding of their daily work and their roles and responsibilities. So, it’s really helped me to get an insight into what candidates want when they’re looking for a new role and what the client is looking for when they are hiring someone in supply chain and in these types of roles.
3. What has been your biggest success in recruitment so far?
My biggest success in recruitment so far has certainly been adapting to the high paced working environment. Coming into recruitment is a juggling act, making sure you have time management skills and the ability to prioritise. Coming into this high paced recruitment atmosphere, taking on all of these challenges and managing to be successful has certainly been an achievement for me.
4. How would you describe our working environment?
The working environment at Cast UK is very vibrant and energetic. We have a lovely orange themed office which always puts a smile on my face when walking into the office on a Monday morning; it keeps your spirits up! The office and the employees are very youthful, outgoing and very supportive and embracing to new employees.
5. How useful has your industry knowledge and experience been in your new career?
My industry knowledge in my new recruitment career has certainly been an asset. It’s given me insight into what the candidates are looking for in terms of their next role and at the same time, an insight into the client’s needs and what they’re looking for in a strong candidate. Having an understanding of what candidates are doing on a daily basis in terms of their scope of responsibilities has certainly helped me to find the right roles for them but also to find the right candidates for clients.
6. What is the most rewarding aspect of the job?
The most rewarding aspect of my work is really feeling that appreciation and thankfulness when finding the right candidate for the right role. This works from both ends; you get a great satisfaction in helping someone find a new career and find new challenges that they will be able to take on with full energy but at the same time you’re finding a strong employee for a client and their vacancy. Finding the right candidate means that they will be an asset to their company for years to come.
7. What advice would you give to any industry professional considering a career in recruitment?
When entering a career in recruitment you have to be prepared to embrace the high paced environment. There’s always many people to speak to, and the most important thing is to manage expectations. Have a good understanding of the client’s needs and what they’re looking for in a candidate but also have a good understanding of what your candidates are looking for in their next step, and working with both sides to make a successful means to an end.
8. Finally, what do you enjoy the most about working at Cast UK?
The thing I enjoy the most has to be the working atmosphere, everyone is very young, energetic and supportive. Everyone is here to have a good laugh but also to support new employees and help them take on new challenges. Everyone has a lot of great industry knowledge and insight into how things work, so having that support and being with a group of people that are committed to success is really satisfying. To watch Patty's video interview, visit our Youtube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/CastUK1 If you are considering a career change from a Procurement, Buying, Supply Chain or Logistics background, contact our internal recruitment team today on 0161 413 6902 or email rachelwilliams@castuk.com