What do you do at MRG?
I am primarily the Executive Assistant to Matthew Evans, but my role also involves supporting the wider Real Estate team and company. I provide 360 support on recruitment campaigns, coordinate internal training sessions, and contribute to content on our website as a part time ghost writer.
What are you most proud about that you have achieved in your career to date?
I’m immensely proud of our team and company for the way we came together during the first wave of the pandemic. I’d been at MRG for just 6 weeks when we received the stay-at-home order – and I’d never worked a day at home in my life! We were in the midst of my first big campaign and the work kept me busy and grounded during those uncertain times. We had twice-daily team calls and got to know each other really well, looking out for each other and keeping our spirits up.
I’m also proud of the work that went into producing our Whitepaper on ‘Senior Management Recruitment in 2020 and Beyond‘, in the summer of 2020. It was a big and highly informative project and the feedback we had from clients was really positive.
What inspired you to get into recruitment and why?
Ironically, I tried to avoid recruitment for years as it felt like every graduate was doing it. I started out as a PA for a boutique property management and investment company in Mayfair, and after a number of years there I ended up becoming a PA for a director of a property recruitment company. My role at MRG is much more intricately involved in the executive search process which I’ve found really enjoyable. I love that I am able to get involved in other operational areas of the business too.
What have you found interesting / different about working within an Executive Search company?
We don’t just fill jobs – we offer so much more in terms of advising and structuring teams. The recruitment campaigns are much more involved, such as writing candidate briefing document material and working alongside marketing to produce branded content. Our clients place a lot of trust in us to carry their brand.
What challenges do you face working with Matthew and the Real Estate team?
We’re always so busy, it can be hard to keep track! I have to be super flexible and reactive on a day-to-day basis. Matthew is always full of great ideas but needs help with the execution. I often get garbled voice notes which need to be deciphered and made into action plans which can be frustrating when neither of us know what the end result should look like. But it’s a work in progress.
As our wider team grows and gets more successful, I know that we need to be more forensic in our approach. We’ve been implementing systems and procedures to keep our workload more streamlined.
What do you think the biggest misconception people have about you is?
People think because I’m an EA I must love excel and speadsheets. I don’t. Formulas stress me out.
What’s one thing that most people don’t know about you?
When I was 12, I went through a rebellious phase. This culminated in me stealing a hamster from a pet shop on a whim. My mum was livid. I called the hamster Bubbles, and she lived a good long life.
What’s the best advice anyone has every given you?
You can keep making the same mistakes or you can learn from them.
What three words would your colleagues use to describe you?
Friendly, positive, and helpful.
And finally, who would play you in the movie about your life?
It would have to be Kate Winslet as she’s known for her “sharply drawn portrayals of spirited and unusual women” and I’m definitely a bit weird.
Get in touch with Alison for an informal chat about how she can help you and your recruitment needs.