Get to know… Davina Cooper

What do you do at MRG?

I recruit candidates for the Middle East market, with a specific focus on Saudi Arabia. I source people that have worked on mega construction projects from around the world.

What are you most proud about that you have achieved in your career to date?

Within weeks of working in the Middle East, recruiting for the construction sector, I placed the Senior Project Director for the tallest building in the world, at the time, the Burj Khalifa. As a result of this I was also featured in Construction Week magazine.

How did you get into recruitment and why?

It’s a very similar story to most recruiters… I was looking for a job in Exeter and went to see a recruitment company, who subsequently asked me if I’d like a job there.

What energises you about working in this sector?

I like the fast pace of construction recruitment and getting to know all the new, interesting, innovative, and ever-changing projects around the globe. I also find that the construction industry is a very vibrant and down-to-earth sector to recruit in to.

What’s the biggest thing that’s changed in recruitment since you started?

The biggest thing that’s changed for me is how when I first started, to find candidates you only had your database and offline methods. One way I’d find new candidates was to go out on the streets and hand out leaflets. I remember the days of putting on a coat and hat, to go and stand outside a rugby stadium to hand out leaflets.  There were no job boards, no LinkedIn only written advertising and networking.

What’s one thing that most people don’t know about you?

My passion outside work is horse riding, I have been riding all my life – wherever I am living I have a horse, once I get settled in Norwich I will find somewhere to ride. While at university I even exercised the horses for the Household Cavalry around Hyde Park.

I also love driving if I had another career, I would love to be a rally driver.

What’s the best advice anyone has every given you?

Better to do it and regret it than to regret never doing it at all.

What three words would your colleagues use to describe you?

Amazing at excel – I’m joking, Excel is my arch nemesis.

I can’t think of three, but I think most people would say… method in my madness

And finally, who would play you in the movie about your life?

Doris Day

Get in touch with Davina for an informal chat about how she can help you and your recruitment needs.

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