How I Got Here: Aesop’s Senior Talent Acquisition Partner on utilising the skills that come naturally to you
WORDS BY IZZY WIGHT
“The challenge of not having the right experience was an easy fix, and I believe my curiosity to understand was a major player in turning this around.”
Have you ever stalked someone on LinkedIn and wondered how on earth they managed to land that wildly impressive job? While the internet and social media might have us believe that our ideal job is a mere pipe dream, the individuals who have these jobs were, believe it or not, in the same position once, fantasising over someone else’s seemingly unattainable job.
But behind the awe-inspiring titles and the fancy work events lies a heck of a lot of hard work. So what lessons have been learnt and what skills have proved invaluable in getting them from daydreaming about success to actually being at the top of their industry?
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Welcome to How I Got Here, where we talk to women who are killing it in their respective fields about how they landed their awe-inspiring jobs, exploring the peaks and pits, the failures and the wins, and most importantly the knowledge, advice, and practical tips they’ve gleaned along the way.
This week, we learn about the career journey of Yvonne Rebecca Elbigawe, the Senior Talent Acquisition Partner at Aesop. Working across multiple teams, Yvonne’s day-to-day is comprised of “stakeholder influencing, relationship building and getting top talent into the business”.
After completing a Bachelor of Communication, Yvonne was ready for a Samantha Jones-esque career in public relations, only to discover it wasn’t quite as glamorous as she initially thought. “The moment I grounded myself and realigned my vision, I focused on obtaining a career that tapped into all the skills that come naturally to me,” she explains. Read on to hear her best career advice.
What do you do and what’s your official job title?
I’m part of the Talent Acquisition team at Aesop and I’m responsible for the end-to-end recruitment for all our retail leadership opportunities across our beautiful spaces in Australia and New Zealand.
I also work with the HR and Talent Team to analyse candidate trends, which supports the business in identifying opportunities that can elevate our position in the retail market.
Take us back to when you were starting out. Did you study to get into your chosen field, or did you start out with an internship/entry-level role and climb the ladder? Tell us the story.
Starting out in recruitment was an accident destined to happen! I completed a Bachelor of Communication and majored in Public Relations, which I thought would be the Rolls Royce of careers at the time – think Samantha Jones from Sex and the City. But the reality is, it’s nowhere near as glamorous.
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The moment I grounded myself and realigned my vision, I focused on obtaining a career that tapped into all the skills that come naturally to me – sales, networking, relationship building and influencing. After applying to several positions in the sales space, I came across an opportunity as a recruitment resourcer for a boutique agency. I had no idea what that was at the time but because I loved the brands highlighted on the ad, I hit ‘apply’.
One week later, I received a generic ‘unsuccessful’ email for this role, so I decided to call to learn why. The team loved my drive which led me to an interview, and that’s how my journey started. Even though I came in with zero industry experience, my passion for sales and customer service in retail was the perfect foundation to develop my skills in recruitment.
I spent six months resourcing candidates and supporting the recruitment team before stepping up to a 360 consultant. This is where I was introduced to client calls, advertising management, candidate management and offers.
I spent five years in agency, which then led me to in-house recruitment which was completely different. After my induction, I was told to “do what I did in agency” and from there, some incredible changes to the recruitment function were made. Fast forward to today, I’m working with Aesop [and] doing what I love: stakeholder influencing, relationship building and getting top talent into the business.
What challenges/hurdles have you faced getting to where you are now? Can you tell us about one in particular?
Too many! In agency, not every client is going to want to work with you and in the beginning, all the “we’re not interested” took a toll. Perseverance builds resilience, so the learning is to not take things personally – it’s part of the job at the end of the day.
The challenge of not having the right experience was an easy fix, and I believe my curiosity to understand was a major player in turning this around. If I never called to get feedback, I would certainly not be where I am today.
What do you want people to know about your industry/your role?
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It’s competitive and all dependent on the relationships you have internally and externally. It’s also an industry where you must think ahead and know what other businesses are doing in the market as a way to look at the bigger picture.
We work closely and strategically with HR, so the role will sometimes look at elements of retention, culture, benefits and growth plans for the business.
What’s the best part about your role?
The variety and changes in the market. I also love connecting with talent and hearing their career journey and I also love working with stakeholders who are passionate about their business. Naturally, the best part is finding someone aligned to a role and watching them flourish in the business or career.
What would surprise people about your role?
It’s basically sales! When I hear candidates say they want to be in recruitment to “get out of retail” or “to not work in customer service”, I tell them recruitment won’t be for them. In this industry, we’re selling not just jobs, but the business, culture, challenges and perks. This is mainly for candidates who are happy in their existing roles, so the initial connection is the most crucial.
Customer service or ‘candidate experience’ in recruitment language is crucial, as this can be a scary journey for many candidates. We’re also selling candidates and influencing stakeholders as to why a certain person is suitable for a position based on business needs. In a competitive market, we need to ensure that we’re the face of the company because a candidate’s journey starts with us.
What skills have served you well in your industry?
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People skills on many levels. This includes customer service, building and nurturing relationships, sales, influencing and even negotiating. We’re in a role where we also use our knowledge and skills to challenge our stakeholders in a way that can support the business and their needs.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to be in a role like yours one day?
Look at some opportunities in your current role that can be a pathway into recruitment. Work with your leaders who may already have this exposure to get a sense of the language used. Start from the bottom and enjoy the journey. Lastly, build your LinkedIn and connect with industry professionals.
What about a practical tip?
Don’t burn bridges. If someone has reached out, reply. If you have a missed call, return it. If you’re invited to an interview, attend and utilise this journey to learn and understand what’s important to you. The industry you’re in is not as big as you think, and word gets around.
Read the rest of the How I Got Here series here.
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