The Parallel Universe

We want to celebrate one of our employees who was recently promoted from Trainee Consultant to Recruitment Consultant. Poppy joined our business only 3 months ago and has gone above and beyond to show that she is the embodiment of what Parallel is all about: innovative, collaborative and entrepreneurial. Poppy works on our Berlin Digital team in our London office and has 100% gone above and beyond to prove that she has what it takes to excel in recruitment.

Tell us a little bit about your first day in recruitment! What was it like when you joined Parallel?

In all honesty, I was really worried about my first day due to the reputation of the recruitment industry; however, Parallel proved me wrong - everyone was so welcoming and down to earth. There is no ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ culture here, as everyone’s priority at Parallel is ensuring client and candidate happiness. This was rare to come by when interviewing with other companies initially.

What did you do before you joined Parallel?

I used to work as a complaints handler for a UK Car Insurer and prior to making the decision to start a career in Recruitment, I decided to take a year off from my role as a complaints handler to travel and work in Australia.

What encouraged you to join Parallel as opposed to other companies?

The culture! The moment I came in for my first onsite interview I could tell Parallel was the one for me. Everyone is so friendly and lively, we all share the same mindset in the sense that we all want to achieve our career goals but still make time to socialise together.

What’s it like to work at Parallel?

I love working here! The culture is fantastic. Each employee, whether they are a consultant or a manager, will always go above and beyond for each person at the company and push each other to achieve their career goals. This is the first role I have had where I am genuinely excited to go to work on Monday, catch up with everyone and smash the week!

"Parallel stood out from the other places I was interviewing particularly because their focus on building close relationships with their clients and candidates alike."

What have you learned so far at Parallel?

I have learned so much here with regards to the Technology industry and the Berlin market (which I had no knowledge about prior to joining Parallel).  On top of that, Parallel has taught me how to structure my time effectively to maximise what I get out of my day and helped me adopt a ‘never give up’ mentality.

What tools did you feel Parallel provided you with to help you in terms of getting promoted?

What didn’t Parallel supply! We have an internal l&d trainer who always makes the time to answer any queries I have. He helps me figure out the next best step with regards to my clients and candidates as well as providing regular training sessions. I have also had a mentor since I’ve started at Parallel and can easily say, I would not be where I am now without his support and additional training. Even outside of my team, managers and colleagues have always been there to motivate and push me to reach my targets for promotion. Lastly, my manager has been incredible - he conducts monthly reviews so we can together determine where my strengths lie and what steps I need to take to reach that my goal!

What do you love or enjoy most about being a Recruitment Consultant?

The people: clients, candidates and my colleagues. I love speaking to and meeting new people, so the recruitment industry really stood out to me – and industry where I could feel comfortable and be able to thrive. Parallel stood out from the other places I was interviewing particularly because their focus on building close relationships with their clients and candidates alike. I also like the fact that there was a huge focus on socialising with one another and enjoying the time we all spend together both inside and outside of work.

How did you feel after being promoted?

Great! I have growing sense of confidence in my abilities every day at Parallel, but my promotion has cemented the fact that hard work really does pay off and the confidence that I am a market expert in my field.

Noting our internal learning & development programme and her incredibly supportive team members as the catalysts for her success, Poppy is one to look out for! Congratulations again, Poppy! We can’t wait to see what you do next!