Hi, I'm Nietta and I'm the Social Media Ambassador here at TONIC. Although we're a reasonably new business we are taking the recruitment sector by storm by reimagining the rec2rec world and refining what an 'excellent' rec2rec recruiter is by being consultative, knowledgable and approachable.
One of the things I love most about working at TONIC is getting to work so closely with SJ. Her passion, commitment and obsessive approach to business is so inspiring. But more than this, the way she effortlessly juggles being a mum, a friend, a wife and creating a food bank charity whilst building a brand new company - I don't even know if she is human sometimes!!
And this is why today, on International Women's Day, I'm sitting down to interview our very own SJ
Tell us a bit about you and how your career in recruitment has grown SJ?
"I've been in recruitment for a little over 17 years. Like most people, I stumbled into it after realising that my career as an Optician wasn't going to open the doors I needed it to.
I started my career as a 360 contract consultant. Back in those days, it was pretty rare to find a full-time recruiter who was also a mummy - it was presumed that the pressures and targets associated with being a recruiter would be too much to juggle with kids but I quickly broke that perception and became a top biller. Then around the time that my 2nd son was born, I was given the opportunity to step into an Internal Recruitment position and I have never looked back. I had found my passion - recruiting recruiters.
That was 15 years ago now and I have given literally thousands of recruiters either their first position in the industry or helped experienced recruiters move up in their career; whether that has been whilst working with small, regional start-ups or giant global recruitment agencies - I have enjoyed every second of it BUT the peak of my career and what I'm most proud of is TONIC. Reimaging the rec2rec world and defining what we do in this hectic, crazy sector is my obsession and I can't imagine doing anything else.
Tell us about your life - away from recruitment?
"I'm a mother and wife first and foremost. My husband is also a recruiter so we understand each other's pressures and it's nice to offload with someone who can offer advice and support after a hard day. I have 3 children; Jakob is 16 and currently the number one, under 18s rower in the United Kingdom and is currently training for the Olympics. Benji is nearly 13 is the artistic, creative one who loves gaming and Olivia-Belle, who is our 4 year old determined, a beautiful little girl who regularly ask us to 'put her on the stage'
During the pandemic, I created a charity called FreeMeals Full Hearts which to date, has fed over 3600 families in the Reading area. There was a real gap in the system which saw many families going hungry thanks to immediate redundancies or drastically reduced income thanks to furlough; so I got to work and created something so special that become a lifeline to so many. I have been overwhelmed by the response and support I have given by the community and last year I was nominated for a Pride of Britain and Pride of Reading awards
Which females inspires you?
"Since becoming a mother to a daughter, I have felt such an intense and deep responsibility to show her that she is capable of anything that she puts her mind to and that being female should never hold you back in life. She inspires me to be the best I can be every day.
Professionally though, I have always admired Karren Brady for her business achievements, becoming a best selling author and what she has achieved as a female in the male-dominated world of football (although I'm a huge rugby fan!)"
What advice would you give to younger females hoping to emulate your success?
"I'm a big believer in having a plan; with a plan, you can visualise your goals and how you can achieve them whilst ensuring you stay on track.
Also, don't be too hard on yourself. We are only human - life is not designed to be plain sailing. Take the rough with the smooth and remember where you have come and where you are going...-
Finally, balance is everything - after a hard week at work, I always make sure I stop and do something that feeds my soul and makes my heart happy. Whether that be going out with friends or spending quality, uninterrupted time with the kids or even a date night with the hubby - it's vital to remember how important balance is to prevent burnout!!"
Thank you for taking the time to give us a glimpse into your life SJ!