Charlotte McIntyre joined the Lily Shippen team in July this year as a Senior Consultant, having previously worked at a well known global secretarial agency for just under three years. Although she grew up in Portrush, a small seaside town just outside Belfast, she has now lived in Manchester for nearly ten years so her knowledge of the city is not to be doubted. Since joining, Charlotte has been working on secretarial and personal assistant recruitment with mainly clients in the technology, education and financial services sectors. Operating on our hybrid desk, she deals with the recruitment of both temporary and permanent staff. This gives her a greater understanding of her clients’ businesses as she is their sole recruiter. We recently had a chat with Charlotte to get to know about her interests in the Manchester secretarial recruitment market and to find out a bit more about herself.
What drew you to Lily Shippen?
Although I’ve only been with the company a few months, I already feel like I’ve been here forever; the team are so lovely and made me feel at home from day one. I was drawn to Lily Shippen because I think that the business model is exactly what the Manchester market needs. From meeting everyone during the interview process, it was clear that they all lived and breathed the company values and genuinely cared about the candidates and clients that they worked with.
What is it about Manchester that you love?
Apart from the fabulous weather, obviously, I love that there is always something to do, with new bars and restaurants popping up regularly. It’s fast paced and has a real buzz about it. Plus, it helps that everyone is friendly too.
When you’re not at work, what do you enjoy doing?
I love going out and having a bottle or two of wine; I am Irish, after all. But I’m also an avid gym goer and cinema lover. When I can, I always try and squeeze in a trip to go back home to see my family and friends.
Apart from the job specification, is there something you look for in all candidates?
Personality and confidence. I love meeting a candidate who may not have the best CV on paper, yet if I really click with them as a person I can sell them onto my clients as I know they’ve got so much potential. Last week, I placed an ex-nurse into a team assistant role!
What interests you about the Manchester recruitment market? How does it differ from other regions?
Manchester already has a strong business community, yet over the past couple of years, there has been a rise in companies choosing Manchester for their head office over the capital. With the HS2 railway now in motion and the prospect of travelling to London within one hour by 2020, I believe that this will encourage people to move to Manchester, impacting both the housing and job market. I’m constantly reading articles which all echo the same optimism for the city.
What type of candidates would you like to see more of?
At Lily Shippen, we love meeting candidates who are passionate about their role, at all levels. Our team love getting to know people, so if the candidate can sit and chat with us about what they love and what they want, we’re happy.
If there was a Staff Yearbook, what award do you think your colleagues would nominate you for?
The Feeder! I like my food and if I’m going down, I’m bringing the girls down with me!