Moving from a local to a global recruitment firm

Sindhu Suppiah joined Robert Walters at the start of 2019 to establish Toronto’s interim recruitment division. After nearly a year with the business, we ask Sindhu why she joined Robert Walters and what she likes best about working for a firm with a global footprint…

Where did you work before joining Robert Walters?

“Before joining Robert Walters, I worked for a Toronto-based recruitment firm, but, before that, I was a financial analyst.

I didn’t particularly enjoy sitting in front of spreadsheets all day, which was a large part of my role as a financial analyst! I reached out to a local recruitment firm who recognised my potential as a recruitment consultant and offered me an internal role. It wasn’t a career path that I’d previously considered, but I quickly realised it was a great opportunity to leverage what I had been doing in finance, expand on my knowledge and do something completely different.”   

Why did you want to work for Robert Walters?

“Before I joined Robert Walters, my area of expertise in recruitment was focused solely on the Greater Toronto Area, so the idea of working for a business with a global presence and gaining an understanding of international markets was very appealing.

I was offered the opportunity to establish and lead the interim recruitment division at Robert Walters. Coming into a business and taking on this kind of challenge could have been quite daunting, but I knew Robert Walters had a strong global network which I could leverage to build credibility and establish new business relationships.
The culture at Robert Walters is incredibly entrepreneurial, and I love that I was given the tools and support – as well as the autonomy – to build a new division.”

What do you like best about your role?

“At Robert Walters, there is no candidate or client ownership. This means that clients and candidates have access to the expertise and advice of the whole team, not just the individual recruiter they are working with. There’s a lot more collaboration as a result, but you still have the freedom to go out and build a name for yourself. In my experience, there can be a lot of red tape in recruitment around where you can and can’t go, and it’s difficult to be entrepreneurial. It’s the complete opposite here – I really enjoy the autonomy of my role.”

How would you describe the culture at Robert Walters?

“It’s a very collaborative environment. Everyone is working towards common goals. Because it’s not a commission-focused model and we are working to achieve together, I believe we provide a more holistic service to our candidates and clients.

We’re constantly looking at cross-sell opportunities and brainstorming innovative strategies to work with new companies and new people. The model at Robert Walters drives the right attitude and values internally.”

What advice would you give to someone considering a move into recruitment?

“Not all recruitment firms are the same. Find a business that is aligned with your values. I wanted to work for a business that was people-focused and more interested in finding the right roles for their candidates as opposed to just closing jobs.

Unlike other careers, recruitment doesn’t necessarily have a straight and defined path to career progression. There are several routes your career in recruitment can take, so you need to be self-motivated, driven and willing to put your hand up to take advantage of the opportunities when they come your way. 

I think another important trait is creativity. There’s a lot of opportunity out there, especially in a growing recruitment market like Toronto’s, so identifying how you can be different and creating new ways to seek out the opportunities on offer is essential.”

Interested in a career in recruitment? Please send an up-to-date resume to Liz Boston at liz.boston@robertwalters.co or call +1 415 815 3797.