In our Career Spotlight feature, we sit down with each member of the Realm team to talk about where they came from, what their job involves and how they’ve grown since joining the business.
This time, it’s our personal injury and insurance recruitment specialist Joe who joined Realm in May 2016.
What did you do before you joined Realm / How did you end up working in legal recruitment?
Before Realm, I studied Human Resource Management at Leeds Metropolitan. Alongside my studies, I worked on a building site with my dad and operated a toll booth too (not quite the traditional teenage employment!)
Although HR did massively interest me at the time and I excelled on my course, it wasn’t something I wanted to go into right away for various reasons.
During my studies, we covered some recruitment related modules albeit from an internal perspective and it really stood out to me. I’ve also a close family friend who has worked in recruitment for some time now who gave me an insight into what it’s like day-to-day.
Equipped with a little bit of knowledge about what recruitment is like, I opted to give it a go and applied with Realm amongst others. Me and Duane got on really well from the off and a few weeks down the line, I finished University for good on a Friday, submitted my assignments and was working for Realm by the Monday.
Why did you join Realm?
I’d been for a few recruitment interviews before meeting with Realm and on a personal level, we really didn’t click. I found every interview to be war stories about past successful billers and OTEs rather than how I would benefit from working there and how my progression would be structured.
As soon as I met Duane and heard his ideas for the future, it was something I felt as though I could really get behind and on board with. The down to earth, human approach exists throughout the business and this aligns with me massively on a personal level.
Having never done recruitment before, it made no odds to me the size of the firm or how long they’d been going. For me, a top priority was finding a firm that would invest in me and offer me genuine prospects to progress. Although the company was very much in its infancy, it was clear that Realm could offer this and the company more broadly was going places in the future.
What does your role at Realm involve?
Day to day, I specialise in commercial insurance and personal injury recruitment. I work on behalf of a diverse range of firms from small, specialist practices right through to international firms and plcs. Regardless of size, each client gets a bespoke offering from me as I take time to fully understand their needs.
I source candidates for active roles through various avenues, highlighting my clients’ needs and what they can offer. Specialising in the niches I do, I’ve a solid bank of connections within the industry who I speak to regularly about relevant options.
The other half to my role is being a point of contact for all of my clients and ensuring they’re kept up to date throughout the lifecycle of the process.
What has been the biggest achievement of your career so far?
Consistent progression from Trainee to Consultant to Senior Consultant with an eye on further promotion.
How has working at Realm helped you in your career development?
Working for Realm has allowed for me to have a lot more autonomy over my work than what may exist elsewhere. The culture in place is one that allows me to make mistakes and learn from them, rather than being given a one size fits all process.
I’ve been empowered to deal with a lot of complex matters on my own accord, knowing full well there is a wealth of expertise and guidance to draw upon when required.
I’ve benefitted massively from an open and fair workplace that encourages continuous development.
About Joseph
Joseph specialises in recruiting insurance and personal injury solicitors, including EL/PL Fee earners, RTA Litigators and catastrophic injury lawyers, across Manchester and the North West.
Call Joseph today on 03300 245 606 or email joseph.shenton@realmrecruit.com to learn more about the market or for a confidential chat about your career.
