The cat that got the (career) cream… a recruitment review from our newest North American hire

The cat that got the (career) cream…
Written by Shannon Harty-Speers

Hear all about the recruitment process and what it’s been like to join ramarketing as a remote US team member from our latest recruit Shannon Harty-Speers – Senior Commercial Manager, North American Lead.

It all started with a crucial moment when an epileptic feline held Shannon’s career fate in its claws. Can you relate? No? Just Shannon then!

Read on…

The UK has entered the chat

In mid-June, I accepted an invitation to talk with a recruiter from the UK about a remote business development role with ramarketing. I was intrigued and wanted to hear more. But, when I dialed in at our scheduled time,I was met with silence. Unsurprisingly frustrated, I sent a text to a friend, ‘maybe this wasn’t legitimate’. Rather than assuming I’d been ghosted, I paused before calmly messaging the recruiter to reconfirm our meeting. She responded, apologizing profusely– one of her cats was mid-seizure at our scheduled time, and naturally, she had to attend to that. It was another reminder that life happens, and being adaptable and patient when things go awry typically yields a more favorable outcome than being an alarmist usually does. Besides, I shudder to think of the disdain my own furry housemate, Gracie, might feel if I had been unwilling to extend some grace.

Navigating the post-great resignation job market

Prior to chatting with this feline-loving recruiter, I was becoming increasingly fatigued by the recruitment and interview processes I’d been navigating with larger, corporate employers and start-ups. I had begun to re-examine my list of professional must-haves and non-negotiables.

While the market suggested an abundance of employers eager to fill a range of marketing roles, I had invested more than two decades of my career in healthcare marketing, and wanted to be very intentional about my next career move. Conversations with recruiters and potential employers went really well in many cases, and while the opportunities were solid, nearly all were devoid of my must-haves. Feeling ‘fine’ might have been tolerable in the short term, but the lack of genuine enthusiasm I felt, coupled with the thinly-veiled resentment of employees who remained in their pre-Covid roles, punctuated by a tentativeness among their newer staff, gave me pause. It was impossible to dismiss any of those red flags.

Impressing a potential employer was one hurdle, but it was critical that I left an interview convinced that, in addition to meeting my standard set of criteria (compensation, benefits, etc.), the right opportunity would present new and positive challenges within a business whose success is fueled by kind, smart, and talented people, genuinely happy to be there.

Most importantly, I knew my next employer had to have a culture that aligned closely with my own principles. I wanted nothing less than the right role, with leaders and colleagues who not only valued the experience I brought to the table, but just got me–and vice versa.

This one is just right

I had a delightful conversation about the opportunity with the recruiter, and was very pleasantly surprised to find that what ramarketing was seeking checked so many boxes for me. To think I nearly dismissed the call! Obviously, our initial conversation progressed to interviews, a presentation of my assigned task, and meeting with my manager, Yasmin, and our CEO, Emma; all of which culminated in an offer I was delighted to accept. The vibes were good from end-to-end!

Embracing the Goldilocks Moment

Joining ramarketing was an exciting choice for me for a number of reasons:

– You are who you say you are–conversations about capabilities, culture, etc. are based in reality and not aspirational
– Authenticity is welcome! It is refreshing to be encouraged to be exactly who I am.
– The team IS canny! I felt warmly welcomed by every person I’ve encountered so far.
– Onboarding has been outstanding and my director and all other colleagues I’ve met have been keen to share as much knowledge as
possible to set me up for success.
– To borrow from Goldilocks – my manager’s blend of authority and approachability feels just right. Communication and transparency are *chef’s kiss – just right!
– My manager genuinely embraces the uniqueness of each of her reports, and is committed to creating a rhythm that maximizes our complementary skills and attributes toward fostering a harmonious work environment that contributes to collective success!
– She knows her stuff–but invites ongoing feedback to continuously improve.
– I’m pretty sure I have found my people! Each morning I’m grateful to feel excited about beginning every single work day.

 Connect with Shannon.