Reflecting on Two Years at Rutherford Cross: Key Learnings & Advice

Rutherford Cross Consultant, Gillian O’Neil, recently reflected on her learning journey at Rutherford Cross since joining the business two years ago.

Every so often it feels as though it was only yesterday that I entered the world of recruitment, while other times I consider myself to be part of the furniture. It has been a busy two years in Financial Recruitment, and I believe this two-year milestone provides a fitting opportunity for me to look back on my learnings over the years.

This summary of my key reflections will hopefully provide useful insights for anyone who has recently started, or is looking to start, a new role.

 

1. Your Network is Your Net Worth

Networking is not simply exchanging business cards or connecting on LinkedIn, it is about cultivating meaningful relationships, investing your time getting to know your network and understanding their goals.

Throughout my two years at Rutherford Cross, I have witnessed numerous benefits of networking first-hand, including the opportunities it has opened up for others. I now understand the power of networking on a much deeper level. Personally, it is also one of the most enjoyable parts of my role as a Consultant; I often host and attend events that enable knowledge-sharing amongst like-minded individuals. I would strongly encourage others to attend networking events with this in mind.

 

2. Transform Your Mistakes into Learning Opportunities

Mistakes, challenges and setbacks will be inevitable when starting a new role. After moving into an entirely new industry, it didn’t take long for me to realise that the way I reacted to a setback was more important than the setback itself.

I feel my resilience has developed considerably after two years in recruitment, pushing past my own challenges along the way. I now no longer view failure in a negative light, but instead perceive it as constructive feedback to assess what I can improve on next time. This is a valuable lesson to take into any role or other areas of life; instead of being discouraged by your mistakes, it is helpful to view them as opportunities to learn and improve.

 

3. Consistency is Key

A new role often comes with a steep learning curve, and developing a positive, consistent routine is essential for managing the demands of this transition. From my perspective, a routine should include your professional tasks, as well as your self-care and skill development.

Try to avoid mistaking complacency for consistency: even once you have overcome the initial challenges of starting your new role, it’s important to consistently seek new knowledge, stay up to date with industry trends, and embrace a growth mindset.

 

4. Together We Achieve More

This is not only one of our core values at Rutherford Cross, but something that I feel is so relevant in my role every single day. I have learned a lot from my colleagues over the past two years; they have always supported me whenever I’ve had a bad day or when things didn’t quite go to plan – which happens quite a lot in the unpredictable recruitment industry. It is crucial to have a good team around you to create a positive working environment and increase productivity when working towards the same goal, and I hope that I have provided similar assistance to some of the newer members of the team too!

 

5. The Learning Journey is Boundless

Continuous Professional Development is essential across every role and industry. The pace at which industries evolve and technologies advance requires a commitment to lifelong learning, whether that is through formal training programmes or self-directed initiatives.

In my experience, starting a new role will always provide an opportunity for growth, both personally and professionally. This could be through pushing past your comfort zone, learning a new role and/or industry, or adapting to new team dynamics and ways of working. At Rutherford Cross, we benefit from regular training sessions and participate in a weekly internal ‘Knowledge Academy’ which focuses on personal development. These sessions have helped me to become more engaged in my role and I have thoroughly enjoyed the learnings so far.

In my opinion, the moment you stop learning you need to seek a new challenge. Whilst it is important to become an expert in your field, prioritising continuous improvement and development opportunities is critical to realise your full potential.

 

At Rutherford Cross, we aim to help people and organisations realise their potential. If you would like any advice or information on how we can help you develop your career, please get in touch with Gillian: [email protected].

For more information on careers at Rutherford Cross, please contact [email protected] or visit our careers page.