Insider profil

Picture of Rachel R

Rachel R.

Head of Talent Acquisition

Ask me a question
HR

Keen to receive questions about

ApplicationsCareer DevelopmentCareer TipsEligibility AdviceEveryday LifeInterview AdviceOpen RolesOur CulturePeople & DiversityRoleWhy usWork & Life with Us

Top Insider Advice

A sideways or lateral career move can help give you a different perspective and broader experience. It helps you consolidate your knowledge. Always look around an organisation if you're happy before deciding to look outside. There are opportunities often such as secondments which might give you that breadth with an option to return to your 'home role' afterwards.

Read more advice

Career path

Head of Talent Acquisition

Phoenix Group

Started 06/2021 to Present

Company

What do you like about your job and the company?

Although my day is often very structured with regular calls and meetings it can all change very quickly. With all the communication methods available I can find myself involved in a variety of different tasks, asks or conversations each day which I didn't plan. It keeps it really interesting. I'm also really lucky as we work in a hybrid role so I have a huge amount of flexibility about where I work. For me I enjoy the social interaction that the office provides a couple of days a week although I'm more productive on the days I work from home so like the balance of both worlds.

Greatest achievements

It was actually a job that I was recruiting for but I got one well with the hiring manager and upon reading the job spec and interviewing candidates I realised I had the skills and experience to give it a go. No regrets it was incredibly tough, and I had just come back from maternity leave and so made the difficult decision to come back full-time to take the job but I learnt so much in the first two years that it was definitely a career highlight. I was lucky in that not only was I able to build something successful from scratch, but as we supported a number of countries across Europe and required fluent native speakers we ended up building a really diverse and multicultural team which meant I learnt so much from those around me about the different cultures, traditions and approaches - for example did you know that in Germany it's unlucky to give someone a birthday present or wish them a Happy Birthday before their actual birthday?

Other insiders

David B

Senior Risk Manager

Top Insider Advice

Only you will truly know yourself and what you do and do not like. When you are deciding on a role you have to weigh up is it appropriate for you, but also what is your 'gut feel'. Not just about the role, but the people and organisation. You will spend many years of your life in the workplace, so it is critical you enjoy what you do. I have been fortunate in that 95% of time I have loved the work, experiences and people I have worked with. There will always be tasks we don't quiet enjoy, but it is my fondness for the role which has kept me here for 22 years

Navdish W

Top Insider Advice

Throughout my career I have taken risks - I quit a role with no job lined up and more recently left a permanent position to join Phoenix on a 12-month fixed term contract, three years on I am still here (after securing a permanent position!). I appreciate not everyone is in a position to do this but those risks have truly paid off in shaping my career.

Jane A

Employer Brand Manager

Top Insider Advice

If you love doing something but don't have the 'typical' experience for the role, try it anyway or find a company who will give you the opportunity to. At Phoenix and in my previous roles I have tried new things either side-of-desk or via trying a new job and I've learned a lot by doing that. I think ultimately trying different things has led me to be really happy in my current job as I've figured out my strengths and what I genuinely enjoy doing. I appreciate that you need the right environment for that and I've been fortunate enough to work for a couple of organisations who have focused on internal talent and development opportunities. This year I'm doing work in areas that I didn't know much about 12 months ago, and learning about more complex topics and processes which may not outwardly be directly associated with my day-to-day job but will help me when I'm considering what's next!

Discussions with Rachel R
How is this company different to your expectations before joining?
in Career Tips·Tuesday, December 6, 2022
Picture of Jeremy
2 responses
779 views
Can you give me some tips on what the company values?
in Career Tips·Friday, November 25, 2022
Picture of Chris
2 responses
486 views
What are the 3 top qualities required to succeed in your role?
in Career Tips·Tuesday, April 4, 2023
Picture of Jason
Picture of Tim
3 responses
422 views
What motivates you about your role?
in Career Tips·Tuesday, January 31, 2023
1 response
221 views