Rosie joined in March 2016 as an associate consultant on the Digital Contracts team. We sat down with her to hear her advice for anyone starting out in the firm.
Focus on where you want to get to
La Fosse is an ambitious environment with a lot of capacity to progress your career quickly. But you have to have a clear idea of where you want to get to – you don't want to be busy, but without a clear direction. I set myself goals: one or two non-negotiable goals for each day. They can be small - setting up a meeting with that client, or finding one superstar candidate - but if I achieve them then I know I’m making steps towards getting where I want to go.
Look at the small picture…
I've learnt it's not helpful simply saying, “I want to be promoted within a year.” Big picture goals are good to keep you focused on the long-term, but they're too vague and don’t help structure our time in the short-term. If I break down a goal into its various processes, then I find I'm much more likely to reach it.
…And the big picture
But also, take some time to appreciate when things go well. It's easy to get so caught up in the day-to-day that you forget how far you've come. When I started, I was tasked with building the UX/UI contracts desk from scratch and it was quite daunting. In the end, it took me three months to do my resource deals, and I was promoted within nine. This wasn't easy though, especially at the beginning; it's hard to build a contractor book from nothing. But now I’ve been here for just over two years and have 25 out (a La Fosse record I believe). I think it's important after each milestone to be proud of what you've accomplished and then use it to drive you forward.
You'll get a lot of responsibility early – but also the support to deal with it
Last September I hosted a UX event. As part of this, I had to say a few words in the beginning, and I was really nervous. Public speaking is one of those things that truly scares me. So, to overcome this, I practiced a lot with my team in the lead-up. And on the day, I borrowed loads of different people from around the office to practice my speech with; asking them for tips and where to slow down... And I was able to do it. I’m even planning another event for later this year.
What advice would you give for anyone who is starting out?
If you just keep working hard and stay focused, it will pay off. People always say that in recruitment, what you get out is what you put in – it's one of the reasons I wanted to do it - and it’s true.
Also, lean on your team! We're lucky that La Fosse is a really supportive and collaborative environment, so don't be afraid to reach out. If you need advice, a mentor or just someone to go for a quick coffee and a chat with, there is always someone around to help.
If you're interested in joining a high growth business with an award-winning team, view La Fosse Associates' opportunities here.