FROM JULY 2015'S RECRUITER MAGAZINE

“It would be very interesting to interview someone while riding next to them on a roller coaster”

Earliest dream job: To be a journalist, actually.

What was your first job in recruitment, and how did you come into it? At [recruitment agency] Leisurejobs. I was working in health and fitness sales before that and had an interview with the agency for another sales job in health and fitness. Halfway through the interview, the interviewer stopped and said, ‘What do you think about being in recruitment? We think you’d be great. Have you ever thought about it?’ I said, ‘No — does anyone ever plan to go into recruitment? I don’t think they do.’ I took the role, and ended up staying two years.

What do you love most about your current role? It sounds cheesy, but it’s the people — the people in the business and the people I meet in my role — and it’s that constant newness and difference, and doing lots of different things.

What has been the most brilliant moment of your career? Probably last year here at FitFlop when I was asked to go out and spend six weeks in Asia and help set up and grow a new team out there, look at the culture differences and how we could integrate our Asia team into the whole FitFlop culture. 

Your ‘can’t do without’ office tool? Pen and paper. I get different ideas when I’m on the train to work, when I’m just walking around the business or  popping to Sainsbury’s to get my lunch, and I’ll forget them if I don’t write them down.

Stay-cation or holiday abroad? Holiday abroad most definitely. I would like to go to Thailand — for a week of slumming it and experiencing what life is like without hair straighteners and make-up, and then doing a week in pure luxury — eating, drinking and doing nothing.

Outside the office, where would you like to interview or be interviewed? A roller coaster. It would be very interesting to interview someone while riding next to them on a roller coaster — the adrenaline rush, seeing how they react in that situation, probably getting a real honest answer, quick thinking, rather than having them sit there and think a long time about what they’re going to say. Put them in that situation and see what happens.

What’s your top job to fill at 

the moment? A senior footwear design role.

Laugh or cry: which did your most memorable candidate make you want to do and why? I’d say it’s a bit of both actually, depending on what you find funny. We were interviewing 

a guy over the lunchtime period. Halfway through the interview, he reached inside his bag and got a sandwich out, and said, ‘Do you mind if I have my sandwich?’ 

Make us an offer we can’t refuse We’re very much a global company; it’s not just about UK experience. There’s a huge social culture here; we celebrate every single occasion ever — anything from National Popcorn Day to Cupcake Week. We’re in the throes of launching a new well-being campaign as well, and we encourage walking meetings around the park.

Sian Smith