PXP Spotlight: Getting to know Jelly Reyes, Principal Consultant
2018 has been a huge year at Peopleconnexion ? we?re pinching ourselves that it’s already July.
This year has seen our agency expand our teams in Australia and Papua New Guinea, open a new office on Queensland’s Gold Coast and undertake a range of incredibly exciting Training & Development programs for some of Papua New Guinea’s largest organisations.
As Peopleconnexion continues to grow and welcome talented new staff, we are starting a new series introducing our newest team members to our clients, candidates and contractors.
From our first phone call with our newest Principal Consultant Jelly Reyes, it was clear that she was one to watch.
Since then, we have come to know Jelly as an enthusiastic recruitment professional with awe-inspiring drive and a true talent for sourcing incredible candidates.
As a Principal Consultant, Jelly works closely with IT, Telecommunications and HR clients and candidates to help them achieve their personal and organizational goals.
PXP: Can you tell us about your previous experiences in recruitment & HR?
Jelly: I have always been exposed to the recruitment side of business, both from the corporate and agency side. For 8 years, I have recruited for industries including Manufacturing, Business Process Outsourcing, Online Media, Telecommunications, Financial Technology, Software House, Media and Digital Marketing, just to name a few.
I have recruited candidates from Senior to C-Level roles, sourcing candidates from all over the globe. In my time as a recruitment professional, I have developed a strong database of candidates with in Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Indonesia, Malta and Australia.
PXP: How did you first get into recruitment?
Having a degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, I found myself developing a passion for HR and a great love and enthusiasm for recruitment. I love the idea of dealing with different kinds of people from different walks of life, knowledge and experiences. I love learning from them, how they operate and understanding their motivations in life.
I have also met some good people on the Recruitment Business, namely Andrew Hairs, Stuart Gatland, Kristine Berry and Fraser Hawkins. They and their experiences are those that motivate me in this field.
PXP: If you could go back to that point, what is the one piece of advice you would give yourself about recruitment?
I always have these 3 things in mind, that made me successful, I guess, in this field:
?You are as good as your last placement.?
That’s tough! I always get motivated when I?m challenged by the situation. In an organization, you are measured by the amount of contribution you have given. Yes, every placement should be celebrated but do not dwell too much on it, because tomorrow is another challenge.
“Stay focused and keep your feet on the ground?
In recruitment, there is ?Feast and Famine?. Do not be complacent just because you had a good month of placements. Stay grounded and remind yourself that ?you are always as good as your last?. Keep moving and achieve more. Do not be satisfied, stretch yourself to the limit. Be humble! In this job, you will be turned down a million times, but just keep going: you will fall seven times but you have to get up eight. It’s ok, things happen!
?Don’t just work smart, work hard?.
I believe that the harder you work, the luckier you get. And I love to believe that I got all this with luck, because I worked hard.
PXP: How would you sum up your approach to recruitment? What’s your ‘secret sauce??
KISS (Keep It Simple, Sweetie). Recruitment is not a rocket science. It’s a process.
As long as you know the process and you stick with it, it will work. Recruitment businesses will have similar recruitment processes, but the way you deal with the process is what makes it different and unique to your clients. That’s the added value that you can give your clients and candidates.
Be nice to everyone. A former Miss Universe said ?You can never go wrong with kindness?. This applies to our business, where our client can be our candidate and our candidate can be our client. So act always with goodness in mind, and it will be returned back to you.
Plan your day and be motivated. I always start my day by making a list of task to do and by looking at my achievements in the past days. I maintain a spreadsheet of my placements and the revenue I have contributed to the company. This gives me a boost of positivity to start my day, with a goal of adding something new onto my list of achievements.
PXP: In your opinion, what is the most rewarding aspect of recruitment?
Seeing my candidate grow in the organization I place them in: it’s ‘the sense of doing something that matters?. It feels good to help other people reach their goals.
PXP: Outside of recruitment, what are you passionate about?
Reading business books and listening to podcasts.
I have been playing Roy Ripper’s Recruiter Lounge lately. The episode with Karinna Shields was my favorite because I can relate too much that its boost my energy to work harder and reach my goals.
I even added her in Linkedin and sent her a message, so I was thrilled when she replied. (Hopes she gets to read this!) Like her, I have been through some dramas on the early stage of my career. Dealing with Western clients, I was underestimated because I am Asian and English is not my first language, but hey, I proved them wrong and worked my way up, starting as a Trainee Consultant to a Manager. That was an achievement!
When you’re not in the office, where can we find you?
Anywhere where my husband is. I have always been his (silent) cheerleader. I would go with him on basketball games and other sports activities, join him on church choir practices (even if my voice doesn’t fit in), and other Filipino community events in PNG.
Where’s your favourite place in the world?
Well, apart from my hometown in the Philippines, I would say, Bali Indonesia. I love the peacefulness and romantic ambiance of the country. I am hoping to visit again soon.
Top piece of advice for candidates?
Two things:
Maintain an online detailed resume.
In this information age everything is now online, including your resume. Gone are the days, when you have to print your resume and submit it to a company in person. Having an online resume gives companies easy access to your profile, which can help you stand out from a crowd and accelerate your recruitment process.
Maintain an updated and simple resume.
Make it simple, please. What’s more important is the content of your profile. Detail everything about your working experiences, projects and related trainings. Be accurate with dates. A colorful and artistic profile is worth nothing if it doesn’t say much about your experience and qualifications. You may refer to this link on how to create your CV: https://www.peopleconnexion.com/news/how-to-write-a-winning-cv/32913/
To get in touch with Jelly and discuss your organisation’s HR, IT or Telecommunications recruitment requirements over the next six months, please email jelly@peopleconnexion.com or connect with Jelly on LinkedIn.