Women at Marks Sattin: Serena Sajady and her recruitment career

Welcome on board Serena, you are very welcome! How are you finding everything so far?

Great thank you! Everyone has been extremely friendly and supportive, which has made settling into a new business while working remotely so much easier.

Serena, tell us a little bit about your career so far, and how you got into recruitment?

I was originally an administrator for a recruitment company in the construction industry, I remember when I first joined I thought a carpenter fitted carpet! As a dare, I decided to give the recruitment side a go, and here I am four years later. After a year in the construction industry, I wanted to venture into a new industry and I began my career in finance recruitment, specialising in part qualified and transactional finance.

What do you enjoy most about your role? 

The thing I enjoy most about my role is that I work with relatively junior candidates and I can genuinely make a difference to those only starting out on their finance careers, or those that are at the finalist level of their accounting qualification. I feel like I have a part to play in shaping their finance careers, which is a great feeling.

Why did you want to join us here at Marks Sattin?

Having worked in the finance recruitment sector for a few years now, I was already familiar with Marks Sattin through multiple conversations with my clients and candidates. I knew Marks Sattin was a reputable brand and a market leader. When I had the initial meeting with my now-manager, Hannah Spears, I got a good feel for the business and company culture.

How would you describe your team culture/office environment? 

Simply put, I would say welcoming and inclusive. My team have been very supportive since I started, which has been very comforting being the newbie.

 In your opinion, what makes Marks Sattin different from other agencies? 

Because Marks Sattin is very established, and a larger business than what I’m used to, I was worried that I would be a small fish in a big pond when I joined. However, the management team have been incredibly supportive and reassuring when it comes to additional help and guidance. It’s a ‘no question is a silly question’ sort of environment … unless you ask if a carpenter can fit a carpet of course! 

What advice would you give to any female recruitment consultants who are considering moving roles?

Make sure your values align with the culture of the company. We spend more time working with our colleagues than with friends or family, so it is important to have a good working environment and a supportive management team. Considering recruitment can be a male-dominated environment, a supportive culture in terms of diversity & inclusion is especially important. Do your research on the company, and also the industry where you are looking to move to. For example, I started out in the construction industry so, for me, moving into finance helped me to further develop my career over time.

If you enjoyed reading this article, you can read more stories from our people here. Alternatively, visit our join our team page to view our current vacancies, and learn more about what it’s like to work with us!