For Caolan (he/him) pronounced kay-lan, recruitment is all about leading with values. Check out Caolan's sage advice below for candidates looking for their next role, clients looking to hire and of course, find out what Caolan's guilty pleasure is outside of the office.

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-In one sentence, explain what you do.

I accompany both candidates and clients on their recruitment journey, matching candidates' skills, experience and values to clients' needs. 

-What made you want to work for Lightning?

The people-first approach and DE&I focus were two big draws for me - both align well with my values and reminded me why I got into recruitment to begin with.

- What’s the best part of your job?

Getting to know my clients and candidates, I really enjoy the relationship-building aspect of recruitment.

- What does ‘professional’ mean to you – and how is it changing?

Professionalism to me is the ability to get the job done well. In the past, I think perceptions of professionalism had a lot to do with language, attire and the ability to fit in but this is shifting - being professional seems to be more about the approach now.

- Why do you think diversity and inclusion should be a focus for businesses?

Businesses with good D&I practices open doors to new ideas and fresh perspectives which puts them in a great position to develop and grow. A limited perspective in terms of D&I generally limits a business' understanding of the market they operate in.

- What advice would you give candidates looking for their next role?

Take the time to figure out what environment you need to thrive. A job might look good on paper but if your values don't align or the company culture isn't right for you, it rarely works out well.

- What advice would you give employers looking for fresh talent?

Be open to seeing candidates with the right attitude and transferrable skills. Just because someone hasn't held the job title that you are advertising for, it doesn't mean they won't succeed in that role. 

- What do you wish people knew about recruitment?

We genuinely want the best for both clients and candidates. I think recruitment gets a bad rap for prioritising commission over clients' and candidates' needs. The majority of recruiters I've worked with just want to put the right people in the right place so that everyone is happy! 

- What’s your guilty pleasure outside of work?

RuPaul's Drag Race - in between new seasons, I often rewatch old episodes. I also have a bit of an addiction to houseplants.

- What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

Don't get disheartened, what's for you won't pass you.

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Fancy a chat? We’re a friendly bunch here at Lightning – so go on, get in touch. 

If you love to lurk, you can connect with Caolan on LinkedIn or follow Lightning on LinkedIn, TIKTOK and Instagram. 

In the meantime, check out some of our youtube content below, this video is of Talent Consultant, Sarah (she/her) and our Founder, Chris (they/she) ft Rufus 🐶, playing a quickfire round of 'this or that' and it's as ridiculous as you'd expect: