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Meet the Team: Aleksas Kremenskas

Aleksas Kremenskas is a Senior Recruitment Consultant within the Contracts team of Berkley’s Life Science & Engineering Division. In this interview, he tells us all about his career story so far. 

 

Aleksas joined Berkley in 2018; fast forward four years and he has become an integral part of our Life Science & Engineering team. Armed with an academic qualification in Electrical & Instrumentation Engineering, Aleksas specialises in contract roles within the booming pharmaceutical sector. From our conversation, it is clear that he enjoys the detailed nature of the work. “For me, pharma is one of the most interesting areas in today’s market. I enjoy learning from candidates, clients and co-workers about the latest innovations and developments.”

What’s the Pharma Market Like Today? 

 

Aleksas’ outlook on the Irish pharmaceutical sector is very positive. “In the past year, I can see that Ireland’s pharmaceutical sector is perhaps the busiest in Europe in terms of hiring.”  This is hardly surprising given that Ireland is now the largest net exporter of pharmaceuticals in the EU. In March 2020, Irish exports hit a record high of €15.7 billion as demand for pharmaceutical products surged. 

 

Aleksas explains that the continued success of Ireland’s pharma sector has driven up demand for qualified and experienced life science and engineering professionals. One way organisations are overcoming this talent shortage is by contracting specialised professionals on a project-by-project basis. 

 

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From Retailer to Recruiter 

 

Before working in recruitment, Aleksas honed his management and sales skills in retail. After many years, however, he made the “spontaneous” decision to switch industries. “I wanted to try something completely new. In the end, it was definitely the right decision for me.”

 

Having worked for many years in the complementary worlds of retail and recruitment, it seems that Aleksas has always had a taste for working with people. “One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was ‘people work for people.’  No matter what job you have, nothing really changes when you’re dealing with people.” He maintains that this customer-focused background helped to set him up for a successful transition into his recruitment career. “Retail and recruitment are very similar. They’re all about communication and people skills.”

 

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What About Outside of Work? 

 

Unsurprisingly, Aleksas’ taste for teamwork and competition is rooted in sports. “In the past, I was a professional basketball player and a pro referee in the Irish Basketball League. Today, I focus my spare hours on getting proper quality time with my kids.”

 

 

Meet the Team: Robert O’Leary

Robert O’Leary is a Recruitment Consultant within the Contracts team of Berkley’s Business & Technology Division.

From Cloud to Consultancy

Having put in several years of hard graft at a multinational tech company in Cork, it seemed like Robert was all set for a career in Cloud Computing. “In my time there, I started by working on tech support and then moved on to client account management.” Something clicked when he moved to account management, “I realised that this was something I really enjoyed and I wanted to find a role that brought together my technical knowledge with my client management experience.”

The pieces all came together following a conversation with a recruiter buddy. “He said that I had the right skill set for a career in IT recruitment. It was a perfect match for all the things I had learned in the 6-7 years prior.”

After a brief transition period, Robert soon unearthed a passion for the recruitment game. “Once I got started in recruitment, I couldn’t see myself doing anything else. I soon became addicted to it. It’s like a game – you’re always analysing your performance and that motivates you to constantly level up.”

 

Keeping Up in the Fast-Paced World of Development

At Berkley, Robert is the go-to guy for all things development. “I really enjoy the learning aspect of the role. Software development is changing all the time, so it’s important to keep up with the latest changes and news.”

In recent months, he has gone the extra mile and has started his own coding journey. “My tech background is in infrastructure. I wanted to learn more about development so I could speak the language of clients and candidates. I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I do, but I’ve found it to be quite fun! ”

An avowed self-improver, it’s no surprise that Robert was attracted to the fast-paced world of development. “Development professionals need to be able to soak in new information every day. The development world attracts the kind of people who have a strong thirst for knowledge and who are always looking for the next thing. With that kind of personality, these guys can stay in the game for a long time and operate at a very high level.”

Tips for Climbing Up the Development Career Ladder

So does Robert have any words of wisdom for young or aspiring developers? “One great way to develop your skills is by working in a role that will expose you to the latest technologies. When job hunting, look carefully at the job description and think about whether the languages, tools and development structures that you’ll be working with day-to-day are future-proof.”

“In terms of languages and frameworks, I think there will be a huge demand for people with expertise in Golang, Kotlin and React.“

 

Interested in a career in IT & Tech Recruiting? Talk to Berkley today to learn more about open roles on our Business & Technology team.

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Meet the Team: Eoghan Fitzgerald

Eoghan is a Recruitment Consultant on Berkley’s Life Science & Engineering team. In this interview, we chat about how Berkley has supported his career success. 

 

Joining & Re-Joining Berkley 

 

Eoghan initially joined Berkley, after having worked in the UK recruitment market. However, he left after six months due to the location factor.

“What’s funny is that when I pointed out the commuting issue to the management here at Berkley, they offered for me to work from home part-time. I refused because I thought that it would be too hard to stay motivated and productive. So I joined another company that was closer to home and shortly after Corona hit and I ended up working remotely anyway! After a while in the new job, it struck me that I could be doing a lot better if I was back at Berkley. It’s clear now that I made the right call. Since coming back, I’m more successful than I ever could’ve imagined.”

 

The Secret to Recruiting Success

 

Eoghan maintains that the secret to his success is to have a good personality fit for your specialist field. “I do think that in an ideal world, the vertical you specialise in should complement your own personality and traits. For example, I focus on contracts roles in the engineering sector. Engineers tend to be very direct people who prefer to get straight to the point. They’re my kind of people so I get on well with them and this makes everything easier.”

 

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Continued Professional Growth 

 

For Eoghan, it seems that the key to growth is being given the freedom and the space to try out new things. “Berkley gives its people so much freedom. I have a lot of autonomy here so I’m not pigeonholed into a certain area.”

 

He explains that this freedom is grounded in respect and trust. “It’s great to see that the management here respects everyone’s different working styles. For example, I need to get up and stretch my legs every half hour to stay focused. As long as you’re delivering, they trust that you know what you’re doing.”

 

This Could Be You! 

If, like Eoghan, you’re interested in advancing your recruitment career, then Berkley is the ideal place to advance and grow. Contact us today to learn more about career opportunities at Berkley. 

 

Meet the Team: Seamie Hanafin

Meet Seamie – a Recruitment Resourcer on Berkley’s Permanent Business & Technology team. In this interview, he discusses how Berkley has supported him as he takes the first step on the recruitment career ladder.

 

Discovering the World of Recruitment

 

Seamie joined the Berkley team in September 2020 upon graduating from University College Cork (UCC) with a Commerce degree. “When I finished up at college, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. However, I spoke to some friends who were working in recruitment and they really sold it to me. I soon secured an interview for a role here at Berkley, and everything fell into place after that.”

 

So what is it about a career in recruitment that appeals to Seamie? “For me, the social aspect is the biggest plus. I really enjoy interacting with the candidates, clients and my colleagues. Since joining the team here, I have also learned that I really thrive in a target-based environment – the element of competition gives me that extra bit of motivation on a Monday morning.”

 

A Day in the Life of a Resourcer

 

As a Resourcer, Seamie’s role is to provide support to his teammates in the Business & Technology Division. “Generally speaking, my role involves going to the market, speaking to suitable candidates, bringing them back to the consultants for review and then they’ll take over the process from there. If the candidate succeeds in getting a job interview, then I’ll also help them with prep.”

Joining the Berkley Training Academy 

 

Since joining in September, Seamie has received extensive training through Berkley’s Training Academy. This includes one-to-one training sessions, shadowing, hands-on experience and plus much more. 

 

“When you’re new to recruitment, it seems like there is a lot to learn. I liked that the training really brought everything back to basics and broke everything down into smaller steps so it doesn’t seem as daunting.”

 

In just a few short months, Seamie has revealed himself to be a quick learner and has proven to be an excellent team player. So what’s his secret to success? “During my training, I found that the most important thing is that you need to have the right attitude. If you have a strong interest in the processes of recruitment, then the training can be picked up fairly quickly.”

 

“In particular, I have found that the training I’ve received has really helped me to develop my communication and teamwork skills.”

 

This Could Be You! 

If Seamie’s interview has sparked your interest in recruitment, why not get in touch with us to learn more about career opportunities at Berkley? Join our training programme to build invaluable skills in a friendly and rewarding environment.

 

 

Meet the Team: Cliona Quaid

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Cliona Quaid is the Contractor Manager at Berkley. In this interview, she tells us about her path into recruitment and the role of contracting in today’s ever-changing environment.

 

Path into Recruitment

Having completed a degree in HR at UCC, Cliona has enjoyed a long career across a diverse range of areas. “I started in banking but decided to broaden my horizons by travelling and working in Australia, the States before settling in London for a number of years.”

On returning home, Cliona carved out a successful career in HR working in a much-loved institution of Irish sports. “I worked as a Human Resources Officer with Munster Rugby. When I joined, Munster was in the early stages of going professional, so it was a very exciting time to be part of it. I was there for eleven years and enjoyed every minute of it.”

Eventually, however, it was time for a career change. “Recruitment appealed to me because I‘m very people focussed and I tend to veer towards roles where I get to help people”, she says, “Plus, there was a strong overlap with my HR background.”

 

The Move to Berkley

In 2020, Berkley approached Cliona about taking on a brand new position as Contractor Manager. “The role seemed like a great fit. It allowed me to use the skills I had developed throughout my experience working in HR and recruitment. Plus, it brought together two things I love – engaging with people and problem-solving.”

“The main remit of my job is to help foster strong partnerships between our clients and our contractors,” Cliona explains. This involves providing post-placement support to both the candidate and the client.

 

Cliona Quaid Contractor Manager

What are the Benefits of Taking on Contractors?

In recent times, more and more organisations have turned to contingent workforce models to resource their projects. According to Cliona, there are many benefits associated with taking on contractors, “In today’s climate, flexibility is key. Hiring contractors is a dynamic way to adapt to the everchanging market”.

 

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Career Advice to Contractors

“Because of the fixed-term nature of contracts, career contractors will spend a lot of time job-hunting. This can be a very time-consuming process, but you can make things easier for yourself by building a strong relationship with a specialist consultant. By partnering with a seasoned professional who knows the market inside-out, you will be able to move from one role into another with minimal disruption. The consultant will also be able to offer advice and support as you work towards your long-term career goals.”

 

 

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Meet the Team: Louise O’Neill

Louise O’Neill is the Manager of Berkley’s Business & Technology Permanent Division with responsibility for software and infrastructure. In this interview, she tells us about her recruitment career journey.

 

Translating Skills Into Career Change Success

Louise took a non-traditional path into recruitment, having started her professional life as a translator. “During that time, I gained excellent exposure to project management, team management, and working within timeframes. All of these skills have really stood to me and are now essential for my day-to-day work here at Berkley.”

After three years, Louise took the brave step of stepping into the whole new world of recruitment. “I realised that translation wasn’t people-oriented enough for me and didn’t offer the daily variety that I needed.”

So what attracted her to a career in recruitment? “I carefully reflected on the different career paths that would suit my skills in project management and team management, but that would also give me more social interaction and a busier day-to-day routine.” Ultimately, it was a meeting with a recruiter friend that sealed the deal and Louise hasn’t looked back since.

Louise O'Neill Headshot

 

Scaling the Ladder at Berkley

Four years on, and Louise’s passion for recruitment hasn’t faded. “I get great satisfaction from it. One of the most rewarding things about recruitment is that I get to help great people grow their careers and to be a part of that story.”

It’s clear from our conversation that Louise is passionate about her field and that continuous learning is a key part of that. She comments “I’ve learnt so much in my time here. I relish the opportunity to continue to develop my market expertise with a leading recruitment company in the Irish market.”

In her short time at Berkley so far, Louise has made a real impact and her recent promotion to Manager reflects this. “One of the great things about working at Berkley is that the opportunity to advance is just there for the taking. The support I get from Tony, Arthur, Paddy and the whole team makes it possible to really grow my professional career.”

 

What is the Secret to A Successful Client-Candidate Match?

When it comes to supporting clients by finding the right candidate for a role, Louise asserts that “A job spec is just the beginning.” For her, meaningful engagement is the key to finding a good match. “I like to start the process by having an in-depth conversation with the client. I must be able to understand the role, its position within the business and the right cultural fit so I can identify what they really want in an individual.” She explains, “It’s all about engagement for me. From experience, having two-way quality engagement from the onset lays the path for a streamlined recruitment process that delivers the right candidate and strengthens the employer brand.”

 

What Do Candidates Need to Know to Boost Their Chances of Success?

The “Engagement Factor”, as Louise dubs it, is usually the biggest indicator as to whether or not a candidate will be a good fit for the role. “If a candidate is engaged throughout the process, then that gives me all the information I need to assess if they will be a good cultural and technical fit for the client.” She emphasises that personality is paramount, “It’s important that the candidate seamlessly integrates with the team and aligns with the organisation’s work culture and values.”

 

Tech Job Trends in 2020

In tech alone, Ireland employs over 37,000 people. In 2018, the Expert Group for Future Skills Needs predicted a shortfall in ICT skills of up to 146,000 people by 2022. So, what has Louise identified as the biggest growth areas when it comes to career opportunities in tech?

“Pre-COVID, cybersecurity was one of the fastest-growing sectors in tech. Now with a mass transition to hybrid working models, there has been increased pressure in the sector,” she says. “Currently, 6,000 people are working in Ireland’s IT security industry, and experts say that this figure will double by the year 2030.” Given the dynamic nature of cybersecurity careers and the ever-changing cyber-threat landscape, she states that career opportunities in the sector are varied and widespread.

She also highlights the tremendous rise in demand for skilled developers and programmers, “Cork is a Software Development hub with many multinational and SME’s here. It’s no surprise that we have a number of roles open across Software Development with some key clients of ours”.  Between the years 2011 and 2016, the number employed in software engineering in Ireland grew by 35%. This demand continues to grow with digital and cloud adoption.

 

What are Louise’s Interests Outside of Work?

Louise is a passionate advocate for animal welfare. She cares for not one but three dogs – a labrador, a shit-zhu and a rescue pup. Her family also spent many years breeding puppies for the Irish Guide Dogs. “You get so attached to them but the flip side is that they’re a lot of hard work”, she explains. “It’s really rewarding to know that these little guys are going to change lives and that we get to be a part of that story.”

 

Talk to Louise O’Neill about Opportunities in Tech Today!

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