Abigail’s Journey

It's our 15th birthday and in celebration we're looking at the journey of the lady who started it all – Abigail Stevens. Here we talk to her about the journey she's been on since Think Global Recruitment started in July, 2000.

How did you get into recruitment and how did you get to the point of setting up Think Global Recruitment?

I lived and worked in Australia for 3 years and when I came back, I visited Edinburgh for a few weeks. I fell in love with the city and haven’t left. After a while the agency I was temping with, while looking for a job in marketing, offered me a job in recruitment, when I asked what was involved they described it as ‘like running your own business’. I was sold.

Celebrating Think Global Recruitment's First Placement, 2000

After a year with that agency, I was headhunted into an international accountancy consultant role where I was quickly promoted upwards. At an assessment for management buy-out, I was identified as a good candidate to work my way up to Director and be involved. However, this highlighted my entrepreneurial strengths and after weighing up my options, I decided to set up by myself instead.

I had the passion for international accountancy, myself and my team were smashing targets and I realised I didn’t have the passion or much input into other business areas in the company. That’s how Think Global Recruitment started.

Have your offices always been on George Street? From the very start we’ve been in this building. We started on the second floor at the back then knocked through and doubled it, then moved upstairs where we had a view of Edinburgh Castle. Now we take up most of the top floor with views of the Castle on one side and down to the Fourth on the other side of the building.

How has the technology used in recruitment changed since you started? Right from the start we have tried to innovate and stay ahead of our competitors. When we set up we bought three computers (many of our competitors were still using card indexes) and created our own database of accountants and prospective employers.

TGR Stars Softball Team 2004

We used to fax CVs out, couldn’t send mail-shots with attachments. Sifting through manual directories was a big part of our job. Now we have video interviewing, Skype and social media making the world smaller for us and the accountants we place.

Which technological advancement has helped you the most? It probably isn’t what most people think! LinkedIn is great but that helps our competitors as much as it does us. We like to be innovative and use sources and methods others do not use.

Email with attachments, the death of faxes and affordable and improved mobile phones and flights have probably helped us most.

Chartered Accountant Ireland Wine Tasting 2007

Picnic on Think Global Recruitment's Balcony 2009

It’s an international business – where do you most enjoy visiting? Australia, New Zealand and the Far East… However, I really do love travelling almost anywhere.  Every location has something special going for it that will improve the accountants we work with lives.

Bollywood Charity Fund Raiser 2008

What’s been your favourite hotel over the years, has that changed? If I’m away for more than three nights I always prefer self-catering. When I was visiting London, Sydney, Wellington and Edinburgh regularly we used to book Ascot Apartments. The apartments were decorated in the same style throughout the world and they let me keep a suitcase of bulky or liquid essentials, in every one, that was good. It felt like home.

Christmas Market Carboot Sale Charity Fund Raiser 2008

Favourite cuisine and most unusual food tried? My favourite food would be Thai. I’ve tried the Aussie meats such as crocodile and kangaroo and emu but I have to admit, I am not keen to eat anything that looks like what it was before it died!

Think Global Recruitment Taxi 2001

How many miles do you cover in a year? I get on a plane more often that I do a car. It varies but by the end of the year it will be over 40 journeys.

What’s your favourite airline? Emirates at the moment. Their staff have been known to frequently approach as I take my seat and say “Hello Miss Stevens you are our most frequent flyer on board today”. Even on an A380.

Worst moments? The attack on 9/11 the human impact of it all and then the impact upon the business that came after that. The recent Worldwide Recession, having opened offices in Sydney, Glasgow and London and the requirement to restructure was very sad at the time, but the one thing that kept the business going and to emerge again and become the largest, longest running specialist international accountancy recruitment consultancy.

'Abigail' Herald Newspaper 2001

Think Global Recruitment famous for its parties over the years!

And best moments? There are many. Our first placement – Edgar went into the Channel Islands. Getting pictures from people in their new destinations; that's when you can really see that you’ve improved their life. Sell out conferences, my number two, Ali returning to the business six months after he left. When clients say that we're the best supplier for both quality and quantity and that they really appreciate your service. This happens very often, but still makes me feel great, it’s all worthwhile!

Recently uncovering people who we helped find jobs as juniors who are now at the most senior level in the same company we placed them in more than ten years ago is really nice.

Over the years there have been so many highs; year ends, watching people develop in their careers, everyone’s first placement, when they’ve improved their first life.

And our staff day in August will probably be one of them too! We are taking the entire company away to a surprise location to celebrate our 15th Birthday. All they know right now is to have their passport up to date!

15th Birthday Cake! 2015

What is a move, to live and work in Vienna like?

Think Global Recruitment does Videos!

We don't know if you've heard but we are very excited to be launching a brand new website in the summer!  While the designers are working hard on pulling ideas together and doing all of the technical stuff, we have opened our first video competition!  Video is the next big thing and we'd love to share your overseas stories through this medium on our new site.  By doing this short video, you will be inspiring other accountants to improve their lives by making a move too!  So if you want to scream and shout about what a fantastic time that you've had, living and working overseas, please do enter our competition (did we mention that you'll also be in with a chance of winning £1,000?)!

Maybe you're a bit shy or don't know what to say?  We've listed questions and guidelines below and asked one of our very own international experts to record a video about his time overseas.  Here's Daniel, telling us about his time in Vienna:

How do I enter? 

Simple, just set aside ten minutes to answer the following questions (in 3 minutes or less please - we know that there is so much to say!):

1. Where did you move to and from, and what made you make this international move?
2. What are the best things about your new location?
3. How has the move assisted your career?

Then what?

• We will be using the best videos to inspire other accountants who are thinking of making an overseas move
• Once you have recorded your video (can be done on a webcam, tablet, smartphone) use Dropbox to send the compressed video to emaloy@thinkgr.com and we will send a receipt once we have received it!
• The winning video will be judged on how innovative, inspiring and informative it is

We can't wait to see your videos!

If you have any questions, feel free to email, Emma: emaloy@thinkgr.com 

*By entering this competition you are consenting to the use of your video on our soon to launch website and social media.  Normal competition rules apply.

Irish CA, Aisling, on Life Down Under in Hobart...

In 2013 Aisling moved from Dublin to Tasmania in Australia, where she now lives in a central apartment in the convivial city of Hobart with her partner. We caught up with her for a quick chat and thought it would be nice to share her story…

 I ended up getting a job in a Big 4 Firm where I have worked for 8 months and been promoted to Assistant Manager, I feel like I’ve taken a big step forward

I never really had a work life balance in Dublin and I had always wanted to move to Australia and travel around the country. I went for a two year contract which has given me so much flexibility – I’ve already seen loads of Australia!

I was trained in a small practice and then went straight into a top 5 firm in Dublin, when I was looking to move overseas I ended up getting a job in a Big 4 firm where I have worked for 8 months and been promoted to Assistant Manager, I feel like taken a big step forward.

All I had to do was pack my bags and that was it!

Think Global Recruitment have a really good reputation in Hobart. All I really had to do was pack my bags and that was it! My consultant was so good at getting back to me, my visa was running late so he was chasing it up and making sure I was kept in the loop. He also put me in touch with an English girl who he assisted in moving to Hobart previously, she was so helpful, she helped me out with loads of stuff.

It was such a big move just for a job.

Obviously moving a few thousand miles away from home was a little bit of a concern! I guess I was worried about settling, it was such a big move just for a job, it was a huge jump so I was really just worrying that it would work out. My partner came with me so we were both hoping that he would be able to get work. We wondered what it would be like; would it be that much different from home?

 

I don’t regret moving, it’s been a massive improvement

My move met my expectations, definitely, I don’t regret moving, it’s been a massive improvement, I didn't know what to expect in my move to be honest, I guess you never do. I’m not really sure; I was just hoping that it would work out. I didn't know so I just hoped. It was quite a rush as well, we both kind of decided we wanted to leave in October, I got offered the job in November and then we moved at the end of January. It was so quick. But it was just too good an offer to turn down.

We call each other the ‘internationals’

 

It’s good in the office because there is a Scottish and English girl and when I first started there were two American girls so there was a good group of people who were in the same boat. We call each other the ‘internationals’. It’s quite easy to settle in when they have the same culture.

It probably took about three months to settle in, we spent a lot of time going on trips and doing fun things, we kind of felt like we were on holiday for a while.

We've only been here for eight months but I would say we’re pretty comfortable.

I’m getting massive exposure to larger clients over here.

The work life balance is amazing; they love Irish and British people because we work so hard. Their busy season here is just like normal busy back home. If you work until 7 you are generally the last person to leave, they all go home at 5.15pm. It’s appreciated if you stay late, not expected.

My firm is heavily into investing in people. Training is really important to them, I’m doing a coaching course at the moment where I look at everyone and see how I can help them do better. I think it’ll look great on my CV. They are really into training and getting everyone involved. The partners really make an effort to know everyone, they even know my boyfriends name! They sit down with you and talk about everything, even family etc. It is amazing.

I am getting massive exposure to larger clients over here. There are loads of different offices with a lot of different clients.

Cultural differences… Everything is quite similar though, sometimes they don’t understand me or know how to say my name but that’s about it!

My partner and I have done so much here, every weekend we do something, we go on day trips or away for the day, the kind of stuff you wouldn't do at home. We’re only 50 minutes away from Melbourne.

The relationship that Think Global Recruitment have with my firm, they have a massive trust in the company

They have assisted accountants getting jobs there before so the firm knows that they can be trusted to bring in good candidates. I think this made my application a bit smoother. It was great having someone there to help you out with everything through the process. There is always someone there to hold your hand!

Just do it! You won’t regret it!

If I had to give advice to another accountant it would be to just do it! And I guess, my mum always said to me that you can be home to visit in two days, you’re only a flight away!

Think Global Recruitment does Oil and Gas

Having successfully recruited exclusively for the international accounting and finance sector for over 12 years, Think Global Recruitment is delighted to announce that we are operating in a new sector. We have now got a division actively recruiting into the international Oil and Gas industry.

With this new division comes a new team, with a new team comes new clients, new clients lead to new jobs and with new jobs leads to a world of new professionals that are looking to take their career international! This excites all of us at Think Global Recruitment as nothing gives us a better feeling then meeting new people and discussing the ways in which we can improve their lives. We are a recruitment consultancy that has been built upon ensuring that we give the best service to the professionals we work with and the companies that we recruit for.  

Managing Director Abigail Stevens has been investigating this avenue for some time and has decided that now is the best time to launch it, she said; “Having successfully used our model to assist companies recruit the best Accountancy and Finance talent across the globe, we felt we could use the same model for another sector.  We wanted a sector that was not as reliant on the same economic factors, but one that sometimes found it hard to find the professionals it required on its doorstep.  That’s where we can come in and source for those hard to fill vacancies by providing applicants from overseas with the right skill set and motivation to make the move.  Oil and Gas ticked all the boxes.”

Furthermore, Operations Director Cramond Perry who has over 15 years experience in the Oil and Gas sector is equally optimistic with the path that Think Global Recruitment have taken when launching the new sector of the company and said; “ I've always been impressed by how international the teams were in the oil and gas industry generally and how mobile and flexible most of the workforce are prepared to be. I enjoyed seeing more of the world at the same time as progressing my own career and am looking forward to supporting this sector which is currently booming on buoyant commodities prices and a severe skills shortage.”

Andrew Sharp has been assigned the task of establishing the Oil and Gas department and with extensive experience not only recruiting into this sector but also on an international scale, Andrew is a great fit to make a success of  this new venture.

Having assisted hundreds of professionals to make the ever daunting international career move, nobody is better suited to give advice not only on the role and company that each professional will be applying for, but also the in-depth advice on the location and social opportunities that each location provides. Think Global is not only about helping find that perfect job for you, but also about helping you find the location that suits you best; socially, financially and professionally and that is why our vision is “Improving Lives”.

OPEN FOR ADVICE - ASK ABIGAIL

It's the New Year and for many of you that means making resolutions of changes you wish to make in your life, whether it is starting the gym or changing jobs.

In my career I am proud to say that I have helped improve people's lives from every Continent in the World and understand the obstacles that are in the way of progressing your career Internationally. I have updated my blog to provide an 'Ask Abigail' section to allow anyone that has questions to ask. Just click on the tab or here to find the list of topics that I am happy to provide comment and advice on.

Above is a cut-out of a feature in the December issue of the CA magazine where I was asked to provide comment for accountants who are considering 'Finding work in Canada'. I was approached by ICAS to supply comment on the topic because of the experience I have in not only the Accountancy recruitment sector but also in regards to moving overseas and relocation. I take pride in providing honest and free advice and have in the past discussed provided comment in multiple international accountancy journals.