My first six months at Comma Partners
I’m now six months into my role at Comma so feel it’s a good time to reflect. It’s been a long time since I was last six months into a new role; I was beginning to feel like part of the furniture in my last company, so it was certainly time for a change. It was a no-brainer for me to make the move to Comma, not just because the opportunity coincided with an unwelcome increased time in office policy, but because I would be able to work with two of the most experienced and well-respected IC recruiters in the business: Virginia and Andy. Alongside Louise, another ex-IC pro who has since made the move back into the wonderful world of comms, I was instantly made to feel at home and was given the tools and autonomy to succeed from day one.
The fully remote nature of the role was one which I was excited, yet a little apprehensive about. It would give me the opportunity to spend a lot more time with my young family and would save me a considering amount of commuting time, but would it be isolating? Luckily, the beauty of the role of a recruiter is that we’re regularly ‘out and about’ meeting people in the field, so from week one, I was scheduling meetings in London and the M4 corridor. The most important thing to me is finding a role which offers a balance of hard work in order to achieve great results, whilst being present and supportive to my family, so it’s been a dream from that perspective. Though, on the flip side, I no longer have an excuse to conveniently miss a nappy change or tantrum-filled bedtime routine. I should have thought that through!
Andy’s market updates have already given a comprehensive overview of the last 6 – 12 months, so I won’t go into too much detail there, but I am (cautiously) optimistic that things will pick up as we settle into the spring market. Reflecting on the last six months, I’m very grateful to those who have recommended Comma from a hiring perspective – this has made a huge difference and has enabled us to work on some really interesting roles with some brilliant new clients.
For those that have worked with me before, you’ll know that I’ve always been a contract specialist. Ever since starting in recruitment back in 2016, I’ve enjoyed the fast-paced nature of the role, sharing a shortlist of the best people in the market in quick time. However, one big change since joining Comma has been the opportunity to manage both permanent and contract vacancies. I’ve now placed as many permanent positions as contract, and I’ve enjoyed working with communicators to help shape their career by finding their next dream move.
The two biggest challenges us recruiters face in a slow market is generating enough roles for our network and giving a good service to the high number of exceptional people looking for their next role. Unfortunately, we’re unable to place a fair percentage of those we meet, but we do offer advice to everyone, where possible, whether that be general job searching tips, CV writing support or market intel. I’ve enjoyed meeting new comms pros and supporting in whatever way I can with their job search!
Finally, I want to thank everyone I’ve had the pleasure of working with since making the move to Comma. Your patience and understanding, especially when we haven’t been able to secure your next position, is really appreciated. I’m looking forward to continuing to build upon what Virginia, Andy and Lou have established at Comma by helping businesses find the best talent in the market and helping as many communicators as possible find their next job.
– Matt
