We are a different breed here at Talent Army, we do things differently, deliver differently and above all else hire differently, 

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(As I write  this I am now having to move into another room to avoid the nerf gun war taking place in the main the office).....

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where was I……  🤔

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Recruiting for new staff anywhere is tough, we, like our clients, want to get this 100% right and have  exceptionally high standards.

This role was particularly difficult to recruit for as it was my first hire as CEO, so the pressure was on! 

I was delighted to see Jen’s CV land on my desk, a successful teacher for the last decade and craving a new career path.

Jen was a ‘different’ applicant, we had to meet her, and she did not disappoint!

Jen oozes charisma and has an enormous appetite for new knowledge, maybe it’s the teacher in her, but her level of preparedness throughout the interview process was next level.

We were looking for a Jen and deep down I think Jen was looking for a Talent Army. 

Welcome to the team Jen and also your gorgeous dog Taika 😍

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I asked Jen some questions to get the ball rolling:

Jen, so great to have you on the team. Please tell us a little about yourself outside of work?

I moved to NZ from Ireland at the end of 2018 and have been living in Welly since. I have a three year old Swiss shepherd dog called Taika who I am obsessed with! He comes everywhere with me and loves a good hike on the weekends. I'm active and love the outdoors whether it be hiking, paddle boarding, biking etc. I am still trying to learn how to properly surf, one day I’ll be able to do it! I love socialising with mates, music festivals & travel too. 

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Please tell us a little about your work and what you have done?

I have been working as a primary school teacher in education for 7 years, having gone back to uni as a mature student. Before studying, I managed our family restaurant which was an American style steakhouse called Angus Joe’s in my home town of Naas. It was a large 160 seater restaurant so it was a very busy & fun job! I am a people person so I really enjoyed my time in hospo over the years. I have also studied Montessori teaching, worked in a bank for a time and worked in an antique furniture business.

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Why did you join Talent Army?

I joined Talent Army because I think you guys are an awesome bunch of people. You can tell that everybody is really supportive of each other and although everyone works incredibly hard, you also have fun too. It's obvious that you really care about what you do and love what you do which is so important. You guys seem really down to earth which is exactly how I am and I know I'll get along with everyone super well. I feel that no question will be too big or small to ask which is important for me, especially as I am learning the ropes.

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Why do you think your future clients and candidates will love dealing with you?

I think they will love dealing with me as I am warm and friendly. I am confident in picking up the phone and having a chat with someone or meeting them for a coffee to get to know them and find out what they are looking for. I also deliver so if I say I'm going to have something done by a certain time, it will be done so I guess they will see a reliability in me too. I like to get to know people so the hope would be that I would build a relationship with candidates and get to know them over the years and continue to help them out in finding the most suitable role for them at that particular time in their careers. 

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What is something not many people know about you?

I once spent 6 months training to climb Ireland’s highest “mountain” to get to Queenstown and realise Queenstown hill was higher. I then climbed it in jandals haha. Mountains in Ireland are "hills' in NZ.

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What is your favourite movie?

Legends of the Fall

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What is your favourite drink?

In Ireland- Guinness. In NZ Hazy IPA :)

Why do you love technology?

I love technology because it is an ever changing and growing industry. It's fascinating and will provide for lots of learning opportunities for me in the coming years. I see myself as a lifelong learner and relish in new challenges and opportunities. Tech is the future and I'm excited to see what it brings!

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Jen, welcome to the team! We couldn't be more excited to have you join our Wellington office and we look forward to seeing you thrive in this new and exciting industry!

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