A few weeks into officially working for Red Tiger Talent as the business admin and marketing assistant, now feels like an ideal time to share how I came to work here and my first week’s experience.

After graduating from the University of Leeds with a First Class degree in BA Geography this past June, I took a 3-month break over summer to enjoy some well-earned relaxation and freedom. This included many long walks around the Yorkshire Dales, reading lots of books, and watching the UEFA Euros and Olympics! Eventually though, reality set in and I knew it was time to start applying for my first job. Initially I had been interested in working in the competitive industry of publishing, primarily the editorial section. However, after a draining few months of sending off multiple CVs and going through rigorous submissions portals with little response or feedback, I decided to take a break from applying to publishing houses and assess my options elsewhere.

I got in touch with some contacts from university regarding opportunities in retail geography and location planning, who suggested I reach out to Red Tiger Consulting for their assistance. Steve was quick to get back to me and we met (online) for a talk about myself, what I’m looking for and to give me a breakdown of the industry. Steve mentioned a few current openings but the conversation pivoted to me potentially working for them instead! After discussing what my role would entail and having more of an in-depth talk, I felt I would be a good fit for the job and so was keen to pursue this. I then met (again, online) with Paul for a similar conversation; only a week after the initial contact I had my final interview with both Steve and Paul. They decided to make me a verbal offer which I was thrilled to accept, with a start date of November 15th. I was surprised at how fast the entire process moved, but ultimately excited to get started.

For the first two days of work, I travelled from my hometown in West Yorkshire to Paul’s office in Southport so we could have the introductory talks to cover everything in person. After an initial meet-and-greet with some ice breakers (my favourite drink is rum and coke, and my pet hate is noisy eaters!), we had an intensive run-through of the business, the different systems they use and current client setup. They also provided me with a detailed breakdown of their recruitment process, which was very useful for understanding the workings of the company in more depth. Although there was a lot of information to process, I felt it wasn’t too overwhelming as I’m someone who is always eager to learn. I even had the chance to listen in to client meetings and calls as they came up, furthering my insight into how Steve and Paul work. Although slightly tiring, I ultimately had a very enjoyable first day as I learnt so much about the company and the sort of role I would play.

On the Tuesday of my first week, we had an in-depth discussion about the marketing vision for Red Tiger, assessing their current social media situation as well as goals for the future. This was exciting to me as I thrive on the process of goal setting and creating a plan for growth. Thus, this has led me to now contribute more to working with Ruth on the marketing side of Red Tiger, writing blog posts, designing in Canva, and sharing content on LinkedIn and Twitter. I look forward to building on this and working alongside Ruth to promote Red Tiger even further, with targets and schedules already in mind for 2022. Steve and Paul were then kind enough to take me out to lunch that Tuesday since it was my birthday, and it was a lovely way to get to know one another more outside of the office.

Working from home for the rest of the week, I had a series of online meetings with various staff to talk through different tasks and even create some posts for social media myself. I liked having the opportunity to get involved early on, enabling me to adapt quicker and improve my knowledge from the get-go. I also did some online training for one of the systems they use and undertook a Strengthscope assessment to learn about my individual strengths and skills regarding my work output (a blog on that coming soon!). The extensive variety across my day-to-day tasks is what initially attracted me to working with Red Tiger, as each day brings something new which cultivates an invigorating work environment.

Upon reflection therefore, I thoroughly enjoyed my first week working for Red Tiger and I am excited to continue my journey with them. I appreciate how the role combines my organisation skills and analytical lens with the ability to express my creativity, pushing me to perform at my best. I look forward to developing my own knowledge in recruitment and marketing as well as working collaboratively to help the company grow and succeed further.