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Recruited - to a life in recruitment
by Angela Kelly5/ 1/2007
KATE McCarthy first got a taste for a retail career as a teenage
"Saturday girl" at her local Boots store.
"I really enjoyed it and realised that this was something I wanted
to do at some level later," she explains.
In the end, she took a sociology degree but, after graduating,
joined Sainsbury's graduate trainee management scheme and left her
Nottinghamshire home for Scotland.
After a year's training, she became a regional assistant manager in
Scotland with a busy job. But, in spite of her love of the retail
world she wanted a change and became a holiday rep for Thompsons,
honing her people and problem-solving skills.
"Everyone thought I was a bit mad to leave such a terrific job with
Sainsbury's", recalls Kate. "But I felt I had to learn more, and
different, skills elsewhere. It did me good and I enjoyed the
experience."
When she returned after a year, though, Sainsbury's approached her
to rejoin them, and so she found herself back north of the border
as fresh food manager in Aberdeen.
Six months on and Kate was keen to return to England, and contacted
a recruitment agency to see about a further move in the retail
world.
However, the agency pointed out that Kate now had all the kinds of
skills and experience that would actually make her a desirable
employee - in recruitment!
"I really hadn't thought about that until they said it," she said.
"I'd not thought of working outside retail or going into more of a
9 to 5, Monday to Friday, type job. But then I thought 'why
not?'
"Yes, it was scary to make the change, but it did make
sense."
And Kate found that her retail knowledge made her the ideal choice
for retail recruitment, and her wide dealing with the public gave
her special skills dealing with clients and companies alike.
"I also found I really enjoyed this different approach - it was
challenging and satisfying," she says.
She worked in the field for two-and-a-half years before deciding to
set up her own business in central Manchester.
Now, McCarthy Recruitment has offices in St Mary's Parsonage where
Kate, aged 32, employs 15 people and has enviable success.
"It's been the right move for me", she says. "Even though I thought
I was happy in retail, the time was right to take a step into
something different.
"Sometimes, you have to take that risk."
Got an opinion you want to share?| Company | Typical APR |
| Platinum Exclusive Loan | 7.8% |
| AA | 7.9% |
| Sainsbury's Personal Loan | 8.2% |
| Alliance & Leicester | 8.7% |
| Lloyds TSB | 8.9% |
| Abbey Personal Loan | 8.9% |
| Provider | AER* |
|
ICICI BANK HiSAVE Savings Account |
3.55% |
|
FIRST DIRECT Everyday e-Saver |
1.75% |
|
SAINSBURYS FINANCE Internet Saver |
2.25% |