Meet the Team ““ Nicole Harris

Job title: HR and Recruitment AssistantDaily number of hot beverages consumed: As many as 5! I tend to front-load my daily caffeine fix, which will usually keep me going until the end of the day.Accompanying biscuit of choice: Now, this depends entirely on what I’m drinking”¦ Hobnobs are a very good coffee-dunking biscuit, whereas if I’m drinking tea I’d go for a Bourbon.How long have you worked at Reconomy?I joined Reconomy in February of 2017. Coming here was a massive step-up for me, as my previous jobs had mainly been administrative roles, but I was very eager to move into HR and recruitment.I decided to do an evening course at college to build my skillset and I then left a permanent, full-time admin position to take a 3-month fixed-term contract in Reconomy’s HR department. It was a big decision, but I knew the experience would be invaluable. At the end of my contract I was fortunate enough to be offered a full-time position. It just goes to show; a bit of hard work can go a long way!What are your core responsibilities?My main area of responsibility is recruitment. In 2016, Reconomy decided to move all its recruitment in-house, rather than rely on external agencies.I engage with candidates for a variety of vacancies on a daily basis, to establish not only who fits the criteria for the positions but also ensure that this is the right move for them. By managing the process from advertisement through to induction, I can guarantee a great experience for new team members at Reconomy.As my knowledge of Reconomy and the industry we operate in has grown, I have increased my capabilities by recruiting for more technical and senior roles. We’re always very busy and have filled over 100 vacancies in the last 12 months.How do you make a difference everyday?Because I work in recruitment, I think the nature of what I do every day can have a massive impact on somebody’s life. One of the nicest parts of my day is being able to phone someone and tell them that they’ve got the job they applied for. What I enjoy even more though is seeing new starters develop and grow in confidence, particularly if they’ve started out quite shy.How is the changing face of the waste industry directly impacting upon Reconomy and your job role?Though some of our new recruits have a waste background, predominantly we are attracting people from outside of the waste industry. I think this demonstrates that it’s a growing sector, but also that job stability and the opportunity to progress within the company are massive incentives for most employees.The fact that Reconomy was named 2017 Company of the Year at the Shropshire Business Awards has also helped us to attract a better calibre of candidates locally, because people want to work for a successful business. Attracting skilled individuals to Reconomy, and to the wider waste industry, can only be a good thing because it will inevitably raise standards.What did you do before you joined Reconomy?After leaving college, I was offered a level 2 business administration apprenticeship at Telford and Wrekin Council within their HR department. Though the role was purely administrative, it introduced me to a HR environment and ignited my interest in this area of work. Unfortunately, the council couldn’t keep me on after my apprenticeship, so I found myself looking for a new job.After spending a few months doing temp work, I got a job at a chartered accountancy firm in Shrewsbury. I was there for nearly 4 years and completed my level 3 business administration apprenticeship with them. Sadly though, opportunities for progression were very limited and I had no interest in pursuing another admin role. So, I made the decision to study a HR evening course at Telford College, which led me to Reconomy.How do you wind-down at the weekend?I’m a huge music fan, so weekends are often spent going to gigs or festivals and seeing lots of live bands. I also really enjoy city breaks. So far this year, I’ve been to Amsterdam and Barcelona, and the next place I want to visit is Prague.What’s been your proudest achievement at Reconomy?The thing I’m most proud of is my involvement with Reconomy’s internship programme that we ran earlier in the summer. The programme provided work placements to school leavers and university students, giving them invaluable experience of a busy office environment. It attracted hundreds of applicants and was a huge success for the company. What’s more, 2 of the participants impressed everybody so much that they have now been offered longer-term opportunities within Reconomy. I can’t wait for the intern programme to run again in 2018, which will be bigger and better!!