A Day in the Life of a Beazley Talent Acquisition Partner

At myGwork, we’re excited to spotlight one of our inclusive Corporate Partners, Beazley, through a closer look at the daily life of Katie Cullingford, a Talent Acquisition Partner who is helping to shape a diverse and welcoming workforce.

Tell us a bit about your role and how you got here?

My role as a TA Partner is extremely fast-paced and varied – no two days are the same! I am responsible for recruiting people into different areas of our organisation, including IT, Data and Underwriting & Claims Operations. This is my first internal recruitment role – previously I worked at a couple of recruitment agencies outside of the insurance space, having originally stumbled into a career in recruitment! I did a Law degree, thinking I wanted to be a Solicitor, but I gained so many transferable skills and decided I wanted to be in a, slightly less serious, people-focused role, which recruitment definitely is!

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Hopefully still working for a great company that truly values its employees, in a rewarding role that has a positive impact on lots of different people.

What does a typical day look like for you?

With recruitment being such a people-focused career, everyday is different as it depends on individual’s needs at the time. But typically, I will always start by checking my emails and reviewing any new applicants across all my open roles. Throughout the day, I’ll be speaking with suitable candidates, scheduling interviews, making offers, advising stakeholders on any queries they have as part of the recruitment process etc. … and putting out any fires as and when they inevitably crop up!

What part of your role do you enjoy the most?

The best part of my job by far is making an offer to a candidate, knowing it’s a great opportunity that aligns with what they’re looking for as the next step in their career. Seeing and hearing their reactions is extremely rewarding and definitely makes all the hard work worth it!

Which top three skills are vital for this role and why?

1. Communication – recruitment is all about people. You are working with so many different people on a daily basis, and it’s essential that you are a strong communicator to ensure you create a good experience for everyone involved.
2. Organisation – recruitment is extremely fast-paced and you are constantly juggling lots of different tasks, so you have to ensure you are organised and able to prioritise so you can stay on top of things.
3. Adaptable – no two days are the same and you often don’t know what to expect so it’s difficult to plan your day; you have to be open-minded and willing to take on sudden urgent tasks and re-prioritise accordingly.

What’s the most challenging aspect of your role?

Working with people can have its challenges – it’s never predictable and often means last minute curve balls come up that you have to deal with quickly.

How do you help others feel like they belong in your team/promote inclusion?

I’d describe myself as very down to earth, always up for a laugh and approachable so both my immediate and wider team feel comfortable around me. I also actively participate in D&I related events and activities, and also attend training to continue to educate myself and bring new knowledge into the organisation.

Which podcast/YouTube series would you recommend to someone interested in pursuing a career in this area to help develop their skills/prepare them for the role?

I don’t listen to any recruitment-related podcasts/videos, but I would recommend following leaders in the industry on LinkedIn such as Greg Savage. He is a best-selling author and shares extremely insightful tips on how to succeed in the industry.