• Position: Senior Client Delivery Manager
• Summed up in three words: Ambitious, determined and dynamic
After joining the Maxwell Bond team in its infancy, Riana has worked her way from a resource role in cyber security, to a senior position in project management. Dividing her time between senior appointments and business development, Riana thanks the collaborative focus at MB for allowing her to find her niche.
Tell me about your role at Maxwell Bond
I’d just come back from travelling after university. I was new to the industry and didn’t have a specific preference. I began working here when it was a team of just four or five.
Steven and the team gave me the opportunity to figure out what my specialty is: project management. I help clients with everything involved in the delivery lifecycle.
The sector is very people-focused. There are a lot of candidates with general experience but nine times out of ten, it comes down to culture and personality. You need to have a certain persona to flourish.
What do you like about working for Maxwell Bond?
There’s lots of opportunity to grow and develop - the team are very big on training. But what I like specifically is that the training can come from anyone in the team. While Steven does offer guidance and experience where possible, we don’t choose our training on time spent at the company, everyone has the opportunity to progress and lead on something.
Plus, if something isn’t working for me, I have complete freedom to go whichever way I like to try and solve the problem. Steven helps us visualise our goals so that we can actually map out how we intend on meeting success.
For example, I previously tried working with mobile developers. In the process I found that my skill set wasn’t suited to the audience and I transitioned into project managers.
What matters to you in recruitment?
It’s a cliché, but a sign of a good recruiter is someone who’ll keep their integrity. A lot of recruiters are yes people and at Maxwell Bond, we don’t adhere to the ‘Yes man’ mantra.
If a recruiter can’t offer genuine advice on the employment market to clients, they aren’t offering value. Taking the initiative and being honest is a better service than simply telling the client what they want to hear.
You have to be invested in helping people, there can’t just be a purely financial motive. If you want to build connections and a network, you have to be driven to see others succeed as well as yourself.
Your top tip?
Be genuine, not just to help make sales but for maintaining relationships. If you aren’t being yourself when speaking with candidates or clients, you’ll struggle to keep that act up as time goes on. People value honesty - it’s easier to be successful in recruitment if you are.
