An Appointment With Dawn Parker - Business Works Feature

​As we continue our recruitment special with Consortium Professional Recruitment, we sit down for a chat with Dawn, who shares her background and insight into recruiting in Human Resources and some of her top tips for anyone looking to join the sector. 

What’s your professional background, and what made you decide to pursue a career in HR recruitment?

I believe things happen for a reason and that people who cross your path play a significant role in your journey. I am grateful for those moments and their influence on my career. Interestingly, my career wasn’t meticulously planned from the beginning. 

After college, I started working in the property sector, which required many of the same qualities and skills that would later be essential in my career. I was fortunate enough to be approached by a former manager who invited me to join a specialist Procurement and Supply Chain recruitment business. The Managing Director there had a distinguished career in Human Resources for a large blue chip, and I deeply admired her drive, determination, and success.

I then moved to a large national agency, where I had the opportunity to recruit for a wide range of roles, each with a unique skill set. This experience gave me a comprehensive understanding of various positions across multiple business sectors in the Yorkshire Region, which I absolutely loved. Driven by ambition and a desire to specialise, I joined a professional consultancy. There, I found my niche and successfully developed a division in Human Resources.

I now proudly have 23 years of experience in the recruitment sector, with 19 years specifically specialising in Human Resources. I have recruited at all levels, from advisors to HR Directors.

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What makes you different from other HR recruiters?

At Consortium, our mission is to give our clients a competitive edge by enhancing their productivity and profitability. Our aim is to improve individuals' lives by precisely matching companies with the right people. With an extensive 20-year career in Human Resources recruiting and a strategic approach, I am uniquely positioned to deliver exceptional results.

I firmly believe that a “Human First” approach is crucial for a successful outcome. Listening carefully and taking the time to understand each individual and their aspirations. By prioritising people and their unique journeys, I strive to make meaningful connections and provide tailored support to truly meet their needs. It is such a rewarding journey to see people you have placed in their first HR role develop into senior leaders.

Outside of recruitment, I relish the position I hold, which will enable me to provide added-value HR sessions to my network through Consortium Collaborate. These sessions provide ongoing support to clients, giving them continuous access to events and workshops on the topics that matter to them most and what is at the top of their businesses' agendas. It is also an opportunity for HR candidates to have access to their development, something that I support massively.

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Can you tell us more about the Consortium Collaborate sessions?

Our Consortium Collaborate sessions are a perfect place for clients to share experiences, network with like-minded professionals, and take part in interactive workshops that add value to their business. These are organised quarterly and cover a wide range of topics; recent ones have included mental health, menopause in the workplace, culture change, the 2024 election, and retaining and engaging talent. Through these events, we aim to foster a collaborative environment where HR specialists can learn, share experiences, and support one another.

We've recently introduced regular supply chain and procurement events to Consortium Collaborate, and it's encouraging to see the network expanding into new sectors.

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What key skills are essential for success in HR recruitment?

Recruitment has many crucial elements, and being able to execute them all simultaneously is 

vital. Building relationships is at the heart of everything I do, so to be successful interpersonal skills are central to this role, whatever specialism is chosen. Providing a first-class service is non-negotiable so being able to interact confidently and deal with levels of people too is important. Recruitment methods evolve over time, so being able to adapt, learn and be open to change, something I have embraced in the last 3 years. There are so many skills needed, someone I respect immensely once described recruitment as baking a cake, so many ingredients, meticulously thought out, precisely measured and mixed to obtain the perfect outcome, and it is so true.

From my early career learning, I absorbed as much information as physically possible. The more HR clients and candidates I met, the more knowledge I gained. Throw yourself in, build up your network, and embrace it. It has to be for the long game. Some relationships are built in weeks, and some are made over years. Keep up to date with market trends, HR practices, networking, and putting yourself forward for events.  

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How can someone new to the field start gaining relevant experience?

My recruitment journey wasn’t a direct path, I believe not many people choose recruitment as a career however, it requires a unique set of skills which will develop over time. I started in customer-facing and sales-focused roles where I had to handle all sorts of situations confidently, negotiating, complaint handling, and problem-solving, all of which gave me confidence in dealing with people at all levels. The ability to engage, listen, be accountable and demonstrate all these skills early on gave me the opportunities I relished to become a leader in my field.

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What advice would you give to someone seeking a career in HR recruitment?

Gaining recruitment experience is the first step; specialisation comes after. Throw yourself in, soak up the knowledge, and gain the core skills. Never be afraid to ask more questions. The more you know, the greater the alignment. Additionally, you need to have the courage to put yourself out there, believe in yourself, learn from your mistakes, and be ready to navigate the twists and turns of recruitment.