My first job: Lynsey’s story
Lynsey is a Senior Consultant at CMA and has been working with us since 2006. She has a real passion for recruiting as she loves to help people. Lynsey works as part of the Accountancy and Finance Division and her role focuses on part and newly qualified and transactional finance roles – both temporary and permanent.
Lynsey hasn’t always worked in recruitment though, in fact her second love – travel – brought her on a rather winding route to us all the way from Manchester via Australia!
My first job
If you’ve spoken to Lynsey on the phone or in person you’ve probably got the hint that she’s not always been a Hampshire resident. Growing up in Manchester, Lynsey was desperate to travel and see the world.
Following the completion of a BTEC National Diploma in Travel and Tourism in 1995, Lynsey stepped out into her first job as a Travel Consultant at Miss Ellie’s Travel. During her 11 years with the company she was fortunate to travel to many exotic destinations on educational trips, including India, the Maldives, New York and Florida.
Lynsey says: “Experiencing these cultures and bringing this information back to my customers allowed me to deliver the best service and help create their perfect overseas trip. I loved my time there – there’s something really special about being part of someone’s holiday!”
Friends from the Outback
During Lynsey’s tenure she took a one year sabbatical in 2001 to travel the Australian Outback. It was then, all those miles away, that she began her journey to CMA. She says: “I met a couple on their camper van travels, both PWC Chartered Accountants, who settled on the South coast when they returned to the UK.
“I became friendly with Liz and we kept in touch. Liz actually registered with CMA looking for work and was offered a role as a consultant, moving quickly through the ranks to Branch Manager and then Managing Director.”
When a new role became available at CMA in 2006 to help expand the temporary division, Liz approached Lynsey about it. “It sounds very glamourous, but I flew down from Manchester for the day for an interview and was offered the job on the spot! I moved my whole life to the South a month later and, as they say, the rest is history!”
From then to now
“I feel so grateful to have joined such a wonderfully, supportive, ethical company, where each person is known and valued and listened to. I’m driven by doing a good job and I’m able to support clients, candidates, and my colleagues on a daily basis. I joke in the office that ‘we change lives’ but I absolutely believe that this can be the case!
It’s so rewarding meeting a candidate at the registration process, getting to know them and understanding their drivers and future aspirations, seeing them through their careers and achieving their future goals.
I’ve developed really strong friendships during my time here; many of us have worked together for 14+ years. We are on the recruitment rollercoaster together, sharing experiences and lightening it with lots of laughter along the way!”
Quick fire questions
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
I always wanted to be an Air Hostess, the idea of travelling the world really appealed to me, and joining Miss Ellie’s following the completion of my BTEC seemed the next best thing!
What advice would you give your 13 year old self?
Work hard at school. I didn’t really enjoy school and therefore didn’t really apply myself – I was too busy enjoying times with friends.
What about your 18 year old self?
Stay true to yourself, accept who you are and don’t change to please other people. Have a goal, whether that is career, fitness or general wellbeing, and focus on how you get there.
Are you looking for your next role in recruitment, or seeking an entirely new challenge altogether? We’d love to hear from you! Contact us today for a confidential chat.