Meet The Recruiter: Kirsty McFarlane

 How long have you been with HRC Recruitment? I joined HRC Recruitment at the beginning of May this year (so not long!), along with my Director Joe Mcshane, whom I have worked with for over 3 years. What made you want to join? The people! The culture is very collaborative, very welcoming and extremely supportive. We all celebrate each other’s successes, and there is always someone on hand to listen and offer advice. HRC is also well positioned as a dominant force in Scottish recruitment, and for me there was a real opportunity to strengthen my work in the professional services sector throughout Scotland, and to grow the business’s offering in this space. Being part of a working culture where you are genuinely able to put your clients first and do the right thing is very important to me, and this is something which HRC champions. What career path did you follow to get to your current role? As a First Class Honours graduate in History, I am naturally a bit of a geek, but with a passion for Eventing and Showjumping I am also fiercely competitive, and I am told, stubborn. When I left University, I pursued a career in the Cultural Sector, working with National Archives and the National Museum of Scotland, but found myself seeking something with a faster pace and more challenge. From there, I decided to pursue a career in recruitment simply because I could utilize my skills in research, communication, and managing priorities. I began my career as part of a boutique firm, where I established myself as a 360 degree recruiter, responsible for growing and maintaining my own portfolio from day one, and I was able to combine my consultancy with a team management role – which I am delighted to say I am continuing with at HRC! What was your dream job as a child?   Police Officer How do you commute to work? Scotrail (when the trains aren’t cancelled) What does a typical day look like? No such thing as a typical day! What’s the best part of your job? Marrying an individual’s career progression and personal development to the growth and expansion of a company is extremely rewarding. Equally, managing my team and seeing their growth and development, as well as coaching them through any struggles, is incredibly motivating and something which I take huge pride in. Describe the company culture here. HRC is a people-focused business, where everyone will bend over backwards to help each other. We are good at what we do, and we all share the goal of being the best that we can be, and that means lots of learning, training and development, regardless of seniority or years in the game. What’s been your biggest success so far? Establishing long lasting and enduring relationships that are based on trust with my clients – relationships, transparency and honesty are extremely important to me, and I am very proud to operate in this way with influential businesses in the professional services sector in Scotland. What do you like to do in your free time? My free time is almost entirely taken up with my horses, Tom and Apache. I have had Apache since I was a teenager and he is now retired, and Tom is a youngster so still learning the ropes – we have started to compete in British Eventing this year and I hope to move up the levels with him. I live with my long term partner Fergus, and we both share a love of wine and pasta, so we spend a lot of time cooking and eating! Have you been on holiday this year? If so, where? I recently travelled down to Cornwall for the first time with Fergus’s family. What is most important to you? Integrity and fairness. (And wine). Describe yourself in three words. Driven, loyal and clumsy.