IGA Talent Solutions would like to welcome Harry Cocking to the team as an Account Executive in the Change & Transformation team.
Laura Pearce, Senior Operations Executive at IGA caught up with Harry to find out more about his background and how he has found his first month working at IGA. You can read more in the article below.
Hi Harry, welcome to the IGA Family. We’re delighted to have you on board! How has your first month been?
Delighted to be here! First few weeks have been hectic with Cork Christmas party and IGA Christmas Party both in the first fortnight, so has been an amazing time to start and get to know the team and the culture. I’m enjoying working for a company where offices in different countries (Ireland & UK) work so collaboratively on a day-to-day basis.
What is your background in recruitment and how did you get into the industry?
I’ve worked in recruitment for almost two years. I was recruiting for Financial Services before joining the Change & Transformation team at IGA. I got made redundant from my hotel management job in London and was living with a friend who recruits and recommended the career for a change of pace…..I haven’t looked back since!
What attracted you to join IGA Talent Solutions? What is different about IGA that sets it apart from other companies?
The friend mentioned above is Mark Stanton, who is the head of the IGA team in Cork, and having worked with Mark in the past it was a no brainer decision to join him and the Cork office at an exciting time for growth in Ireland! IGA is built on the expertise of its recruiters and the relationships they have formed with each other previously. Almost everyone in the company has previously worked with another colleague before joining and knowing that they can work seamlessly together has allowed us to grow and thrive!
What areas of recruitment do you specialise in? What do you enjoy about recruiting into these areas?
Change and Transformation. I’ve been really enjoying chatting to the people who work in this market because they are very passionate about their roles and careers.
What do you think are the biggest challenges that your clients face within Change & Transformation at the moment? How can you support your clients with these challenges and what solutions can you offer?
The biggest challenge facing clients at the moment is the amount of choice that potential employees have at their disposal. Companies now have to be a lot more flexible in terms of working hours, remote working opportunities and salary in order to attract the desired calibre of candidate. IGA are constantly giving feedback to clients from potential candidates and I would encourage all my clients to sell the role as much as they can to people who interview for the roles they have available.
Tell us a bit about yourself and what you like to do in your spare time.
I’m originally from Cork and moved back to the city in 2020, having lived in London since 2016. My background in hotel management has seen me travel the world (Nashville being my favourite city) and live in various countries such as USA and Germany. In my spare time I enjoy listening to podcasts/audiobooks, enjoying a pint of Guiness and playing football. I enjoy most sports, especially Football, American Football and Hurling. If you haven’t watched a game of hurling, you are seriously missing out on a spectacle!
