FASTNET FIRST-HAND: Introducing Danielle Francois, Lead Talent Consultant

In conversation with Elaine Harrington;

Welcome to the team, Danielle! You are the first member of the team to join remotely. How have the last 4 weeks been?

"It has been a different experience for sure, you miss out on quite a lot of the social aspect of work and onboarding into a new company when you do not go into the office. What has been great though is the lengths and effort everyone on the team went to make me feel welcome and familiarise me with the company.

I really appreciate the time everyone in the team took in those first couple of weeks to help train me and get me settled in. It was well organised with lots of check-ins to see how I was doing and answer any questions I had. All in all, one of the best onboarding processes I have had overall."

We haven’t met in person yet, but I feel like you have really settled in quickly. How have you managed to build relationships with new colleagues?

"I think when you are working remotely you really must pay attention to those virtual interactions that you are having with your colleagues. Taking the time to chat with them about work, of course, is important but really for me, I think it's been taking an interest in people overall and their lives is what breeds a strong team spirit and get the team engaged with you and make it easier for them to build trust in you and your capabilities as the newest hire. There is such a wealth of experience and excellence at Fastnet that you want to become a trusted member of the team quickly."

You recently moved back to Ireland after living in Canada for the past 12 years. How are you settling back in?

"It’s been a bit of a wild ride since I arrived back in Ireland, I had 3 months of normal time settling back in before COVID struck and all in all its been a positive experience, there is something really great about coming home. There are definitely some differences in my day-to-day, but I always think change and shaking things up is good for the soul and your creativity".

Tell us a bit more about your experience as a recruiter in Canada?

"I had a great time working as a recruiter in Canada, I was lucky enough to join a company that was in start-up mode when I arrived that really fit my personality and background and to indeed go back to them 3 years ago to set up the Supply Chain practice for them.  I also had the chance in Canada to work for an Executive Search firm which gave me some added value skills and experience that I am grateful for. Vancouver itself is a hotbed of entrepreneurialism and that is very exciting when you are in the middle of it and inspires you to run your own recruitment desk with that same sense of excitement and focus on growth"

What excites you most about your new role as Lead Talent Consultant with Fastnet?

"I am excited for the opportunity to develop New Business for the company, that is very engaging for me and means I can hopefully have a big impact on the organisation in the coming months and years. I am also really motivated by learning much more about the Life Sciences and Medical Technology space. I think one of the reasons I have been in recruitment so long is that you generally learn something new every day, and it keeps it fresh and interesting"

Thanks Danielle, wishing you the very best of luck in your new role. Hopefully we can enjoy a coffee together in person in the not-too-distant future.