Talent Talks Podcast

Are you selling yourself short? In a world where we’re constantly bombarded with information how can you make yourself stand out to your next employer?

Andrew MacAskill, Founder of Executive Career Jump heads up this weeks’ conversation with over 16 years experience in the recruitment industry and having run his own business now for just short of two years. He talks us through the importance of personal branding, professionally authentic content and his thoughts on how the job market is going to pan out amidst these challenging times.

Martin and Andrew also talk over:

• How and why Personal Branding is important
• LinkedIn Hints & Tips
• Differentiating and selling yourself
• Changes and trends in recruitment
• Working around furlough

Links and references at: https://talentdrive.co.uk/category/talent-talks-podcast/

In this episode, Martin Smith interviews Carl Ferrand, Head of Procurement at Specsavers.

Carl shares his journey into procurement, emphasising the importance of people in leadership and the need to stand out when applying for positions.

He discusses the evolution of procurement, highlighting the increasing responsibilities and skills required in the field, and offers valuable advice for aspiring procurement leaders, encouraging curiosity and consistency in their careers.

The conversation also touches on the role of LinkedIn in professional identity and community building within procurement.

Takeaways

• Carl Ferrand's journey into procurement was a conscious choice.
• Leadership in procurement should focus on people and their well-being.
• The evolution of procurement has led to increased responsibilities and skills.
• Aspiring leaders should embrace curiosity and enjoy their work.
• Building relationships is crucial for success in procurement.
• Consistency in performance is key to career advancement.
• LinkedIn serves as a valuable platform for community and professional growth.
• Taking time for self-care can enhance productivity and mental health.
• Saying yes to opportunities can lead to personal and professional opportunities.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction

08:32 Leadership Philosophy

11:47 Resilience in Procurement

20:48 Evolution of Procurement

25:37 Advice for Aspiring Leaders

36:19 LinkedIn

In this special episode of the Talent Talks podcast, we have a new host, Warren Munson, founder of Evolve and The Evolve to Succeed Podcast interview our normal host Martin Smith, about his journey as an entrepreneur and running a recruitment group of businesses.

Martin shares his early experiences in recruitment, the challenges he faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the growth of his company, Talent Drive. He discusses his aspirations to be a market disruptor and his passion for the procurement community.

Martin also talks about the expansion of Talent Drive into the accountancy and finance sector with the launch of Talent Finance. He reflects on the growth and success of Talent Drive over the past four years. He emphasises the importance of focusing on the quality of people and building a trusted and valued team.

Martin discusses the future of the recruitment industry, highlighting the need for adaptability to technology and the rise of ESG and sustainability. He also shares insights on fostering a positive culture and transparent communication within a remote business. He envisions the future of Talent Drive as a growing international presence with a focus on diversification and a one-stop-shop service offering.
Here are the key takeaways from this episode of the Talent Talks Podcast:

• Starting a recruitment business can be challenging, but with perseverance and a competitive spirit, it is possible to succeed.
• During the COVID-19 pandemic, Talent Drive faced significant challenges, but by pivoting their approach and doubling down on marketing, they were able to overcome the obstacles.
• Talent Drive aims to be a market disruptor in the recruitment sector by focusing on building relationships, providing thought leadership, and championing the procurement community.
• The expansion of Talent Drive into the accountancy and finance sector with Talent Finance allows the company to diversify its revenue stream and better serve clients in the procurement community.
• Focus on the quality of people and building a trusted and valued team.
• Foster a positive culture through trust, transparency, and open communication.

Chapters

00:00 - The Journey of an Entrepreneur

10:02 - The Itch to Start Something Myself

19:15 - Scary, Exciting, and Fun: Early Days of Talent Drive

23:24 - Being a Market Disruptor: Building Relationships and Providing Thought Leadership

25:49 - Expanding into New Horizons: Talent Drive's Venture into Accountancy and Finance

26:18 - Building a Trusted and Valued Team

27:47 - Opportunities and Potential in Finance

29:41 - Shifting Focus from Numbers to Quality of People

30:05 - Creating a Great Business that Serves Customers

33:26 - Balancing Work and Personal Life

35:24 - Being Present and Grounded

37:17 - Thriving in the Recruitment Industry

41:37 - Adapting to Technology in Procurement

42:59 - Emotional Intelligence in Recruitment

43:56 - Fostering a Positive Culture in a Remote Business

48:42 - The Future of Talent Drive: International Expansion and Diversification

50:58 - Defining Success: Working with People Who Want to Work with You

On this episode of the Talent Talks Podcast, Martin sits down with Nikki Wright, Director of Operations at 10X Banking, as she shares her extensive experience in procurement and operations across various industries, particularly in the banking sector.

She discusses the complexities of navigating procurement within a heavily regulated environment, the balance between compliance and agility, and the evolution of procurement roles.

Nikki emphasises the importance of diversity, soft skills, and the need to rebrand procurement to overcome negative perceptions.

She also highlights the commitment of 10X Banking to sustainability and its status as a B Corp certified organisation.

The discussion also touches on the evolving landscape of procurement, the impact of inflation on supplier relationships, and the necessity of digitalisation in procurement processes.

Nikki shares personal insights about her career journey, inspirations, and the importance of taking ownership of one's career path.

Takeaways

Procurement often involves navigating complex regulations, especially in finance.

Procurement roles are evolving to include more operational responsibilities.

Diversity in procurement is improving but still has a long way to go.

Soft skills are essential for success in procurement roles.

There is a need to change the negative perception of procurement.

Procurement functions as a bridge between the company and suppliers.

10X Banking is committed to sustainability and is B Corp certified.

Job titles in procurement need consistency to attract diverse talent.

B Corp accreditation is crucial for demonstrating commitment to ESG.

The decisions we make today impact future generations.

Change in large organisations is often slow and challenging.
Risk mitigation is essential in today's supply chain management.

Digitalisation is necessary for effective procurement decision-making.

Career ownership is key to professional growth.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

02:48 Procurement in the Banking Sector

06:13 Compliance in Procurement

09:06 Procurement Roles

12:12 Diversity

14:54 Soft Skills

18:09 Negative Perceptions

20:52 Sustainability

23:48 B Corp Accreditation

27:04 Financial Sector

30:18 Challenges in ESG

34:27 Procurement Challenges

40:05 Personal Inspirations and Career Reflections

“We have all these other things that we can do, but the end game that the Chief Executive wants is the value that you're giving them.”

The procurement industry is ever-evolving with shifting skillsets, constrained talent pool and a new age of technology & automation - it’s on us to evolve with it.

We hosted an incredible Talent Talks Live event at Landsec in September, where we delighted in a panel with Visa’s S-J Aldridge, Specsavers’ Carl Ferrand and AWE’s Jonathan Patrick.

Join us for this live podcast episode where they touch on reframing our value, strategy vs tactical operating, and ChatGPT’s role in procurement’s future.

This episode of Talent Talks covers:

• Our value in procurement, and whether we need to reframe/market that value better
• Crafting procurement as a more strategic function, shedding transactional activities
• How the talent pool has shifted, particularly post-pandemic
• The balance of technical skill vs commercial skill
• AI’s uses in the future of procurement

The Talent Talks Podcast is proudly sponsored by Staverton Consulting.

Staverton Consulting delivers tangible and sustainable cost reduction as well as reducing business risks throughout the supply chain for private equity backed businesses, SME’S and growth companies. For more information please head to https://www.stavertonconsulting.com/.