From Marketing to Recruitment - Meet Danika

03 Aug 2019

One of our newest consultants, Danika Lillelund is an ex marketer who decided to make the move into recruitment with us at Stopgap. It's a path that many of our current crop of consultants have taken and it gives them a unique perspective on their careers and yours. We spoke to Danika to find out a bit more about her journey...

 

What is your background in marketing?

 

My background in marketing began as a Journalist. I worked in news and entertainment broadcast and discovered that I had a love for writing. As my job involved a lot travel I decided to move into copywriting to be nearer to my family.

 

I worked predominately writing persuasive copy for social media advertising, digital content, scripts for TV and radio, blogs, lead generation campaigns, etc. I loved the digital aspect of marketing and became a content and social media manager – mainly working on the strategy side and developing digital marketing campaigns.

 

My family moved from South Africa to the UK last year and I’ve worked in both permanent and freelance copywriting roles. My experience industry-wise has been mainly financial services and I’ve worked with various exciting fin-tech start-ups.

 

What made you consider a move into recruitment?

 

Ultimately, my move away from marketing was because of Stopgap. I was moving to London and was approached by one of the Lead Consultants (Sarah Windsor) in regards to marketing roles advertised. My experience as a candidate was so fantastic I was intrigued by the company.

 

Many of the roles I had taken as a copywriter meant that I was often working alone and I missed the buzz of working collaboratively with a team, speaking with people, building relationships with clients and generally feeling that I was doing something rewarding.

 

The world of marketing can be fast-paced and competitive. Having seen how so many marketers are unhappy in their roles, I felt a need to join a company that aims to keep candidates at the heart of everything they do. Thus, placing people in a job that makes them happy – meaning better performance and a more productive workforce for clients.

 

What was it specifically about Stopgap that made you want to make the move?

 

I decided to change my career because of the culture and values that Stopgap holds. Having worked in various roles where the culture fit was often not right, I was adamant that I wanted to work somewhere that I looked forward to walking into every day.

 

Through my experience with Stopgap as a candidate, I found that what they advertise on their tin is exactly who they are. Kind, collaborative, different from other recruiters and extremely informed about what the marketing world is like.

 

One of the things about Stopgap that I found interesting was that many of the consultants here were marketers in their previous jobs. Having experience in how the world of marketing works gives this company a distinct edge over competitors as you understand what clients and job searchers need.

 

What excites you about a career in recruitment and with Stopgap?

 

Making a difference to someone's life is a massive part of recruitment. You have the ability to form relationships with your customers and ultimately match up people where they will be happy.

 

I’m excited to be a part of a company that is multi-award-winning and known widely for its expertise in marketing recruitment. The opportunity here to learn and be part of a team that is like a family is wonderful.

 

And how have your first three months at Stopgap been?

 

Making a career change is never easy and I faced all the doubts about what I was doing: would the move be the right choice and could I do this job? There never is an easy way to deal with change but what I learnt from this experience is if you are making a different life choice then make sure it is for the right reasons!

 

Mine was spot on as I was joining a team that was supportive, kind, motivated and had a work ethic that matched mine. The first three months at Stopgap were a revelation for me as I realised that you can choose to do something different and succeed.

 

For a start, the transition at Stopgap was made simple by the extensive training, well thought out meet and greets with your colleagues, time left alone to absorb information as well as plenty of time to shadow your colleagues.

 

My first three months involved a huge amount of information and learning which was all made easier by the support of my colleagues and leadership team. By the time I started working with clients and candidates I felt confident in my ability and ready to go.

 

One of the biggest changes for me since joining Stopgap as a recruiter is the fact that I now wake up looking forward to going into work, Sunday nights are no longer a dread to walk into the office and I can grow as a person with a great team!

 

Danika is working within our services team and is covering perm and freelance roles for Financial Services, Manufacturing, Industrial and Utilities. If you're looking for your next role or need to recruit a marketer in one of these sectors, get in touch with Danika today.