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HeadRec #3 - Sonru talks to Fiona O’Sullivan

Posted to HeadREC - Interviews on August 27 2010.

HeadRec is our series of interviews with gurus, opinion leaders and innovators within the recruitment industry both in Ireland and abroad. This issue we talk to Fiona O'Sullivan, Co Founder and Director of Meridian HR solutions and newly appointed Non Executive Director of Sonru. Fiona is a stalwart of the recruitment industry so pick her brain by reading the transcript below.

The recruitment industry in Ireland has undergone much change in recent months, what’s the single biggest challenge facing your company for 2010?

In a highly competitive market, the challenges facing Meridian HR Solutions are really down to market conditions, many companies are performing ahead of budget however there is still a lot of uncertainty in the marketplace and therefore companies are afraid to start spending again, especially in light of the fact that redundancies may have taken place a number of months ago.

How are You/your Company adapting to this face this challenge?

It is so important to be flexible and have a positive mindset. We have developed new service lines to suit the market and always work on the basis that if we do an outstanding job for one client, word of mouth will be our best form of marketing.

Is there a person or company that you use to benchmark your future plans?

“A lot of companies have chosen to downsize, and maybe that was the right thing for them. We chose a different path. Our belief was that if we kept putting great products in front of customers, they would continue to open their wallets.” - Steve Jobs, Apple.

This man comes to mind, over the past year, I am fascinated at the success of Apple and their innovation in the marketplace.

If you had to come up with a one-line prediction for the recruitment industry in Ireland by December 2010, what would it be?

My one-line prediction for December 2010 is that Social Networking will continue to become an integral part of the recruitment process for prospecting talent - The importance of Employee Referral Programmes will be vital to ensure the success of this.

What’s the best tip you could offer recruiters, HR managers or jobseekers for 2010?

The best tip I would give to recruiters is to always keep your saw sharp - don't let your skills go stale, keep them fresh. I would also remind them of the fact that as the recruitment process is very automated these days, it can depersonalise the Employer Brand therefore candidate relationship management is a priority in order to attract talent.

What’s the next industry event you plan to attend?

The next event I am due to attend is a talk by John Fitzgerald of Harmonics which is a CIPD event on 24th September.

About Fiona O'Sullivan

Fiona is a Co Founder and Director of Meridian HR Services and has extensive experience working as an Independent Chairperson on Interview Panels with the Public Appointments Commission. Fiona also acts as a Business Mentor on behalf of Dublin City Enterprise Board. Fiona was Founder and Managing Director of Eureka, Ireland's leading specialist recruitment, advertising and communications agency which was subsequently acquired by Monster Worldwide in 2002 where she was retained as a European partner for a number of years. Prior to this Fiona held several senior positions within the advertising industry. Fiona joined Sonru in August 2010 as a Non Executive Director.