Weathering The Storm

Weathering The Storm

by Carole Pepperell, MD

 

As December arrives I am truly grateful that we’ve got to this point. If someone had told me in March, as we entered lockdown, that we would still be in lockdown as we opened advent calendars, I would have balked at the incredulity of the remark. Yet, here we are, 9 months on, in the throes of lockdown 2.0 and about to enter the tier restrictions again.
I have spent some time reflecting on how 2020 has panned out and the rollercoaster of a ride it has taken us on. 

For Carousel, 2020 started with a bang; business was booming and, by February, it already looked like we could have been on track to have one of our most successful years if business continued in the same vain. The team were buoyed and focused, the vacancies were rolling in and placements were in abundance. 

Then Covid-19 struck and almost overnight the cogs stopped turning; vacancies were put ‘on hold’ and temp assignments abruptly ended. It was as though an emergency break was hit by every client and everything stood still. 

Our London office lay empty and the phone lines were silent; no more early morning commute for myself and my team. We immediately switched to remote mode, a way of working we have embraced for many years and which we already had the technology to do.
With a small and talented team working we continued to provide a successful service to the clients that needed us, and they did. We were amazed at the vacancies that began trickling back in, recruitment was happening and, for some clients, in a big way.
This is where our unique ‘specialism’ paid dividends.
Carousel is not a ‘specialist’ consultancy that focuses on only one industry or sector.
The pure beauty of Carousel is that we specialise is being exceptional recruiters. We’re diverse, we’re flexible, we’re experienced talent hunters and our clients trust us.

2020 has required us to be more diverse than ever, recruiting for roles that have challenged us and inspired us, motivating us to prove that we can be the number one consultancy our clients turn to with any vacancy – and we did. From scientist and regulator roles across the UK to international sales directors and technical specialists for global startups, we have filled them. 

Carousel will be celebrating 30 years of success next year and I can honestly say, having dealt with the blows of several recessions and now a global pandemic, that our success is down to my exceptional team. A team that, between us, have more than 150 years experience at Carousel; a team that are dedicated and loyal, focused and driven and who’s utmost priority is the success of the company. Most importantly though, I have a team that are trusted by their clients to deliver.

I look back on 2020 with mixed emotions. It has been a turbulent, heart wrenching year for us all as we faced the biggest health crisis of our time. Yet I have been inspired by the tenacity I have seen; the way communities adjusted and supported, companies adapted and redefined and individuals, like Sir Tom Moore, proved courage and commitment could prevail. In their own way, Team Carousel did the same; even those not working kept motivating the wider team and supported those who navigated the ship through the stormy waters. 

As 2020 draws to a close I, once again, feel humbled and thankful.
From the bottom of my heart I thank all of Carousel’s clients and candidates who have stood with us, trusted us and relied on us.   

I look forward to 2021, the dawn of a new year and a new chapter and the joyous celebrations we will have recognising not only 30 years of success, but that Team Carousel have survived another turbulent storm. 

 

Follow Carole on LinkedIn.

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Heidi Brooks

Heidi is our dedicated Marketing Manager. With more than 10 years as a successful recruitment consultant and 8 years in marketing, Heidi combines her first-hand knowledge of the recruitment sector and her innovative and creative skills to create and run all of Carousel's marketing campaigns across our many platforms in order to promote our brand. Heidi is also responsible for the creation and execution of advertising copy and works in partnership with many of our clients to deliver bespoke recruitment campaigns. Heidi's true passion for both recruitment and marketing is evident in all she does.