Q&A with Deniz: Promotion to Director & 10-Year Journey

At Trace, we make the space to celebrate personal wins – it’s not all about work.

Deniz, a former Commercial Analyst in Marketing Services, recently celebrated his well-deserved promotion to Director at Trace after an impressive 10-year journey. With 5 promotions under his belt and now leading a team of 5, Deniz has established himself as a strong brand in Accountancy & Finance recruitment within the Marketing Services sector.

We sat down with Deniz to discuss how he has transferred his accounting and sector knowledge to build a thriving new path, his experiences at Trace, and his advice for others considering a similar career journey.

Q: Deniz, congratulations on your recent promotion to Director! Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you transitioned into recruitment?

Thank you very much, it’s been a fantastic journey for me. I originally started out in finance, working in commercial roles within the media/marketing industry before a meeting with Trace Co-Founder Andy Lee changed the course of my career. He saw the potential in me moving into recruitment and 10 years later, he was right!

Q: How have you seen your skills progress from a Commercial Analyst to a recruiter and now a director over the past 10 years?

The first 6 months was a very difficult transition for me. In finance you have more structure, you know your deadlines and monthly meetings are mapped out. Of course there is an ad-hoc element but in recruitment you have to keep the plates spinning. The day can change on a call, email or meeting. Prioritising, treating everything urgent and to do lists were key for me. The job has changed drastically for me, in the early years I was fully focused on delivery but as I have progressed business development and management have become my focus. I have a great blend at this stage of my career, I am still involved on the delivery side but helping Trace grow and managing people really excites me. 

Q: What advice would you give to someone considering a move from accounting to recruitment?

Even if you moving into recruitment within a discipline you understand, don’t underestimate the challenges of recruitment. In this role you can’t push back, everything is urgent and every client/candidate is as important as the other. The one thing I would say is listen. Listen to the experience around you, try to pick up things from senior recruiters. Listen to your candidates, invest in them and make sure they feel like you are getting a first class service. You are only as good as your candidate pool.

Q: What advice would you give to someone who may be afraid of the challenges ahead when making a similar career change?

Well I had many doubts. I was comfortable with moving into a space where I had an understanding (finance and accounting) but I took advice from family/friends, old colleagues/ex-bosses and one or two trusted recruiters. I was very thorough before making the decision. Andy and Gareth (Co-Founders) felt a two day shadow experience would be beneficial and in all honesty that gave me the confidence that it was a career move worth making. 

Q: As a newly promoted director, what are your goals for the coming year?

Helping Trace continue to grow is incredibly rewarding. Seeing us open new offices, adding to the team and helping the upcoming Associates and Consultants hit targets and gain promotion is what excites me the most. I have a great team to manage and my main goal is to provide them the support to hit all their goals. The challenge for me is balancing delivery, business development and management.

Q: Is there any additional advice you’d like to share with those reading this interview?
Don’t doubt yourself. If enough of it makes sense then give it a go, what’s the worst that can happen? Make sure you get enough advice from the people that know you best, professionally and personally. Also, I cant stress enough how important it was to shadow the team at Trace before making a final decision. Go in and get a feel for whether this is actually what you really want to do. 

Deniz’s journey is a shining example of how we can leverage our unique backgrounds and skills to make a rewarding transition into a new career. Deniz has had 5 promotions in the space of 10 years at Trace and is now taking on the new challenge of filling the role of Director looking after the Not-for-profit sector.

He has not only achieved remarkable personal growth but has also become a valuable mentor and leader within the Trace family – we admire his passion for people development and his commitment to his clients and candidates.

We’re incredibly proud of Deniz’s accomplishments and grateful for the journey!

If you haven’t discovered yet, but Trace is more than expert recruitment – we’re also about building sustainable relationships and empowering our people to reach their full potential. Feel free to reach out to us here to learn more!