We love celebrating the key milestones of our people here at Trace.
We’ve witnessed Harry grow from strength to strength in his career, and we are thrilled to
announce his promotion from Senior Consultant to Associate Director after being with Trace
for 5 impressive years! Harry will focus on Mid-to-Senior Accountants across Renewables, PE, VC, Investment Management & Banking.
We sat down with him to discuss his experiences, what’s supported his journey through
the years and his advice for aspiring expert recruiters.
Q: Can you tell us about your background before joining Trace?
A: Before joining Trace, I worked at one of the bigger agencies for three years. After that, I did a stint at a startup that explored how AI could influence recruitment. In theory, it didn’t need too much candidate work, but in reality, it was very different. That’s when I decided to join Trace.
Q: How has your experience at Trace differed from your previous roles?
A: There’s a lovely history with Trace. When I joined, Gareth (one of Trace Co-Founders) was still very much working and recruiting, he was just on the desk doing it all – the grace of starting-up.
One of the things I really liked about Trace was that I sat next to him, listening, hearing, and learning. It’s still the same today. There weren’t any stupid pressures or ridiculous KPIs to hit on a daily or weekly basis. It’s all pretty relaxed, which was really nice coming from an agency with tons of metrics.
Q: What do you think sets Trace apart as an employer?
A: Trace is very developmental with their people. They really care about their employees, which is quite overwhelming in the best sense possible. I’ve got a lot of friends that work in recruitment, and you’re going to find it hard to find someone that truly cares enough about their employees.
At Trace, it’s very much about development. If you’re trying and it’s not quite working, they can teach you the recruitment piece. It’s the person and the desire that they want to retain and keep. They’re very good at looking after people, not just within the business, but within their personal lives as well. They’ve supported my wellbeing when I was going through a tricky period. The list goes on; it’s really good.
Q: As you step into your new role as Associate Director, what are your main goals
and aspirations?
A: I think it’s about taking more responsibility for a P&L. Recruitment is quite nice in the sense that you can always see it as a business within a business. It’s your brand, your desk, your clients, and how you nurture and build them is down to you. I think that’s probably just amplified with this new role. I’m also looking forward to seeing things from an internal business management perspective.
Q: What advice would you give to someone considering a career in recruitment?
A: Recruitment is relentless. You can have a good year, but if you’re not building a solid foundation for the years ahead, you can sometimes take your foot off the gas. It’s important to start the year well and maintain that momentum. It’s much easier to build from a strong start than to chase your tail and try to catch up. Always have an eye on what’s happening three months away and try to build from there.
We are super pleased hear about Harry’s career journey to Associate Director! His experiences highlights the importance of having the attitude of continuous learning, intentionality in building strong relationships, and maintaining a long-term perspective in the fast-paced world of accounting and finance recruitment. As Harry embarks on this new chapter, we know he will make an even greater impact, both within Trace and the wider industry. Congratulations again, Harry!
With his focus on Mid-to-Senior Accountants across Renewables, PE, VC, Investment Management & Banking, please do get in touch with Harry if you need expert support.
We’ll say this again, but if you haven’t discovered yet, 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.
