Samantha Wilson - Associate Director of Executive Search & Aviation Recruitment

Samantha Wilson, Associate Director of Executive Search & Aviation Recruitment shares an insight into what life is like working at GOOSE Recruitment.

7:45 am: I arrive at the office to start the working day early. At GOOSE Recruitment, we are partnered with many international clients, based across the globe and so I need to carve out time to speak with clients based in the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions.

7:50 am: The rest of the team arrive, we have a flexible working policy; they like to make the most of this and use the mornings to contact the clients that will be offline later in the day. Or visa versa for our clients based in the Americas.

7:55 am: After I have said hello to the team, I always make time to read the latest aviation news with my coffee. As specialists in aviation, airline and pilot recruitment, it is fundamental that we stay on top of what is happening in the industry. For example, companies purchasing new aircraft, hiring, or any breaking news.

8:10 am: Time to get straight onto the phone, call my overseas clients, and respond to LinkedIn messages or emails that have come in overnight.

I have a small window of time to catch overseas businesses, so I will always action communications that I need to have with them first.

We partner with businesses across the global aviation industry, including airlines, rotary helicopter companies, MRO facilities, start-up airlines and well-established flagship carriers.

​

9​:00 am: If you are anything like me, being on top of everything is key. I always make a point of outlining my priorities for the day. This enables me to stay focused and have a clear purpose and direction.

My role as Associate Director of Executive Search and Aviation requires me to be adaptable and flexible, so no day is the same. The way I plan my day or week is heavily dependent on the projects I am delivering on at the time. However, the core aspects of the role are always structured into my day and week, such as speaking with candidates and clients, as well as catching up with the team to ensure that everyone is focused.

9:10 am: I’ve just spoken with the team and they all have their action plans for the day, too.

10:00 am: I am currently working on a comprehensive recruitment campaign for a highly-reputable aviation client, so this morning I need to stay focused on this. If there is a particular project I am working on I will start being proactive with it in the morning to guarantee that it is being actioned.

11:30 am: It’s Thursday, which means it's time for our ‘team coffee huddle’. This is our weekly team gathering to see how everyone is feeling, celebrate any successes and see how we can offer one another any advice or support on current searches.

Of course, throughout the week there will be aspects of training, sharing ideas and touching base. We are a close-knit team, we don’t work in silos, so it is important to communicate regularly.

​

12:30 pm: Is that the time? I’m going to head out for some fresh air and take a break. I typically take a walk into town. If it’s raining, I’ll have my lunch in the kitchen and socialise with the other people in the business. We are lucky to be based in the centre of Southampton, next to the water and a variety of restaurants, we are spoilt for choice.

​

1:15 pm: After lunch, I am straight back to work. My role is a real blend but it is vital for me to continuously strive to expand my global senior executive aviation network. I am currently working on several comprehensive executive searches for global airlines, so I am going to dedicate some time to this.

Many of these roles require identifying niche professionals but despite the challenges, we always provide great shortlists and deliver for our clients.

3:00 pm: I have spoken to some high calibre c-suite professionals, which I am going to put forward to my client and hopefully progress them through to the interview stage.

3:15 pm: Each afternoon, I will dedicate time to networking with my aviation network, whether that be online or over the phone. I typically schedule candidate calls for the afternoon as mornings are busy with business meetings and actioning overseas work.

4:30 pm: One non-negotiable is making sure my team are okay and has had a successful day. I’ll also write myself a list of priorities for the next day because it is crucial to be organised in my role.

4:50 pm: At the end of the day I will decide on my focus for tomorrow, which could be a campaign around rotary operators in Europe or private charter operators in the USA. If you don’t have a clear vision, you are not setting yourself up for success.

If you're interested in a career with GOOSE, please get in touch by filling out the form below. 

​

​