Meet the Team: Nick

Continuing our Meet the VWA Team series, let's hear from Co-Managing Director, Nick!

What is your role at VWA and how long have you been part of this awesome team?

I’m only just recently Co-Managing Director; I’ve been working at VWA since the beginning of 2016, though I registered as a candidate in 2012 and they placed me in my last job.

Can you please briefly describe a day in the life of a Co-MD

Well, I’m still a Consultant so there’s a lot of recruitment in there. I head up the temp division so it moves very fast. Getting last-minute requests before 8am isn’t unusual. I also work on temp-to-perm, FTCs and some perm as well so there’s longer-term processes to manage. In addition to that there’s leadership of the team, tracking their progress and thinking about how to get the best out of them. There’s also reporting on the overall company to the Board and jointly co-ordinating the various other functions to give the Consultants what they need to succeed.

What is your favourite thing about your job?

VWA tries very hard to be an honest recruiter, which unfortunately isn’t as normal a thing as it should be in the industry, so being a part of that makes me happy. I also quite like strategising and developing people, so whether it’s another member of the VWA team or a candidate, seeing them not just as they currently are but how they could be with the correct support and guidance, and then making that happen is pretty cool.

What is your least favourite thing about your job? Careful ha ha!

The market’s a cruel place and sometimes this job involves having hard conversations with good people, that’s always very unpleasant.

What were you doing before you joined VWA?

I was an HR Assistant. Before that I was a penniless law student.

That’s enough of the work questions. Let’s find out more about the non-working you!

Do you have a favourite restaurant in London?

If we’re going fancy I’d say Le Gavroche. South of that, Balan’s in Soho, it’s totally my vibe. I love a late dinner there with a friend after the theatre, deconstructing whatever we’ve just seen. Plus they used to have an absinthe-based cocktail which they’ll still do if asked and it’s pretty wild.

Can you please describe your perfect Sunday?

Cups of tea and old movies.

Which is your favourite season and why?

Winter. I like being cosy inside while the windows get pummeled with rain. Plus, I prefer the clothes and food. And a log fire.

Dog? Cat? Neither?

As a pet I’d prefer a dog. If you mean what am I most like psychologically, I’d say a cat. I reserve the right to lose interest and walk off without warning.

If you could jump on a plane to anywhere in the world today, where would you go?

The Grand Canyon.

Do you have any special talents?

I’m not the worst writer in the world, though I’m quite ill-disciplined, so that novel’s never getting finished.

What is your favourite cocktail/mocktail?

It’s a pina colada. Don’t give me that look.

Do you have a favourite movie?

Tony Richardson’s Charge of the Light Brigade. It’s visually stunning, funny, (mostly) authentic, and says everything that needs to be said about bad leadership.

Do you have any hobbies?

Apart from writing the same novel forever, I like reading history, following politics, watching old movies, and going to the theatre, and discussing all of it with friends.

What was the last TV box set you binged on?

1883.

Do you have anything you’d like to learn? For example DJ’ing or a musical instrument? Line-dancing?!

Scuba diving.