Nov 10, 2021
If you’ve ever wondered what’s involved in running an international recruiting firm and placing people all over the world, here’s your chance to find out. You’ll enjoy listening to my interview with Abigail Stevens, founder of Think Global Recruitment, who has 25 years of experience assisting accounting and finance professionals to not only change jobs, but to relocate from one country to another.
I’ve known and admired Abigail for almost 20 years -- she was one of my very first clients when I started my recruitment training business back in 2001. As you’ll hear, Abigail has been hugely successful, both as a top biller and as a business owner. But what was special about this interview is that Abigail talked not only about the high points, but the lows as well. Having survived four downturns / recessions, she’s had some heart breaking moments. You’ll benefit from knowing what she’s learned along the way, and how these experiences have shaped her current strategy for growth.
Episode Outline and Highlights
Think Global’s Wildly Successful Candidate Generation Strategy
Abigail shared her fascinating journey including how she started her first business very young, then went travelling around the world, before falling into recruitment and eventually setting up Think Global Recruitment at the age of 28.
You will enjoy listening to her best learning moments - as well as some of the innovative recruitment strategies she pioneered. An example is how they used international recruitment conferences in the UK, South Africa, and Australia to attract top talent for consulting firms such as PwC, Deloitte, EY, KPMG, BDO, Grant Thornton.
Pearls of Wisdom on Talent Retention
The other part of our conversation is how Abigail was able to take her company through four economic recessions, including the current pandemic situation. The resilience and planning enabled her firm to withstand the difficulties. Of course, there are things that she would have done differently, which she humbly shared for the benefit of other business owners. One main takeaway was on retaining top recruiters. Abigail shared:
Hear how Abigail elaborated on the above takeaways in our conversation.
Growing During the Pandemic
In the middle of the pandemic, Think Global Recruitment decided to expand. What makes successful companies such as Think Global thrive during this difficult time? Abigail explained, “Our thought process was, we know from the previous recessions that we’ve been through, that after recession usually there is a shortage of people,” she explained. “So we knew that there is going to be a high demand for our candidates at the end of all of this.”
Indeed, being a step ahead and maintaining a growth mindset is definitely a differentiator in success.
Our Sponsors
This podcast is proudly sponsored by i-intro®.
i-intro® is an end-to-end retained recruitment platform. Our technology and methodology allows recruiters to differentiate themselves from the competition, win more retained business, bigger fees and increase their billings. Be sure to mention Mark Whitby or The Resilient Recruiter for a 25% discount. Book your free, no obligation consultation here: www.recruitmentcoach.com/retained
Abigail Stevens Bio and Contact Info
Abigail Stevens is the Founder and Managing Director of Think Global Recruitment, which she established in 2000. Abigail herself has 25 years experience as a specialist in global accountancy and finance recruitment. She has been assisting Accountancy & Finance professionals to secure new roles throughout the globe and employers to recruit the best accountants in the world, since 1995.
People and Resources Mentioned