Looking Back: My First Six Months with Sewell Wallis

Six months ago, Eleanor Kirk joined our transactional finance team, working out of our Sheffield offices. We hired her for her resourcing experience, and candidate management skills, but also for her personality – she’s upbeat, driven and she wants to learn everything.

We sat down with Eleanor and her manager, Hannah Sharp, to talk about how she’s found it so far and get her to tell us what sets Sewell Wallis apart from the rest.

Eleanor:

It’s been six months since I joined Sewell Wallis, and it’s been a little bit of a shock to the system, but in the best way. The culture here is absolutely brilliant. I’d been told throughout my interview process about how great the team is, how supportive everyone is and how you’re given freedom to work how you want and flexibility that you need, but my cynical recruiter brain thought it all sounded a bit too good to be true.

And I was wrong. It was all pretty bang on – I’m allowed to work the way that’s best for me. I felt like a valued member of the team from day one, and all of my colleagues are knowledgeable, friendly and always happy to help.

Management, Han in particular, are beyond supportive – they’ve really focused on settling me in and nurturing my skills in those first six months while I’ve learned the ins and outs of Sewell Wallis. They were welcoming from day one, and always have time for my questions, no matter how daft I think they are.

I was also able to get involved with their recent project to develop company values, which was a great chance to work more closely with people from across both offices and be part of something which brought change across the whole business. It was exciting and I felt like a key part of that team – that really doesn’t feel like something I’d have been invited to participate in at other places I’ve worked.

My confidence since joining Sewell Wallis has soared; I feel reassured I’m good at what I do, which I’d never realised I was missing. Everyone’s achievements are celebrated, not just the financial ones. Having someone go out of their way to tell you you’ve done a great job is a game-changer. Hard work, smart work, and successes big and small are all celebrated and rewarded.

In a more personal sense, I feel accepted and like I fit in here, and so much of that is to do with the team – they’re accepting of all types of people and recognise me for me, no matter how cringey that sounds!

At risk of getting a bit sentimental, I’m having a brilliant time working here – I’m growing professionally, being rewarded for my achievements and have a manager and colleagues who listen to me and support me to get better.  

And from Hannah:

It was very clear that Eleanor had a brilliant work ethic and a great attitude from day one. She’s a sponge for information, and with a little direction, she’s absolutely excelled. I don’t think you can teach the approach to work that Eleanor has - it’s a personality trait that is closely aligned with Sewell Wallis, and that’s something I’m proud to nurture in my team.

Eleanor also has similar values and approaches to her role as the rest of the team does. Recruitment is renowned for being a tough industry to do any kind of collaborative work, with many people only looking out for number one, but I’m proud to say we’ve flipped that on its head here: we’ve created a culture that encourages collaboration, supporting your colleagues and celebrating each other. Eleanor already demonstrates this, working hard for everyone around her, not only for her own benefit but for everyone.

She has brought so much to the Sheffield office. Her positivity is infectious, and she’s become a recognisable presence in the office in such a short time. She also constantly bamboozles me with the sheer amount of Gen Z references that go COMPLETELY over my head. It’s hard to believe it’s only been six months because she works so seamlessly with both Lawrie and Lewis on Transactional Finance. She’s achieved so much in such a short time.

Eleanor has a natural tendency for building relationships, and I see a lot of myself in her, mainly in how much she invests in people individually. If you make a good impression, she’ll fight for you no matter what, and I love that trait in a recruiter.

I’ll encourage her growth and support her in whatever ways she needs; I want her to recognise how naturally talented she is at this job. Every day I see her confidence grow, and with that come new capabilities and challenges. I’m really excited to see what happens next for her, and it’s a pleasure to be part of it.