The following blog is as featured in the RCSA News.

It was a defining moment for Kellie Chehade from people2people when she was awarded the ‘Rising Star’ award at RCSA’s Australian Industry Awards in 2021.

We caught up with Kellie to find out why she’s always willing to go the extra mile for candidates and clients and what it takes to be an industry leader.

“To be recognised as the 2021 ‘RCSA Rising Star’ is an unforgettable and defining moment in my career. To receive professional accolades from leaders in the recruitment industry and peers within people2people, clients and candidates shows the hard work I put in has not gone unnoticed.

To be affiliated with an organisation like RCSA that does so much good for the recruitment and staffing industry, is truly an honour. I am proud to represent people2people in this award, a business whose training and mentorship is second to none.

As a recruiter, I can change lives. When our schedules are demanding and things don’t go our way, we often throw around the phrase in our office “calm down, we’re not doctors, we’re not saving lives”. I do believe I can have a profound and lifechanging impact on professionals in my network and on people from all walks of life.

I recently placed a 58-year-old in his dream job after the pandemic drove him to focus on what he wanted out of life. I also distinctly remember charging down Collins Street at a million miles an hour to drop a blazer off to a candidate so she could be placed in her dream role. I felt grateful to be able to have an impact on the start of her corporate journey.

I am always willing to go the extra mile for my candidates and clients and, most importantly, I always show up and keep my word. Many start out in the recruitment industry, but those that stay and have successful careers are the ones who had the ability to build strong and lasting relationships.

They were impressionable to a candidate who referred them to a friend, they went the extra mile for a client who referred them to a former colleague, they advised on the market to a prospect even when they weren’t hiring.

Maya Angelou said, “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel’’.

Since the global pandemic was declared, mental health issues amongst Victorians were the worst I have ever experienced. These issues have become a part of my day to day, most specifically within customer service recruitment. This is an issue I am very passionate about improving.

Partnering with clients, we have worked to support mental health through EAP support services for temps, as well as frequent wellbeing checks. I also used my people2people charity leave to volunteer in research for a not-for-profit organisation focusing on mental health and suicide prevention amongst corporate professionals.

As an industry leader I want to be remembered as someone who impacts lives, advocates for positive mental health, and challenges the status quo for the betterment of our industry and for the candidates and clients we represent.

The New Year is already shaping up to be a much stronger year within the recruitment market, as businesses begin to recover and rebuild. While we still have many challenges, I am well positioned to have my highest performing year to date. This will involve adding candidate resourcing support to my desk to better serve my client’s needs. The investment in new technology by people2people will elevate my recruitment process and provide an optimal candidate experience.

Professional development will be a primary focus for 2022 while continuing to align myself with top industry leaders and mentors. Volunteering within mental health organisations will also be a part of my strategy as well as contributing ideas and creating strategies in people2people’s health and wellbeing focus group. I am excited at what’s to come and challenging myself to achieve new career highs.”