It’s all about the People: Emerald Group at 25

As we celebrate 25 years in the business, we’re putting the spotlight on the people who make Emerald Group the success it is today.  Here we talk to Michael Doherty, Associate Director, Non-Life Actuarial. Michael has been with Emerald Group since the beginning of our business. He shares how those early days started Emerald Group’s journey to becoming a leading global recruiter.

Michael Doherty has been part of Emerald Group since 1998. With both sales and customer service experience under his belt, he was new to the world of recruitment but was attracted to a role that involved communicating with people.

From his first days with the company, he has thrived on the challenge of building relationships with clients and candidates and now has an amazing professional network that spans the UK, Singapore and Hong Kong, where he led Emerald Group operations for some time.

Where’s the Directory?

We started by asking Michael about the world of recruitment in those first days at Emerald Group. “It’s incredible to think back to those early days and how differently we worked. We were a small but busy team and I spent most of my time on the phone, talking to people and understanding what they were looking for. This was how I started to build my network: I had a well-used directory from the Institute of Actuaries on my desk. It was a thick and chunky printed book and had the names of everyone I needed to connect with. It was a goldmine of information and contacts.”

“While our processes were so different in the early days, many of our approaches were actually very similar. It’s always been about people. Then and now, we connect with people to find out what they want to achieve in their careers and to understand their goals. We talk to clients to understand the type of person they’re looking to hire – skills, experience and fit. We can work a lot faster these days though:  the world of waiting for CVs to arrive in the post or by fax are thankfully long gone!”

Can You Put Me Through?

With digital transformation continuing to transform our workplaces, some of the creative ways the team used to reach people are no longer needed, particularly when it comes to finding candidates. “Now, we can connect on LinkedIn and candidates approach us, because they know we have good roles available. When we started, we often had to call people at work – it’s hard to believe but not everyone had a mobile phone in those days! Navigating switchboards was a creative art, with candidate confidentiality being as essential then as it is now.”

Did you Know…?

Research and fact finding is an important part of recruitment, and here again, the world has changed. Michael developed research skills in those early years that still help him to this day.  “Market knowledge, company and sector insights underpin every conversation we have with clients and candidates. In those early years, we had to work hard to keep our knowledge up to date. So much information is publicly available now that we have greater transparency, but facts alone don’t add value to the people we’re working with. We used to wade through published directories to build profiles of candidates and companies. Now, we have multiple sources but we still have to join the dots. Years of experience of asking the right questions, prioritising information and putting that knowledge into context is invaluable when it comes to assessing who is the best person for a particular role.”

Working Overseas

Michael seized every opportunity offered by Emerald Group and spent seven years in Asia.  He worked in Singapore and Hong Kong, establishing recruitment desks in these major actuarial and financial services markets. He started a family while overseas and – briefly – challenged himself to work for another recruiter. Emerald Group welcomed him back with open arms when he decided that their approach wasn’t right for him. “Recruitment can be a tough environment to work in. Emerald Group does it differently: effort is rewarded as much as success, and the company places high value on relationships and partnership. We do the right thing for our clients and candidates. I’ve benefited from putting this principle into action throughout my career and the relationships I’ve built have lasted. In fact I’ve recently worked with a chief actuary who I first supported when they were a junior candidate many years ago, to find new members for their team.”

The Changing World of Contractors

One of the major developments Michael has seen is the evolution of contract work. “When I began working with actuaries there were very few independent contractors. Everyone was in permanent employment and even part-time work was rare. Now, an entirely new employment option has grown up, with day-rate workers providing an essential service for clients who have short term needs or want to fill project roles or niche specialities. It’s exciting to be part of a market development like this, and opportunities keep coming as new working patterns evolve and the working environment continues to change. Helping clients find the right individuals for their needs is very satisfying.”

A Gem in the World of Recruitment

So what has Michael enjoyed best about his time so far with Emerald Group? “I am really proud of how we’ve evolved as a company. We offer recruitment support for all career stages in the UK and internationally, across all areas and departments and for candidates in all circumstances. I’m proud to be able to help people at every step of their journey, whether they’re looking for an entry level role or a job that they want to be the final move of their career. I have contacts that I have worked with for most of their working lives. I know their goals, their professional and personal aspirations. Helping them find the right role – where I know they’ll thrive – makes this job incredibly satisfying.”

To find out more about how Emerald Group can help you find your dream job in the actuarial and financial services sectors, please call us on +44 (0)207 283 2520.