Michael Jones: Welcome to the Developing Experts Podcast, a show to help recruiters at every stage of their career to sharpen their skills, think more commercially, and ultimately become more effective and more credible. This podcast is all about real conversations with experienced recruiters, agency leaders, business owners, and high performers from all across the industry, unpacking what actually drives long-term success in recruitment. And I'm your host, Michael Jones, recruitment trainer. hello and welcome on today's episode of the Developing Experts Podcast. I'm joined by Alma Raheem from Beaumont People in Melbourne. Alma is fresh off a recent win at the RCSA Industry Awards as the Rising Star for Australia 2026. And she's joining me today to share some insights into her career journey to date and some advice for everybody on. How to succeed in recruitment. Alma, thank you so much for joining me.
Alma Rahee: Thank you, Michael, for having me and congratulations to you too. We're both award winners. So it's really nice to be, yeah, sitting on the other side and talking to you.
Michael Jones: We're in great company, two award winners. But today's all about you, Alma, not me.
Alma Rahee: Yeah.
Michael Jones: I would love to start off by learning a bit more about you in terms of your role, the agency you work for and what you recruit for. So tell us a bit about yourself.
Alma Rahee: Yeah, awesome. my role has changed and evolved over the last few years. so currently I'm the associate partner at Beaumont for their charities division and I do executive search. A bit about Beaumont. We're actually just about to celebrate our twenty-fifth anniversary s in in recruitment, but we in the last 15 years have really become a sector lead for Charities recruitment. We do everything from entry level all the way up until executive search. And we have offices all across the country. So in Sydney, Melbourne, the Gold Coast, and Byron Bay as well.
Michael Jones: Sure.
Alma Rahee: I was hired initially as the recruitment manager for the Melbourne team. So that was my role for the first two and a half years at Belmont. And then most recently I've stepped into doing executive search nationally. So we have shifted from a state-based model to a national model. And that's what I do currently.
Michael Jones: Exciting. What a great
Alma Rahee: Yeah.
Michael Jones: sector to operate in. What a what a fantastic sector to support. You must get a lot of value out of that.
Alma Rahee: Absolutely. I think that was personally my main reason for joining Beaumont. I was very passionate about the for-purpose sector. I used to, prior to Beaumont, I was at ethical jobs and I was leading the sales team there. So for me, I got a good insight into the for-purpose world and the challenges it faces when it comes to recruiting good talent, but also realizing how important it is to get the right people. in the right roles as well. So that was a great sort of segue into my world and to recruitment and yeah, my way of sort of playing a role in the full purpose sector.
Michael Jones: It's amazing. am I right that Beaumont People is an award winner too with the RCSA?
Alma Rahee: Yes, yes. So last year in 2025, we won Excellence in Client Service and we were a finalist for 2026 for Excellence in Candidate Care. Yeah. I am very
Michael Jones: fabulous. You made a very good choice then.
Alma Rahee: lucky to be here. Yes. And I think for me, when I made the choice to join Beaumont, it was the only recruitment firm I was considering. And the all the other roles I was interviewing for were very different. But the underpinning thread for me was for purpose and great culture, which Beaumont had. And yeah, I I don't think I would have joined recruitment in any other firm back then.
Michael Jones: I love that. So tell us a bit about your background before you started a career in recruitment.
Alma Rahee: well I come from a very different world. I actually have a Bachelor of Science in Biotech, and I started my career in medical sales.
Michael Jones: Wow.
Alma Rahee: I used to w live and work in Dubai at the time. So that was the first five to six years of my career. When I moved to Melbourne six years ago now, I joined medical sales, so medical device sales. I used to work for a company called Stryker and Yeah, was the territory manager for Victoria. Then I took a year off to do a leadership program called the Williamson Community Leadership Program, which really made me stop and think about what I want to do with my life and was a really pivotal moment of my not only career but personal life. And then that led me to ethical jobs where I felt like I was yeah, able to play a part of the full purpose sector, which in turn led me to I'm on people. Yeah.
Michael Jones: Hmm. And why recruitment Alma? What made you decide that you wanted to become a recruiter?
Alma Rahee: a couple of reasons, Michael. So firstly, when so going back to twenty twenty two and having that pivotal moment in my life, I went through, yeah, a a little bit of a life change, I would say. and I went through a separation at that time and I really had a stop and stand moment where I went, What is going to fulfill me in my life? And when I was looking for roles at that time as well. I was dealing with different recruiters and I didn't have the best experience. But also I realized how important it is to be supported when I'm going when someone's looking for a job, because back then I I was. And I also realized how important work is in terms of affecting your sense of identity and belonging and community. So I was a fairly new migrant back then, it was post-COVID. And it was quite lonely at times when I was job searching and I felt like I didn't have the right support. And the recruiters I dealt with were were not lovely but fairly transactional. So for me, when I considered recruitment, I went, I feel like I could do this differently. And I feel like it needs to be done differently. and for me, as I said, Beaumont was the only recruitment firm I Engaged with at the time when I was considering a career in recruitment, and the way they approached recruitment was in alignment with how I would run things. and we also learned from a values perspective. So, to answer the question why recruitment, it's because perhaps I didn't have the best experience back then. So I wanted to yeah, take my lived experience and do things differently, but also I realized. how important it is to support people when they are looking for roles. It's not just transactional, but it does affect their livelihood. For me, it affected how how I went back into community because I remember one of the roles I was rejected for, how they rejected me was better than perhaps some others, but it just gave me the confidence to go back and and look for another job. So it just small things
Michael Jones: Mm.
Alma Rahee: like that where I felt like, you know what? This is really important and
Michael Jones: Yes.
Alma Rahee: I I want to do things differently and I felt like, yeah, I I I wanted to play my part in that in that space.
Michael Jones: Love that. And I really do agree with you. I think it w sometimes we forget how stressful and overwhelming searching for a new job is. And I
Alma Rahee: Hm.
Michael Jones: think sometimes we don't always realize the impact that we can have on our candidates' lives and our clients' businesses. And I remember very early on placing someone into a temporary role, and similar to what you were describing, they were new to Australia, they had struggled to find work. I managed
Alma Rahee: Hm.
Michael Jones: to get them a temporary role that then turned into a permanent position. And I remember when I called her up and gave her the news that they want to make you permanent, she burst into tears. And and my first thought was, gosh, does she not want this? Is this bad news? Have I made a mistake?
Alma Rahee: You're not meeting.
Michael Jones: but then she, you know, rec you know, composed herself and said. Thank you so much. You don't realise how much this means to me. Now that I've got a permanent job, that gives me security and stability. And it means I'm going to be able to apply for a mortgage and support my family. This is this is life changing. And it was at
Alma Rahee: Yeah. Hmm.
Michael Jones: that very moment that I thought, wow, I'm literally changing lives as a recruiter and what a great feeling that is, but also what
Alma Rahee: Mm.
Michael Jones: a big responsibility.
Alma Rahee: Yeah. No, I I agree with you and as you were saying that lots of stories come to mind where I feel like I've been able to already do that with with several candidates and it's it's just very wholesome.
Michael Jones: It's fantastic, isn't it? Now obviously recruitment
Alma Rahee: Yeah.
Michael Jones: is a tough job and and I always say people it takes a year to really find your feet and get into the groove. Wha what was your experience like of learning this game we call recruitment?
Alma Rahee: Michael, I think I walked into the world of recruitment quite naively. I d you know, a part of me, yeah.
Michael Jones: I see what people do.
Alma Rahee: I I think you we hear this from a lock a lot of recruiters that we fall into fall into recruitment. I so I didn't step into a purely recruitment role. I was also recruitment manager. So my my role w had a people leadership component to it. I was setting
Michael Jones: Gone.
Alma Rahee: up a new office and setting up building it. A team from the ground up. It was a call
Michael Jones: Wow.
Alma Rahee: desk. So there were a lot of things that I signed up for. Yeah.
Michael Jones: You have loads of things to have to do with
Alma Rahee: So as I said, going back to why recruitment, it was not only that, but I I loved the idea of a challenge and I love the idea of the people leadership component to my recruitment role, which is what I signed up for. And that was the role that I took over at Belmont. So for me.
Michael Jones: That must have been quite overwhelming, you know, because not only are you learning recruitment, you're starting a cold desk, you're managing a team, you y th there's a lot of things you're having to deal with very early on.
Alma Rahee: Yeah, that's right.
Michael Jones: what was your experience in those early couple of months of learning how to do
Alma Rahee: Mm, yeah.
Michael Jones: recruitment? 'Cause there's a lot you've got to get your head around, isn't there?
Alma Rahee: Yeah, that's right. So coming in, I think I had just great support. Beaumont had a really great onboarding plan in terms of how they were going to support me, especially being the only person in Melbourne back then. My manager was remote, and a lot of the team was widespread across Australia. So I was set up for success in the sense that I flew out to Sydney, I spent some time with the team up there. For me, what really helped was learning through osmosis. So I got to sit next to some of the other recruiters in the Sydney office and spent a lot of time getting to know the business, but also getting to know different recruiters and what they did back then. I learn a lot through, as I said, storytelling, osmosis, but also I'm also a tactile learner. So I need to do things myself. So my manager and I, Victoria back then, who are reported into, we sat down, we came up with the game plan as to how I was going to be supported, but for me to have a clear understanding of what success looked like. Because I I think when you start in a new role and you're doing a standing start desk, it's quite easy to not have motivation when you don't see the runs on the board. So for me to go, okay, I'm going to do X amount of visits, X amount of calls, and X amount of activity was really important to have those numbers and targets mapped out and have that. I literally had sort of that on my wall and would go, okay, this is what I need to do in terms of activity. So that was the support. But then I also kind of just threw myself into it. I as I said, I am,
Michael Jones: You can't.
Alma Rahee: yeah, I am a tactile learner, and I think there's only so much you can learn from others. So I would do things and I would, you know, sometimes fail and that was okay. And for me, it was learning through those failures initially. I would make the calls, make the visits and go, All right, where where did I miss the mark on that? Or why didn't that convert into a job? And I would stop and think about that and reflect on that. I would lean on others and the team. So if I would get stuck on something, I would I would, yeah, pick up the phone and call someone in the business and go, how would you do this? Or where did I go wrong with this? So yeah, it was a lot of leaning on others. It was a lot of throwing myself into the deep end. It was also having reflection points to go, am I, am I doing what I need to to be set up for success and aligning with my manager on whether I'm on the right track.
Michael Jones: I think that's great advice and it sounds like such a great way to approach it. And I work with so many you know, rookie entry-level recruiters who are feeling overwhelmed and are struggling to get their head around the job, but there's this nervousness of having a go because there's the fear of getting it wrong or making a mistake.
Alma Rahee: Mm.
Michael Jones: But it sounds like what you're saying, Amor, is just have a go. You are gonna make mistakes, and as long as they're not great big whopping ones. it's gonna be okay because you're learning. I is is that kind of what you're saying?
Alma Rahee: Yeah, absolutely. I think it is important to make mistakes. That's the only way to to learn. And if you're not going to get everything right, you you're you're especially if you're starting off as a recruiter, I you haven't done that before. I have a seven year old and I tell her all the time, she tells me, mommy, I'm terrible. We went playing darts over the school holidays and she said, I'm terrible at playing darts. I'm like, You've done this for the first time. You're not gonna be good at it off the bat.
Michael Jones: Yeah.
Alma Rahee: And the second round we played, she learnt what to do better. It's honestly just that. You're not going to get it all right. And you have to prepare yourself to go, I am going to make mistakes, and that's okay, but I will
Michael Jones: Yes. Yes.
Alma Rahee: learn from my mistakes.
Michael Jones: Yes. Absolutely. The only way to learn is by throwing yourself in, making the mistakes, and then as you were doing, reflect what could I do differently next time? How can I get better? Love that. And and I was curious to know how did the job compare to what you were expecting? What was the reality of being
Alma Rahee: Mm-hmm.
Michael Jones: a recruiter like compared to what you thought coming in?
Alma Rahee: So I did a lot of research before I signed up for the role. Not only about recruitment, but about Beaumont. I would watch like honestly just YouTube videos, day in the life of a recruiter. I also would talk to friends who were in the sector who I knew back then. Because just to pause and and give a reality of what what it was back then, I was also freshly a single mom and was about to sign up for a desk where I didn't know a a gig that I didn't know what was going to happen. People in my family were also going, Is it the right time for a career change, Alma? Are you just having a little bit of a crisis? Yeah.
Michael Jones: You've got enough on your plates.
Alma Rahee: but I was really excited by by the role and I also From a sales background, so I knew that a fair amount of recruitment is the mindset that you need. I realized that I had a lot of transferable skills.
Michael Jones: Yes.
Alma Rahee: So there was a fair amount of it that I went, okay, this is what I knew would happen. But there were also lots of things that were new for me. And I did walk in going, okay, I'm going to be curious about this. I will give it a go. If it doesn't work out and I'm not meant for recruitment or I don't enjoy it, that's okay too. But I told myself I will, I will stick it out, I will do the work I need to. I knew that it does take a year to see your return on investment with the activity you're doing. And yeah, I also came in go having those thing having parts of my life that were full enough that I knew that if I had a bad day at work and at recruitment that I had other pillars in my life that I could lean on as well. So I didn't walk in completely blind, blindsided, but there were lots of things that were new to me and I just sort of went with it.
Michael Jones: I love it. Such a great attitude, such a good approach. you mentioned that you've worked in sales previously. How did you find transitioning into recruitment where you're not necessarily selling a static product, you're actually selling a service and selling people. How was that transition
Alma Rahee: Hmm, mm.
Michael Jones: for you?
Alma Rahee: Think that was the hardest thing because you're selling at the end of the day, you're still selling a service, but and there is that transferable element from sales that you could apply, and the service was working working with Beaumont, but you're also selling I don't want to say you're selling people because that just sounds wrong.
Michael Jones: Well we are, but in a non, you know,
Alma Rahee: Yeah, yeah.
Michael Jones: nasty way.
Alma Rahee: And I had to also just s sit and reflect and go, I am not selling someone, but I'm helping someone find a role. And that role
Michael Jones: Yes.
Alma Rahee: is going to make a difference. So for me, it was positioning myself as a not a salesperson, but as a as an advisor or partner to any organization that I was partnering. For them to understand I'm there to help and
Michael Jones: Yes.
Alma Rahee: it's okay, it's okay to not not want my help, but I I do know so and so who's great, or there is this that I could help with. So lots of transferable skills coming from sales, but there is there were some things that obviously I had to tweak because I'm working with working with a a product, so is to speak, in in in in in quotes, that can change their mind. The the candidate can obviously change their mind that they no wrong no wrong no longer want the role. And
Michael Jones: Yes.
Alma Rahee: that was hard to to work with the moving moving product.
Michael Jones: It is, it is, it's very different. and again, you know, what what you keep talking about is mindset and attitude and and belief in what you do and the impact that you have. So, yes, as a recruiter, I'm selling a service and I'm selling people and and jobs,
Alma Rahee: Yeah.
Michael Jones: but the service that I provide is meaningful and impactful and I can change someone's life and I can change this business in a really positive way. And if you don't need my help, that's okay, but I I I I really think that this is gonna be a good match and it's gonna be quite beneficial for all parties involved.
Alma Rahee: Yeah, that's right. And lots of lots of times people walk away saying no and that's all right, but
Michael Jones: Yeah. I mean
Alma Rahee: I always go, it's just a no for now and they will come back and usually they do.
Michael Jones: Yeah, love that. Love that. And what would you say was the most challenging part of the job for you in those early days? What did you find most difficult about being in recruitment?
Alma Rahee: For me, probably the most difficult part was not being patient and not seeing the runs on the board immediately. Coming from a sales background, I'm quite target driven and I like I like winning. I just do.
Michael Jones: Yep.
Alma Rahee: And when I was building the cold desk and you're not seeing those seeing those wins immediately. That was hard. And I I think the hardest thing was regulating myself and having that resilience to keep going. And some
Michael Jones: Mm-hmm.
Alma Rahee: days, as all of us do as recruiters, you can wake up feeling demotivated and you go, I've done so much. this is all the work I've done. I know, I know I'm on the right track, but you're I'm just not getting I'm just not
Michael Jones: Yes.
Alma Rahee: getting the wins yet. I'm just not getting the return on investment. And I had to really pull myself and go. I know what I'm doing is going to make a difference and I know I need to keep going. And I also know that motivation doesn't just come out of nowhere. Sometimes you have to do the boring stuff. You have to do the activity. And the motivation follows after that. So I would be quite disciplined in doing that, even when there were hard days. And then
Michael Jones: Yes.
Alma Rahee: your motivation picks up once you once you start seeing a few, few wins
Michael Jones: Yes.
Alma Rahee: and Then you kind of ride off of that and then that runs out. And then again there comes a moment when you're like, Great, back to back to Neil Pike Vine, have to still do the hard work again. And yeah, those days were hard and it was just that resilience resilience piece. But yeah, I I think it's a muscle you just constantly keep building and you constantly just get better at it. And there were some hard days, but there were also some really great ones.
Michael Jones: Hmm. And as you say, it's about doing the work now to build that pipeline and you'll see the results later. But you've got to be consistent,
Alma Rahee: Mm.
Michael Jones: you gotta be patient, you've got to be persistent. but but it yeah, it's it's absolutely very challenging in the first couple of months when you're working really hard and not seeing immediate results. But I imagine three years
Alma Rahee: Absolutely. Yeah.
Michael Jones: in you're you're seeing all the results of all your hard work from the years previously.
Alma Rahee: Absolutely. Yeah. You just have to you just have to keep going at it. You just have to keep going at it. Mm.
Michael Jones: So what do you enjoy the most about your job? What brings you the most joy?
Alma Rahee: The most joy, I think, once someone is placed in a role and
Michael Jones: Mm-hmm.
Alma Rahee: I check back in on them, because I stay in touch with all the candidates that I place. I would go visit them sort of a year into their role
Michael Jones: No.
Alma Rahee: and seeing them happy and telling me about their life and what a difference that's made and the ripple effect that that has, that's just beautiful for me to watch. usually someone tells me you you don't realize how much this role means to me. And they then go on to tell me about the other people that they referred to Beaumont. I don't play I don't obviously work with all the candidates, but there's that flow-on effect. And they also go on to tell me the difference they're making in that organization and being in the full purpose sector, whether it's a fundraising role, whether it's a senior exec role, which is what I'm most recently doing, it's just the impact that that had. not only on them but on community. It's just really, really beautiful to see it play out.
Michael Jones: So rewarding, isn't it? And
Alma Rahee: Yeah.
Michael Jones: knowing that I played a part in helping this person and I have contributed to that organization by making this match, it is very, very rewarding.
Alma Rahee: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. So that's that's definitely the most most favourite part of my role.
Michael Jones: Best thing about the job, I think. So
Alma Rahee: Yeah.
Michael Jones: let's talk about your award win. And again, congratulations on winning the award for rising star at the recent RCSA Industry Awards.
Alma Rahee: Thank you.
Michael Jones: as one of the judges for that category, the yes, the the cat's out of the bag. As one of the judges,
Alma Rahee: what you? Okay.
Michael Jones: I can say that the standard of of nominations for that category was very, very high. But your yours in particular, head and shoulders, absolutely a winner. So congratulations because it was very, very competitive. But what do you think were some of the contributing factors behind your win? Tell us about what makes you a rising star. And please don't be humble.
Alma Rahee: For me it came down to impact, the impact that my work was doing not only for the candidates but to the people around them and and to to the Australian workforce and community. I didn't want to just say this is what I've done. This is these are the numbers I've brought into the business. This is these are the wins. But there are people behind that and those people have stories. And that's what I really wanted to showcase in my submission. I didn't care. Honestly, the first time I submitted for the award, I was I cared. But the second time, I remember sitting in that chair before they called out my name and I went, even if I don't win, I'm okay with that because I know from the stories that those candidates have told me, my clients have told me that the work I'm doing matters. And I wanted to showcase that in my submission. I again I you would be best placed to answer this, but for me, I'd like to think that that's what tipped me over the edge because all the candidates there obviously were all the finalists were not candidates, sorry, finalists, were of excellent caliber. They came
Michael Jones: Yeah.
Alma Rahee: from incredible backgrounds, worked for great firms and agencies. Definitely did the hard yards to be a finalist. But I'd like to think that the the stories behind the candidates the candidate testimonials that I submitted and all yeah, the personal ways have affected them. I remember one of the testimonial, the candidate went to share how integral that role was for her for her life. And then the candidate shared how they were placed in sort of a contract role and the organization went on to sponsor them and what a huge life-changing moment that was for them. It was all of that. And I take the time to get to know all of my candidates so that I can put them in the right roles. And it was not just a transaction of placing a candidate there, but making sure that they keep giving back to that organization and they're making that impact to the sector. So yeah, it was it was that for me. I'd like to think that that was the that was what got me over the line.
Michael Jones: Absolutely. The the impact that you have in your sector is significant and it came through loud and clear in your nomination. And I I think that's really one of the things I admire the most about you, Alma, which is how you have added value to your sector and how you've gone about creating community. So for example, in your nomination you talked about your various events that you hold. So some of those would be your leadership conversation series, CEO roundtables, there's lots of networking events that you have put on. Tell us a bit about those and and the motivation for you personally behind holding them.
Alma Rahee: Hmm. So for me, community is everything. And going back to the moment in 2022 where I felt like I had to build my community from scratch in Melbourne, I realized how important that is for everyone. And post-COVID, I realized that a lot of people in the sector were struggling with finding community and people were finding it hard working remotely to find spaces to connect with like-minded individuals.
Michael Jones: Yes.
Alma Rahee: I loved what I love, love about Beaumont is that that is something that is integral to our DNA and and community is and the sector and the community is something that we are really big on giving back to and holding spaces for them. So across all of our offices, we do l CEO roundtables, we host different kinds of roundtables, we run various events, and it's our way of giving back to the sector, but also it's our way of Getting to know our sector because the sector keeps changing. And the more of these events we do, we're in there and we understand what they're going through. And that allows us to be better partners to the sector as well. So the personal motivation is: A, I know what a difference it makes to everyone's lives, including myself. B, I know how people were wanting that, that, that space for connection, that space for Whether it's a fundraising event we run and the space to connect with other fundraisers, or whether it's a CEO roundtable where we we constantly get feedback from CEOs that what they do is incredibly hard and it's quite lonely at the top. So having that peer space to connect with other executives is important. And when we bring community together, when there's connection, honestly, that's where magic happens because everyone learns from each other. There is sharing, there is people holding spaces for each other, and a newly placed candidate that we placed who otherwise might struggle because it is a hard, you know, whether it's an executive we place, it's quite hard sometimes being a CEO in a new role. But when they have a space to connect with others, they succeed. And we again, going back to our purpose of giving back to the sector. That is integral, I think. It's not just going back to what I said at the start, recruitment is not just transactional. There has to be other elements to it that make it yeah mm make it make it more transact make make it more wholesome, I wanna say. And yeah, that's that's yeah.
Michael Jones: Yeah, absolutely. More meaningful, more value add. It's really engaging with your candidate and client base as that business partner and it is helping support them with their personal and professional journeys. And I love that. And huge kudos because I organise events locally in WA through the RCSA. And if anyone hasn't organized an event, it may look easy, but there's a lot that goes into it, a lot of time. A lot of effort, a lot of coordination. How on
Alma Rahee: Yeah.
Michael Jones: earth, Alma, do you find the time to do all of these things? You you've mentioned you're a you're a a working parent, you're running a team, you you're doing recruitment, you're organizing events. How on earth do you get it all done?
Alma Rahee: It's not just me. I have a whole team behind me. I have a whole organization supporting me. And it it really does come down to that. Every event we put on, there are people in the Melbourne team who support me. There is peop people in the head office in Sydney who support me. And it's all of us coming together because we're aligned on why it is important and we make it work. I'm just the person on the ground, if I'm honest.
Michael Jones: A lot of many.
Alma Rahee: Yeah, yeah. And you know, it is hard, Michael. It is hard putting on these events and you would know this because you do it for RCSA. It takes a lot of time out of your day to day job to do it, but it is important and I think candidates we place and clients we work with tell us how important it is and how valuable it is and it's something that we're not going to change. people
Michael Jones: Yeah.
Alma Rahee: need those spaces for connection and places to talk to others and and sh share those struggles that they're going through. So yeah, it is hard, but the hard things need to be done for the better good of of the sector and for successful candidates to do what they do.
Michael Jones: Absolutely. And beyond making the impact and supporting your candidates and clients, obviously there's commercial benefits and outcomes to be had from it, whether it is stronger loyalty from candidates and clients, whether it's that opportunity to contact someone you've been trying to get in with and using the event as the door opener,
Alma Rahee: Well.
Michael Jones: whether it's identifying someone who's maybe looking to recruit or looking to move. There's there's commercial outcomes to be achieved from these events, but the impact that you're having and the community that you're creating, that's significant and that's the real driving force for you personally, it sounds like, which I love.
Alma Rahee: Y Yeah, absolutely. I think a lot of people can put on events with the commercial outcomes in mind and that being the pure driver. And people can smell that. I think people can understand if you're doing something that's inauthentic and not for the right reasons. we g we we hear feedback from people who attend our round table and events who say that they get invited to a lot, but they come to us because they know the difference. in the fact that that's not our pure motivator. that is secondary. It it comes sometimes as a flow-on effect of what we do.
Michael Jones: Yeah.
Alma Rahee: Yeah, and I think that's important to make note of that because authenticity is one of those things that people can read. And it's it's, you know, scientifically, you know that that's that's what people navigate to and people can inherently sense if you're being authentic or not. So if that i if commercial outcomes are the pure motivator, I don't think that's going to be successful in the long run. Hmm.
Michael Jones: Yeah, agreed with you. And you just gave a bit of a shout out to team members behind the scenes of Beaumont people helping to support you with the events. And during
Alma Rahee: Mm.
Michael Jones: your acceptance speech at the RCSA Awards, you talked about how it takes a village to raise a recruiter. Who are some of the people that you want to give a shout out to that have made a difference on your recruitment journey so far?
Alma Rahee: How long do we have Michael? It's a long list.
Michael Jones: Events.
Alma Rahee: so many people. I will start off by just our executive leadership team at Beaumont. So our CEO Debbie, our incredible GMs, Kate, Victoria, Joe, Rebecca, our CEO Jin, Nikki Beaumont, our founder, who initially gave me this opportunity. I also give a shout out to Nina because she was MD at the time. And the rest of the Melbourne team locally. The team has evolved over time. But back then we had Taylor, Jess, Finn, most recently Orla. So many people who've just been integral to running the local community events and yeah, the success of the team locally. and then the rest of the people in the head office. there are countless people back in Sydney who have helped out when I've called them. who've who've been there for me during the hard days as well because it can be quite quite hard. and everyone's reached out, checked in on me when when I've had w when when the meeting went well wrong or when something yeah went not as planned. and that support has been
Michael Jones: Had you back.
Alma Rahee: quite yeah, exactly. That support has been incredible. Yeah.
Michael Jones: That's great. And it it's so important to be surrounded by a good team and have people that you trust and and and that are fighting for you in the background.
Alma Rahee: Absolutely, absolutely. And I think I mentioned this at my speech, but my family is another another another pillar that I wanted to shout out because it does not only my family, but I would say my community, working as being a working parent, you need to rely on people around you to get things done. And I think going back to the importance of community. Everything flows on. I funnily enough, I sometimes see at school pick up someone who I met as a candidate, and I'll see my client just walk in to grab a coffee. It they're it's all connected. So I think it if we need to be relying on each other and supporting each other, and yeah, lots of people there who I can think of that yeah, were integral to my success as well.
Michael Jones: Well love that. Thanks for the shout out. And I really do take my hat off to you in terms of you are such a great role model for our industry. And not only that, you're a great role model for working parents. And you, you know, you you are doing so much good work. So please keep it up. what what advice would you have for anybody thinking about going and nominating themselves for an award in the industry in the future?
Alma Rahee: I would say absolutely do it. Absolutely
Michael Jones: Mm-hmm.
Alma Rahee: do it. And it's sometimes not the outcome of being a finalist or being an award winner, but for me it was the reflection exercise of going through that process. And you would know this, Michael. I submitted my submission last year and I resubmit it this year. And when I didn't win last year, that that was honestly so important because I got feedback from the judges and I went, what could I do better for the sector? And I made those changes in the last 12 months.
Michael Jones: I don't know.
Alma Rahee: we had a we had an email where our CEO had emailed the feedback back to all of us and I went, Great, I'm gonna apply next year. I just told it to them in the email. I said, I'm still gonna apply next year, and these are things I wanted to do, and I did them. I wanted to do more events, yeah, exactly.
Michael Jones: Yes. Love if you mm
Alma Rahee: It did. I said I wanted to give back more to community, I wanted to give back more to more do more events, and I wanted to have more impact with candidates I was I was working with as well. And I did implement all of those changes. So for me, even if I didn't win this year, I I I think the second time I I didn't care, but I walked away going, I know I've made a difference in the last 12 months. And if I don't win, I'll take that feedback and I'll I'll just, yeah, do things better.
Michael Jones: Well, full respect you for nominating a second time because a lot of people might have been put off by the fact they didn't win first time around. But what do they say? Persistence beats resistance. Not that there was
Alma Rahee: Yeah.
Michael Jones: any resistance, but I I love the fact that you you you gave it another go. Yeah, that's that's brilliant. Okay, well, I've got
Alma Rahee: Thank you. Yeah, you.
Michael Jones: some quick fire questions to ask you as
Alma Rahee: Mm-hmm.
Michael Jones: we start to wrap up. What has been the proudest recruitment career moment to date for you?
Alma Rahee: Has to be winning the award. Yeah.
Michael Jones: one thing that you'd like to change about the recruitment industry.
Alma Rahee: I think we need to be better partners. I definitely think we're already on that track, but we need to think about what else we're doing. we're doing more for our sector and our c community. And I don't have all the answers, but as I said, for me the events and creating those spaces for connection is important. But we d I think we need to not be just seen as transactional salespeople.
Michael Jones: Yes, completely agree with you. What do you wish you had known or known how to do earlier in your career?
Alma Rahee: Early in my career, so I'm going back to probably my sales days. I want to say public speaking. it is something I am I've just naturally got into the space of having to do more of. And I think yeah, personally for me, coming, you know, as as a Muslim woman and as a person of colour, I am a big believer that representation is everything and we need to be seen in the right rooms.
Michael Jones: Yes.
Alma Rahee: So I would it's something I'm working on, getting better at public speaking and I would like to have have probably push myself a little out of my comfort zone early on in my career, but I'm doing it now. Yeah.
Michael Jones: Well I was gonna say you're making up for time, aren't you? What's one habit that you believe all recruiters need to develop to be successful?
Alma Rahee: I'm going to say listening. I think coming into the sector, one thing that was a little bit mind boggling for me is we have to obviously read between the lines and hear the stories that candidates are telling us that they're not really saying verbally, but just through other cues. But we're also a sector that's known for talking a lot and and holding the mic. So yeah, I would say listening.
Michael Jones: Mm-hmm. This might be the answer to the next question, but what's the most underrated recruiter skill, in your opinion?
Alma Rahee: Yeah, I'm going to have to say the the listening piece. but I'll take it a step further and say it's it's really thinking about and reflecting on those cues that someone is telling us. Because when a candidate doesn't work out or someone changes their mind, again, I am we're all learning in this, but there's something, a cue that they would have dropped early on where you would go, that's why. That's why.
Michael Jones: Yes.
Alma Rahee: So I think it's listening to our gut. and and listening for those things that they say that we just overlook sometimes.
Michael Jones: Yes. Don't overlook the red flags.
Alma Rahee: Mm, mm.
Michael Jones: Best career advice you've ever received.
Alma Rahee: Heard this from a few people, and I think it is definitely people will when we post things online or when we when we're having a public profile, people don't always react to everything we say or comment on what we say, but they're always watching. And
Michael Jones: Mm.
Alma Rahee: I've heard that from a few people now, and I think it rings true. One thing I struggle with initially was. posting on LinkedIn and putting a public profile because I am a private person and I don't like to talk about myself. and I felt really uncomfortable even when I had to put a post about my RCSA award, but I knew I had to do it. yeah, so it's i sometimes people don't react to what you say or comment on what you do, but the community is always watching and it's important to still do it.
Michael Jones: And again, it leads into that whole piece around visibility and representation and being
Alma Rahee: Mm.
Michael Jones: being out there for people to know what's going on. Yeah, that's great. So what are your
Alma Rahee: That's right. Mm.
Michael Jones: future career goals and aspirations, Alma?
Alma Rahee: Moment, it's really honing my craft and and sharpening my tools. Working in exec search, it's slightly different to just doing purely recruitment, it's a different, different bowl game. And again, I'm already seeing things that I want to do differently, and the things that we need to do differently at Beaumont. So for me, it's yeah, have the goal I've set in my mind is I I really do want to be. seen as a strong search partner nationally and be a trusted partner to the not-for-profit sector. So that's that's the goal I have in mind.
Michael Jones: Well, I I certainly feel that you are that and continuing to add value and create community and be such a great shining example is something I would wholeheartedly encourage you to keep doing. We need more people like you in our industry, Alma. Thank you for your contributions.
Alma Rahee: Thank you, Michael. Thank you for having me here today.
Michael Jones: No, my pleasure. It's been so lovely talking to you and getting to know you more. Like I said, your your your nomination for the Rising Star category was so strong, but it's been lovely to find it a bit more behind that.
Alma Rahee: No.
Michael Jones: and yeah, I look forward to watching your career continue to develop and I'm sure we will see you winning more awards in the future, fingers crossed.
Alma Rahee: Fingers crossed, thank you for having me. And yeah, it's been lovely to chat today.
Michael Jones: Thank you for joining on the podcast. Thanks for listening to this episode of the Developing Experts Podcast. Be sure to join us again. And if you'd like to be a guest, put forward someone, or nominate a topic for discussion, then please reach out to me on social media or via email. I look forward to seeing you again next time.
Alma Rahee: Thank you, Michael, for having me and congratulations to you too. We're both award winners. So it's really nice to be, yeah, sitting on the other side and talking to you.
Michael Jones: We're in great company, two award winners. But today's all about you, Alma, not me.
Alma Rahee: Yeah.
Michael Jones: I would love to start off by learning a bit more about you in terms of your role, the agency you work for and what you recruit for. So tell us a bit about yourself.
Alma Rahee: Yeah, awesome. my role has changed and evolved over the last few years. so currently I'm the associate partner at Beaumont for their charities division and I do executive search. A bit about Beaumont. We're actually just about to celebrate our twenty-fifth anniversary s in in recruitment, but we in the last 15 years have really become a sector lead for Charities recruitment. We do everything from entry level all the way up until executive search. And we have offices all across the country. So in Sydney, Melbourne, the Gold Coast, and Byron Bay as well.
Michael Jones: Sure.
Alma Rahee: I was hired initially as the recruitment manager for the Melbourne team. So that was my role for the first two and a half years at Belmont. And then most recently I've stepped into doing executive search nationally. So we have shifted from a state-based model to a national model. And that's what I do currently.
Michael Jones: Exciting. What a great
Alma Rahee: Yeah.
Michael Jones: sector to operate in. What a what a fantastic sector to support. You must get a lot of value out of that.
Alma Rahee: Absolutely. I think that was personally my main reason for joining Beaumont. I was very passionate about the for-purpose sector. I used to, prior to Beaumont, I was at ethical jobs and I was leading the sales team there. So for me, I got a good insight into the for-purpose world and the challenges it faces when it comes to recruiting good talent, but also realizing how important it is to get the right people. in the right roles as well. So that was a great sort of segue into my world and to recruitment and yeah, my way of sort of playing a role in the full purpose sector.
Michael Jones: It's amazing. am I right that Beaumont People is an award winner too with the RCSA?
Alma Rahee: Yes, yes. So last year in 2025, we won Excellence in Client Service and we were a finalist for 2026 for Excellence in Candidate Care. Yeah. I am very
Michael Jones: fabulous. You made a very good choice then.
Alma Rahee: lucky to be here. Yes. And I think for me, when I made the choice to join Beaumont, it was the only recruitment firm I was considering. And the all the other roles I was interviewing for were very different. But the underpinning thread for me was for purpose and great culture, which Beaumont had. And yeah, I I don't think I would have joined recruitment in any other firm back then.
Michael Jones: I love that. So tell us a bit about your background before you started a career in recruitment.
Alma Rahee: well I come from a very different world. I actually have a Bachelor of Science in Biotech, and I started my career in medical sales.
Michael Jones: Wow.
Alma Rahee: I used to w live and work in Dubai at the time. So that was the first five to six years of my career. When I moved to Melbourne six years ago now, I joined medical sales, so medical device sales. I used to work for a company called Stryker and Yeah, was the territory manager for Victoria. Then I took a year off to do a leadership program called the Williamson Community Leadership Program, which really made me stop and think about what I want to do with my life and was a really pivotal moment of my not only career but personal life. And then that led me to ethical jobs where I felt like I was yeah, able to play a part of the full purpose sector, which in turn led me to I'm on people. Yeah.
Michael Jones: Hmm. And why recruitment Alma? What made you decide that you wanted to become a recruiter?
Alma Rahee: a couple of reasons, Michael. So firstly, when so going back to twenty twenty two and having that pivotal moment in my life, I went through, yeah, a a little bit of a life change, I would say. and I went through a separation at that time and I really had a stop and stand moment where I went, What is going to fulfill me in my life? And when I was looking for roles at that time as well. I was dealing with different recruiters and I didn't have the best experience. But also I realized how important it is to be supported when I'm going when someone's looking for a job, because back then I I was. And I also realized how important work is in terms of affecting your sense of identity and belonging and community. So I was a fairly new migrant back then, it was post-COVID. And it was quite lonely at times when I was job searching and I felt like I didn't have the right support. And the recruiters I dealt with were were not lovely but fairly transactional. So for me, when I considered recruitment, I went, I feel like I could do this differently. And I feel like it needs to be done differently. and for me, as I said, Beaumont was the only recruitment firm I Engaged with at the time when I was considering a career in recruitment, and the way they approached recruitment was in alignment with how I would run things. and we also learned from a values perspective. So, to answer the question why recruitment, it's because perhaps I didn't have the best experience back then. So I wanted to yeah, take my lived experience and do things differently, but also I realized. how important it is to support people when they are looking for roles. It's not just transactional, but it does affect their livelihood. For me, it affected how how I went back into community because I remember one of the roles I was rejected for, how they rejected me was better than perhaps some others, but it just gave me the confidence to go back and and look for another job. So it just small things
Michael Jones: Mm.
Alma Rahee: like that where I felt like, you know what? This is really important and
Michael Jones: Yes.
Alma Rahee: I I want to do things differently and I felt like, yeah, I I I wanted to play my part in that in that space.
Michael Jones: Love that. And I really do agree with you. I think it w sometimes we forget how stressful and overwhelming searching for a new job is. And I
Alma Rahee: Hm.
Michael Jones: think sometimes we don't always realize the impact that we can have on our candidates' lives and our clients' businesses. And I remember very early on placing someone into a temporary role, and similar to what you were describing, they were new to Australia, they had struggled to find work. I managed
Alma Rahee: Hm.
Michael Jones: to get them a temporary role that then turned into a permanent position. And I remember when I called her up and gave her the news that they want to make you permanent, she burst into tears. And and my first thought was, gosh, does she not want this? Is this bad news? Have I made a mistake?
Alma Rahee: You're not meeting.
Michael Jones: but then she, you know, rec you know, composed herself and said. Thank you so much. You don't realise how much this means to me. Now that I've got a permanent job, that gives me security and stability. And it means I'm going to be able to apply for a mortgage and support my family. This is this is life changing. And it was at
Alma Rahee: Yeah. Hmm.
Michael Jones: that very moment that I thought, wow, I'm literally changing lives as a recruiter and what a great feeling that is, but also what
Alma Rahee: Mm.
Michael Jones: a big responsibility.
Alma Rahee: Yeah. No, I I agree with you and as you were saying that lots of stories come to mind where I feel like I've been able to already do that with with several candidates and it's it's just very wholesome.
Michael Jones: It's fantastic, isn't it? Now obviously recruitment
Alma Rahee: Yeah.
Michael Jones: is a tough job and and I always say people it takes a year to really find your feet and get into the groove. Wha what was your experience like of learning this game we call recruitment?
Alma Rahee: Michael, I think I walked into the world of recruitment quite naively. I d you know, a part of me, yeah.
Michael Jones: I see what people do.
Alma Rahee: I I think you we hear this from a lock a lot of recruiters that we fall into fall into recruitment. I so I didn't step into a purely recruitment role. I was also recruitment manager. So my my role w had a people leadership component to it. I was setting
Michael Jones: Gone.
Alma Rahee: up a new office and setting up building it. A team from the ground up. It was a call
Michael Jones: Wow.
Alma Rahee: desk. So there were a lot of things that I signed up for. Yeah.
Michael Jones: You have loads of things to have to do with
Alma Rahee: So as I said, going back to why recruitment, it was not only that, but I I loved the idea of a challenge and I love the idea of the people leadership component to my recruitment role, which is what I signed up for. And that was the role that I took over at Belmont. So for me.
Michael Jones: That must have been quite overwhelming, you know, because not only are you learning recruitment, you're starting a cold desk, you're managing a team, you y th there's a lot of things you're having to deal with very early on.
Alma Rahee: Yeah, that's right.
Michael Jones: what was your experience in those early couple of months of learning how to do
Alma Rahee: Mm, yeah.
Michael Jones: recruitment? 'Cause there's a lot you've got to get your head around, isn't there?
Alma Rahee: Yeah, that's right. So coming in, I think I had just great support. Beaumont had a really great onboarding plan in terms of how they were going to support me, especially being the only person in Melbourne back then. My manager was remote, and a lot of the team was widespread across Australia. So I was set up for success in the sense that I flew out to Sydney, I spent some time with the team up there. For me, what really helped was learning through osmosis. So I got to sit next to some of the other recruiters in the Sydney office and spent a lot of time getting to know the business, but also getting to know different recruiters and what they did back then. I learn a lot through, as I said, storytelling, osmosis, but also I'm also a tactile learner. So I need to do things myself. So my manager and I, Victoria back then, who are reported into, we sat down, we came up with the game plan as to how I was going to be supported, but for me to have a clear understanding of what success looked like. Because I I think when you start in a new role and you're doing a standing start desk, it's quite easy to not have motivation when you don't see the runs on the board. So for me to go, okay, I'm going to do X amount of visits, X amount of calls, and X amount of activity was really important to have those numbers and targets mapped out and have that. I literally had sort of that on my wall and would go, okay, this is what I need to do in terms of activity. So that was the support. But then I also kind of just threw myself into it. I as I said, I am,
Michael Jones: You can't.
Alma Rahee: yeah, I am a tactile learner, and I think there's only so much you can learn from others. So I would do things and I would, you know, sometimes fail and that was okay. And for me, it was learning through those failures initially. I would make the calls, make the visits and go, All right, where where did I miss the mark on that? Or why didn't that convert into a job? And I would stop and think about that and reflect on that. I would lean on others and the team. So if I would get stuck on something, I would I would, yeah, pick up the phone and call someone in the business and go, how would you do this? Or where did I go wrong with this? So yeah, it was a lot of leaning on others. It was a lot of throwing myself into the deep end. It was also having reflection points to go, am I, am I doing what I need to to be set up for success and aligning with my manager on whether I'm on the right track.
Michael Jones: I think that's great advice and it sounds like such a great way to approach it. And I work with so many you know, rookie entry-level recruiters who are feeling overwhelmed and are struggling to get their head around the job, but there's this nervousness of having a go because there's the fear of getting it wrong or making a mistake.
Alma Rahee: Mm.
Michael Jones: But it sounds like what you're saying, Amor, is just have a go. You are gonna make mistakes, and as long as they're not great big whopping ones. it's gonna be okay because you're learning. I is is that kind of what you're saying?
Alma Rahee: Yeah, absolutely. I think it is important to make mistakes. That's the only way to to learn. And if you're not going to get everything right, you you're you're especially if you're starting off as a recruiter, I you haven't done that before. I have a seven year old and I tell her all the time, she tells me, mommy, I'm terrible. We went playing darts over the school holidays and she said, I'm terrible at playing darts. I'm like, You've done this for the first time. You're not gonna be good at it off the bat.
Michael Jones: Yeah.
Alma Rahee: And the second round we played, she learnt what to do better. It's honestly just that. You're not going to get it all right. And you have to prepare yourself to go, I am going to make mistakes, and that's okay, but I will
Michael Jones: Yes. Yes.
Alma Rahee: learn from my mistakes.
Michael Jones: Yes. Absolutely. The only way to learn is by throwing yourself in, making the mistakes, and then as you were doing, reflect what could I do differently next time? How can I get better? Love that. And and I was curious to know how did the job compare to what you were expecting? What was the reality of being
Alma Rahee: Mm-hmm.
Michael Jones: a recruiter like compared to what you thought coming in?
Alma Rahee: So I did a lot of research before I signed up for the role. Not only about recruitment, but about Beaumont. I would watch like honestly just YouTube videos, day in the life of a recruiter. I also would talk to friends who were in the sector who I knew back then. Because just to pause and and give a reality of what what it was back then, I was also freshly a single mom and was about to sign up for a desk where I didn't know a a gig that I didn't know what was going to happen. People in my family were also going, Is it the right time for a career change, Alma? Are you just having a little bit of a crisis? Yeah.
Michael Jones: You've got enough on your plates.
Alma Rahee: but I was really excited by by the role and I also From a sales background, so I knew that a fair amount of recruitment is the mindset that you need. I realized that I had a lot of transferable skills.
Michael Jones: Yes.
Alma Rahee: So there was a fair amount of it that I went, okay, this is what I knew would happen. But there were also lots of things that were new for me. And I did walk in going, okay, I'm going to be curious about this. I will give it a go. If it doesn't work out and I'm not meant for recruitment or I don't enjoy it, that's okay too. But I told myself I will, I will stick it out, I will do the work I need to. I knew that it does take a year to see your return on investment with the activity you're doing. And yeah, I also came in go having those thing having parts of my life that were full enough that I knew that if I had a bad day at work and at recruitment that I had other pillars in my life that I could lean on as well. So I didn't walk in completely blind, blindsided, but there were lots of things that were new to me and I just sort of went with it.
Michael Jones: I love it. Such a great attitude, such a good approach. you mentioned that you've worked in sales previously. How did you find transitioning into recruitment where you're not necessarily selling a static product, you're actually selling a service and selling people. How was that transition
Alma Rahee: Hmm, mm.
Michael Jones: for you?
Alma Rahee: Think that was the hardest thing because you're selling at the end of the day, you're still selling a service, but and there is that transferable element from sales that you could apply, and the service was working working with Beaumont, but you're also selling I don't want to say you're selling people because that just sounds wrong.
Michael Jones: Well we are, but in a non, you know,
Alma Rahee: Yeah, yeah.
Michael Jones: nasty way.
Alma Rahee: And I had to also just s sit and reflect and go, I am not selling someone, but I'm helping someone find a role. And that role
Michael Jones: Yes.
Alma Rahee: is going to make a difference. So for me, it was positioning myself as a not a salesperson, but as a as an advisor or partner to any organization that I was partnering. For them to understand I'm there to help and
Michael Jones: Yes.
Alma Rahee: it's okay, it's okay to not not want my help, but I I do know so and so who's great, or there is this that I could help with. So lots of transferable skills coming from sales, but there is there were some things that obviously I had to tweak because I'm working with working with a a product, so is to speak, in in in in in quotes, that can change their mind. The the candidate can obviously change their mind that they no wrong no wrong no longer want the role. And
Michael Jones: Yes.
Alma Rahee: that was hard to to work with the moving moving product.
Michael Jones: It is, it is, it's very different. and again, you know, what what you keep talking about is mindset and attitude and and belief in what you do and the impact that you have. So, yes, as a recruiter, I'm selling a service and I'm selling people and and jobs,
Alma Rahee: Yeah.
Michael Jones: but the service that I provide is meaningful and impactful and I can change someone's life and I can change this business in a really positive way. And if you don't need my help, that's okay, but I I I I really think that this is gonna be a good match and it's gonna be quite beneficial for all parties involved.
Alma Rahee: Yeah, that's right. And lots of lots of times people walk away saying no and that's all right, but
Michael Jones: Yeah. I mean
Alma Rahee: I always go, it's just a no for now and they will come back and usually they do.
Michael Jones: Yeah, love that. Love that. And what would you say was the most challenging part of the job for you in those early days? What did you find most difficult about being in recruitment?
Alma Rahee: For me, probably the most difficult part was not being patient and not seeing the runs on the board immediately. Coming from a sales background, I'm quite target driven and I like I like winning. I just do.
Michael Jones: Yep.
Alma Rahee: And when I was building the cold desk and you're not seeing those seeing those wins immediately. That was hard. And I I think the hardest thing was regulating myself and having that resilience to keep going. And some
Michael Jones: Mm-hmm.
Alma Rahee: days, as all of us do as recruiters, you can wake up feeling demotivated and you go, I've done so much. this is all the work I've done. I know, I know I'm on the right track, but you're I'm just not getting I'm just not
Michael Jones: Yes.
Alma Rahee: getting the wins yet. I'm just not getting the return on investment. And I had to really pull myself and go. I know what I'm doing is going to make a difference and I know I need to keep going. And I also know that motivation doesn't just come out of nowhere. Sometimes you have to do the boring stuff. You have to do the activity. And the motivation follows after that. So I would be quite disciplined in doing that, even when there were hard days. And then
Michael Jones: Yes.
Alma Rahee: your motivation picks up once you once you start seeing a few, few wins
Michael Jones: Yes.
Alma Rahee: and Then you kind of ride off of that and then that runs out. And then again there comes a moment when you're like, Great, back to back to Neil Pike Vine, have to still do the hard work again. And yeah, those days were hard and it was just that resilience resilience piece. But yeah, I I think it's a muscle you just constantly keep building and you constantly just get better at it. And there were some hard days, but there were also some really great ones.
Michael Jones: Hmm. And as you say, it's about doing the work now to build that pipeline and you'll see the results later. But you've got to be consistent,
Alma Rahee: Mm.
Michael Jones: you gotta be patient, you've got to be persistent. but but it yeah, it's it's absolutely very challenging in the first couple of months when you're working really hard and not seeing immediate results. But I imagine three years
Alma Rahee: Absolutely. Yeah.
Michael Jones: in you're you're seeing all the results of all your hard work from the years previously.
Alma Rahee: Absolutely. Yeah. You just have to you just have to keep going at it. You just have to keep going at it. Mm.
Michael Jones: So what do you enjoy the most about your job? What brings you the most joy?
Alma Rahee: The most joy, I think, once someone is placed in a role and
Michael Jones: Mm-hmm.
Alma Rahee: I check back in on them, because I stay in touch with all the candidates that I place. I would go visit them sort of a year into their role
Michael Jones: No.
Alma Rahee: and seeing them happy and telling me about their life and what a difference that's made and the ripple effect that that has, that's just beautiful for me to watch. usually someone tells me you you don't realize how much this role means to me. And they then go on to tell me about the other people that they referred to Beaumont. I don't play I don't obviously work with all the candidates, but there's that flow-on effect. And they also go on to tell me the difference they're making in that organization and being in the full purpose sector, whether it's a fundraising role, whether it's a senior exec role, which is what I'm most recently doing, it's just the impact that that had. not only on them but on community. It's just really, really beautiful to see it play out.
Michael Jones: So rewarding, isn't it? And
Alma Rahee: Yeah.
Michael Jones: knowing that I played a part in helping this person and I have contributed to that organization by making this match, it is very, very rewarding.
Alma Rahee: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. So that's that's definitely the most most favourite part of my role.
Michael Jones: Best thing about the job, I think. So
Alma Rahee: Yeah.
Michael Jones: let's talk about your award win. And again, congratulations on winning the award for rising star at the recent RCSA Industry Awards.
Alma Rahee: Thank you.
Michael Jones: as one of the judges for that category, the yes, the the cat's out of the bag. As one of the judges,
Alma Rahee: what you? Okay.
Michael Jones: I can say that the standard of of nominations for that category was very, very high. But your yours in particular, head and shoulders, absolutely a winner. So congratulations because it was very, very competitive. But what do you think were some of the contributing factors behind your win? Tell us about what makes you a rising star. And please don't be humble.
Alma Rahee: For me it came down to impact, the impact that my work was doing not only for the candidates but to the people around them and and to to the Australian workforce and community. I didn't want to just say this is what I've done. This is these are the numbers I've brought into the business. This is these are the wins. But there are people behind that and those people have stories. And that's what I really wanted to showcase in my submission. I didn't care. Honestly, the first time I submitted for the award, I was I cared. But the second time, I remember sitting in that chair before they called out my name and I went, even if I don't win, I'm okay with that because I know from the stories that those candidates have told me, my clients have told me that the work I'm doing matters. And I wanted to showcase that in my submission. I again I you would be best placed to answer this, but for me, I'd like to think that that's what tipped me over the edge because all the candidates there obviously were all the finalists were not candidates, sorry, finalists, were of excellent caliber. They came
Michael Jones: Yeah.
Alma Rahee: from incredible backgrounds, worked for great firms and agencies. Definitely did the hard yards to be a finalist. But I'd like to think that the the stories behind the candidates the candidate testimonials that I submitted and all yeah, the personal ways have affected them. I remember one of the testimonial, the candidate went to share how integral that role was for her for her life. And then the candidate shared how they were placed in sort of a contract role and the organization went on to sponsor them and what a huge life-changing moment that was for them. It was all of that. And I take the time to get to know all of my candidates so that I can put them in the right roles. And it was not just a transaction of placing a candidate there, but making sure that they keep giving back to that organization and they're making that impact to the sector. So yeah, it was it was that for me. I'd like to think that that was the that was what got me over the line.
Michael Jones: Absolutely. The the impact that you have in your sector is significant and it came through loud and clear in your nomination. And I I think that's really one of the things I admire the most about you, Alma, which is how you have added value to your sector and how you've gone about creating community. So for example, in your nomination you talked about your various events that you hold. So some of those would be your leadership conversation series, CEO roundtables, there's lots of networking events that you have put on. Tell us a bit about those and and the motivation for you personally behind holding them.
Alma Rahee: Hmm. So for me, community is everything. And going back to the moment in 2022 where I felt like I had to build my community from scratch in Melbourne, I realized how important that is for everyone. And post-COVID, I realized that a lot of people in the sector were struggling with finding community and people were finding it hard working remotely to find spaces to connect with like-minded individuals.
Michael Jones: Yes.
Alma Rahee: I loved what I love, love about Beaumont is that that is something that is integral to our DNA and and community is and the sector and the community is something that we are really big on giving back to and holding spaces for them. So across all of our offices, we do l CEO roundtables, we host different kinds of roundtables, we run various events, and it's our way of giving back to the sector, but also it's our way of Getting to know our sector because the sector keeps changing. And the more of these events we do, we're in there and we understand what they're going through. And that allows us to be better partners to the sector as well. So the personal motivation is: A, I know what a difference it makes to everyone's lives, including myself. B, I know how people were wanting that, that, that space for connection, that space for Whether it's a fundraising event we run and the space to connect with other fundraisers, or whether it's a CEO roundtable where we we constantly get feedback from CEOs that what they do is incredibly hard and it's quite lonely at the top. So having that peer space to connect with other executives is important. And when we bring community together, when there's connection, honestly, that's where magic happens because everyone learns from each other. There is sharing, there is people holding spaces for each other, and a newly placed candidate that we placed who otherwise might struggle because it is a hard, you know, whether it's an executive we place, it's quite hard sometimes being a CEO in a new role. But when they have a space to connect with others, they succeed. And we again, going back to our purpose of giving back to the sector. That is integral, I think. It's not just going back to what I said at the start, recruitment is not just transactional. There has to be other elements to it that make it yeah mm make it make it more transact make make it more wholesome, I wanna say. And yeah, that's that's yeah.
Michael Jones: Yeah, absolutely. More meaningful, more value add. It's really engaging with your candidate and client base as that business partner and it is helping support them with their personal and professional journeys. And I love that. And huge kudos because I organise events locally in WA through the RCSA. And if anyone hasn't organized an event, it may look easy, but there's a lot that goes into it, a lot of time. A lot of effort, a lot of coordination. How on
Alma Rahee: Yeah.
Michael Jones: earth, Alma, do you find the time to do all of these things? You you've mentioned you're a you're a a working parent, you're running a team, you you're doing recruitment, you're organizing events. How on earth do you get it all done?
Alma Rahee: It's not just me. I have a whole team behind me. I have a whole organization supporting me. And it it really does come down to that. Every event we put on, there are people in the Melbourne team who support me. There is peop people in the head office in Sydney who support me. And it's all of us coming together because we're aligned on why it is important and we make it work. I'm just the person on the ground, if I'm honest.
Michael Jones: A lot of many.
Alma Rahee: Yeah, yeah. And you know, it is hard, Michael. It is hard putting on these events and you would know this because you do it for RCSA. It takes a lot of time out of your day to day job to do it, but it is important and I think candidates we place and clients we work with tell us how important it is and how valuable it is and it's something that we're not going to change. people
Michael Jones: Yeah.
Alma Rahee: need those spaces for connection and places to talk to others and and sh share those struggles that they're going through. So yeah, it is hard, but the hard things need to be done for the better good of of the sector and for successful candidates to do what they do.
Michael Jones: Absolutely. And beyond making the impact and supporting your candidates and clients, obviously there's commercial benefits and outcomes to be had from it, whether it is stronger loyalty from candidates and clients, whether it's that opportunity to contact someone you've been trying to get in with and using the event as the door opener,
Alma Rahee: Well.
Michael Jones: whether it's identifying someone who's maybe looking to recruit or looking to move. There's there's commercial outcomes to be achieved from these events, but the impact that you're having and the community that you're creating, that's significant and that's the real driving force for you personally, it sounds like, which I love.
Alma Rahee: Y Yeah, absolutely. I think a lot of people can put on events with the commercial outcomes in mind and that being the pure driver. And people can smell that. I think people can understand if you're doing something that's inauthentic and not for the right reasons. we g we we hear feedback from people who attend our round table and events who say that they get invited to a lot, but they come to us because they know the difference. in the fact that that's not our pure motivator. that is secondary. It it comes sometimes as a flow-on effect of what we do.
Michael Jones: Yeah.
Alma Rahee: Yeah, and I think that's important to make note of that because authenticity is one of those things that people can read. And it's it's, you know, scientifically, you know that that's that's what people navigate to and people can inherently sense if you're being authentic or not. So if that i if commercial outcomes are the pure motivator, I don't think that's going to be successful in the long run. Hmm.
Michael Jones: Yeah, agreed with you. And you just gave a bit of a shout out to team members behind the scenes of Beaumont people helping to support you with the events. And during
Alma Rahee: Mm.
Michael Jones: your acceptance speech at the RCSA Awards, you talked about how it takes a village to raise a recruiter. Who are some of the people that you want to give a shout out to that have made a difference on your recruitment journey so far?
Alma Rahee: How long do we have Michael? It's a long list.
Michael Jones: Events.
Alma Rahee: so many people. I will start off by just our executive leadership team at Beaumont. So our CEO Debbie, our incredible GMs, Kate, Victoria, Joe, Rebecca, our CEO Jin, Nikki Beaumont, our founder, who initially gave me this opportunity. I also give a shout out to Nina because she was MD at the time. And the rest of the Melbourne team locally. The team has evolved over time. But back then we had Taylor, Jess, Finn, most recently Orla. So many people who've just been integral to running the local community events and yeah, the success of the team locally. and then the rest of the people in the head office. there are countless people back in Sydney who have helped out when I've called them. who've who've been there for me during the hard days as well because it can be quite quite hard. and everyone's reached out, checked in on me when when I've had w when when the meeting went well wrong or when something yeah went not as planned. and that support has been
Michael Jones: Had you back.
Alma Rahee: quite yeah, exactly. That support has been incredible. Yeah.
Michael Jones: That's great. And it it's so important to be surrounded by a good team and have people that you trust and and and that are fighting for you in the background.
Alma Rahee: Absolutely, absolutely. And I think I mentioned this at my speech, but my family is another another another pillar that I wanted to shout out because it does not only my family, but I would say my community, working as being a working parent, you need to rely on people around you to get things done. And I think going back to the importance of community. Everything flows on. I funnily enough, I sometimes see at school pick up someone who I met as a candidate, and I'll see my client just walk in to grab a coffee. It they're it's all connected. So I think it if we need to be relying on each other and supporting each other, and yeah, lots of people there who I can think of that yeah, were integral to my success as well.
Michael Jones: Well love that. Thanks for the shout out. And I really do take my hat off to you in terms of you are such a great role model for our industry. And not only that, you're a great role model for working parents. And you, you know, you you are doing so much good work. So please keep it up. what what advice would you have for anybody thinking about going and nominating themselves for an award in the industry in the future?
Alma Rahee: I would say absolutely do it. Absolutely
Michael Jones: Mm-hmm.
Alma Rahee: do it. And it's sometimes not the outcome of being a finalist or being an award winner, but for me it was the reflection exercise of going through that process. And you would know this, Michael. I submitted my submission last year and I resubmit it this year. And when I didn't win last year, that that was honestly so important because I got feedback from the judges and I went, what could I do better for the sector? And I made those changes in the last 12 months.
Michael Jones: I don't know.
Alma Rahee: we had a we had an email where our CEO had emailed the feedback back to all of us and I went, Great, I'm gonna apply next year. I just told it to them in the email. I said, I'm still gonna apply next year, and these are things I wanted to do, and I did them. I wanted to do more events, yeah, exactly.
Michael Jones: Yes. Love if you mm
Alma Rahee: It did. I said I wanted to give back more to community, I wanted to give back more to more do more events, and I wanted to have more impact with candidates I was I was working with as well. And I did implement all of those changes. So for me, even if I didn't win this year, I I I think the second time I I didn't care, but I walked away going, I know I've made a difference in the last 12 months. And if I don't win, I'll take that feedback and I'll I'll just, yeah, do things better.
Michael Jones: Well, full respect you for nominating a second time because a lot of people might have been put off by the fact they didn't win first time around. But what do they say? Persistence beats resistance. Not that there was
Alma Rahee: Yeah.
Michael Jones: any resistance, but I I love the fact that you you you gave it another go. Yeah, that's that's brilliant. Okay, well, I've got
Alma Rahee: Thank you. Yeah, you.
Michael Jones: some quick fire questions to ask you as
Alma Rahee: Mm-hmm.
Michael Jones: we start to wrap up. What has been the proudest recruitment career moment to date for you?
Alma Rahee: Has to be winning the award. Yeah.
Michael Jones: one thing that you'd like to change about the recruitment industry.
Alma Rahee: I think we need to be better partners. I definitely think we're already on that track, but we need to think about what else we're doing. we're doing more for our sector and our c community. And I don't have all the answers, but as I said, for me the events and creating those spaces for connection is important. But we d I think we need to not be just seen as transactional salespeople.
Michael Jones: Yes, completely agree with you. What do you wish you had known or known how to do earlier in your career?
Alma Rahee: Early in my career, so I'm going back to probably my sales days. I want to say public speaking. it is something I am I've just naturally got into the space of having to do more of. And I think yeah, personally for me, coming, you know, as as a Muslim woman and as a person of colour, I am a big believer that representation is everything and we need to be seen in the right rooms.
Michael Jones: Yes.
Alma Rahee: So I would it's something I'm working on, getting better at public speaking and I would like to have have probably push myself a little out of my comfort zone early on in my career, but I'm doing it now. Yeah.
Michael Jones: Well I was gonna say you're making up for time, aren't you? What's one habit that you believe all recruiters need to develop to be successful?
Alma Rahee: I'm going to say listening. I think coming into the sector, one thing that was a little bit mind boggling for me is we have to obviously read between the lines and hear the stories that candidates are telling us that they're not really saying verbally, but just through other cues. But we're also a sector that's known for talking a lot and and holding the mic. So yeah, I would say listening.
Michael Jones: Mm-hmm. This might be the answer to the next question, but what's the most underrated recruiter skill, in your opinion?
Alma Rahee: Yeah, I'm going to have to say the the listening piece. but I'll take it a step further and say it's it's really thinking about and reflecting on those cues that someone is telling us. Because when a candidate doesn't work out or someone changes their mind, again, I am we're all learning in this, but there's something, a cue that they would have dropped early on where you would go, that's why. That's why.
Michael Jones: Yes.
Alma Rahee: So I think it's listening to our gut. and and listening for those things that they say that we just overlook sometimes.
Michael Jones: Yes. Don't overlook the red flags.
Alma Rahee: Mm, mm.
Michael Jones: Best career advice you've ever received.
Alma Rahee: Heard this from a few people, and I think it is definitely people will when we post things online or when we when we're having a public profile, people don't always react to everything we say or comment on what we say, but they're always watching. And
Michael Jones: Mm.
Alma Rahee: I've heard that from a few people now, and I think it rings true. One thing I struggle with initially was. posting on LinkedIn and putting a public profile because I am a private person and I don't like to talk about myself. and I felt really uncomfortable even when I had to put a post about my RCSA award, but I knew I had to do it. yeah, so it's i sometimes people don't react to what you say or comment on what you do, but the community is always watching and it's important to still do it.
Michael Jones: And again, it leads into that whole piece around visibility and representation and being
Alma Rahee: Mm.
Michael Jones: being out there for people to know what's going on. Yeah, that's great. So what are your
Alma Rahee: That's right. Mm.
Michael Jones: future career goals and aspirations, Alma?
Alma Rahee: Moment, it's really honing my craft and and sharpening my tools. Working in exec search, it's slightly different to just doing purely recruitment, it's a different, different bowl game. And again, I'm already seeing things that I want to do differently, and the things that we need to do differently at Beaumont. So for me, it's yeah, have the goal I've set in my mind is I I really do want to be. seen as a strong search partner nationally and be a trusted partner to the not-for-profit sector. So that's that's the goal I have in mind.
Michael Jones: Well, I I certainly feel that you are that and continuing to add value and create community and be such a great shining example is something I would wholeheartedly encourage you to keep doing. We need more people like you in our industry, Alma. Thank you for your contributions.
Alma Rahee: Thank you, Michael. Thank you for having me here today.
Michael Jones: No, my pleasure. It's been so lovely talking to you and getting to know you more. Like I said, your your your nomination for the Rising Star category was so strong, but it's been lovely to find it a bit more behind that.
Alma Rahee: No.
Michael Jones: and yeah, I look forward to watching your career continue to develop and I'm sure we will see you winning more awards in the future, fingers crossed.
Alma Rahee: Fingers crossed, thank you for having me. And yeah, it's been lovely to chat today.
Michael Jones: Thank you for joining on the podcast. Thanks for listening to this episode of the Developing Experts Podcast. Be sure to join us again. And if you'd like to be a guest, put forward someone, or nominate a topic for discussion, then please reach out to me on social media or via email. I look forward to seeing you again next time.
