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When Michael Page recruiter Melanie Wallace-Smith became a Director, she cemented her position as a leader within the company. Her career path demonstrates that the key to success is building a professional future in a business that values flexibility and a work-life balance.
A journey – and one that has been pretty fluid for me! I started my career in Melbourne as a consultant, and then moved to Adelaide. There I had the role of Business Manager, so I developed accounts and won new ones. After two and a half years, I returned to Melbourne where I managed a team for three years, before taking maternity leave.
I have always really enjoyed managing a team and consulting, however when I came back to work part-time in 2016, it was challenging to excel at both. Becoming a Director was something I had thought about for a long time after working across different markets for 10 years, so I was thrilled when it happened.
Not at all. As my daughter is now two, I have finally found the perfect balance of working and personal life. I am back on full-time hours – and getting a full night’s sleep again, which has made all the difference! It took me a while to get the balance right, but now I have, I am ready to take on challenges.
It has been essential. Ultimately, it allows me to be there for important family activities and to give my clients and candidates the same service I have always provided to them. In fact, my level of service is better as I often log on at night-time – because I have the flexibility I need.
You have to have trust from your manager and leadership team. Without this, there is a major challenge.
Your manager should be open to embracing small changes such as flexible working hours, job sharing, less employee management, or even working with a different market. Don’t be afraid to ask your employer to see whether there is flexibility in your current role, rather than simply changing for something ‘easier.’