What sector & roles do you specialise in?
"I have gained experience across Operations, Production, Technical, NPD, Engineering, and HR/Finance roles, and more recently I've expanded into Commercial and Marketing. For nearly a decade, my focus has been exclusively on Food and Drink Manufacturing."
•What do you enjoy/find most rewarding in your role?
"I'm a people person who enjoys building relationships with clients and candidates. I find it incredibly rewarding to help place people in their dream roles, especially when you see them being promoted further down the line”
•How would you describe ‘Recruitment Excellence’?/What does ‘The future in recruitment excellence’ look like to you?
“It’s simple really – continuing to provide a service. A good service. A service that clients and candidates know – one they can rely on and trust they will be treated the same repeatedly.
A service that provides honesty, integrity, industry knowledge, trust, and reliability.”
•How would you describe the ‘ideal candidate’? What are the most important traits for any candidate?
•In your opinion Top 3 things a candidate can do to succeed.
•What is the most important tool in your role & why?
Building a strong rapport and trustworthy and communicative relationships with both client and candidate. Without these skills, a good service would not be provided.
•Do you forsee and big changes or challenges in Recruitment?
AI will play a massive part in recruitment going forward. It already is. Technology is evolving; for the good in lots of ways, but nothing can beat the sound and appearance of a real-life human being. Empathy, Trust, Industry experience, and natural rapport building can’t be replaced.
•Do you have any interesting or funny stories during your time in Recruitment?
"I've encountered many candidates who have stayed in the same job for years and are apprehensive about leaving a dead-end, mundane role for something new and exciting. Often, it's the fear of change that holds them back. Over time, they become 'institutionalised' in their comfort zone. My role has been to guide and support them through this transition, even if it means revisiting the conversation multiple times. It's a time-consuming and sometimes exhausting process, but when they finally make the leap and hand in their notice, they always come back to thank me, admitting it was the best decision they made.
Great recruiters become more than just professionals—we become friends, confidants, life coaches, and the voice of reason. It's a huge responsibility, but one that comes with the job and can be incredibly rewarding in the end."
•How do you like to spend your free time? Any Hobbies?
•Do you have any upcoming events or Challenges you're taking part in?
I’ve completed many challenges over the years, from The National 3 Peaks, The Yorkshire 3 Peaks, The Great North Swim, Tough Mudder, Numerous 10k run events, CrossFIt comps, Trekking down the Gran Canyon, and The Samworth Challenge; I can honestly say I’ve done my fair share – however, I do always like to have a date in the diary; something to work towards. I quite fancy another swim challenge, or Hyrox event next year.
•Favourite cuisine? / Favourite tipple or drink? / Favourite eatery or area for food? / Favourite food or snack?
Cheese! – big lover of cheese – Lancashire Poacher, or Black Bomber being personal favourites
Big fan of dark/spiced rum too.
•Favourite place to holiday? / Favourite time of year?
"I’ve been fortunate to visit many countries over the years. While it's hard to choose favourites, my road trip around America stands out as a highlight. Budapest, Tallinn, a charity trip to Rwanda, and Iceland were also incredible experiences. That said, I can truly appreciate the beauty of a trip closer to home, like The Lake District or Scotland—the UK has some absolutely stunning scenery."
To find a full list of Gemma's current vacancies head to www.theovalpartnership.co.uk/vacancies and for a confidential chat please get in touch on
Tel: 07917 956490
or Email: gemma@theovalpartnership.co.uk
