Interview with a leader – Kim Padmore, WA Director

In light of everything happening in the world today, it’s even more important to celebrate successes and strong leaders inside our businesses. With this in mind, and having recently celebrated International Women’s Day, we interviewed our WA Director, Kim Padmore.

Tell us a bit more about your story. What brought you to start p2p in Perth?

Growing up in Perth, I always knew I wanted to experience life in a bigger city where there are more career opportunities. I moved out of home and headed for Sydney where I joined people2people’s legal support team. After building a profitable desk with my own client base and enjoying 3 amazing years in Sydney, I was ready for the next challenge. I had always had my sights set on London, so off I went! 5 years went by since I had lived in Perth and I realised it was time to come home and people2people were expanding, geographically. I knew I wanted to be part of the people2people family again and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to start our Perth office and become a shareholder.

What makes you tick every day?

No two days are the same in recruitment, I love the variety of challenges that each day brings.

I enjoy the thrill of the chase and being able to convert new relationships into long term partnerships with candidates and clients. There aren’t many jobs in the world where you can make a direct impact on people’s lives and assist businesses with growth and success. Finding a good match for both our candidates and clients is extremely rewarding.

Who inspires you? (and why)

This would have to be Sophia Amoruso after reading her first book, Girlboss. She is a creative and innovative businesswoman who demonstrates that your career is not always a straight line. Reading how she has overcome obstacles and set-backs both in her personal life and in business really motivated me through some difficult, not-so-straight-line type scenarios especially whilst I was living and working in London. She now gives so much back to women, giving them to tools and confidence to succeed.

What’s the biggest lesson from 2019?

The importance of having the right team in place and whilst skills are important, attitude and drive trump them all! We wouldn’t be where we are today without our collaborative, supportive team.

What’s one thing that people usually underestimate in your job?

I was 27 when I became a Director of people2people but I also look a lot younger than I am. I feel that sometimes because of that, before people know me and how I operate in recruitment, my ability is in question. I have lost count of how many clients, candidates and other external stakeholders have asked me my age! This is now a motivator for me to prove myself, my credibility and depth of knowledge in what I do.

Recruiting can be a very time-consuming job. How do you manage your mental health?

There are so many things to think about in recruitment so for my own mental clarity, I write everything down so that I don’t have to rely on just my memory, otherwise, I’ll be shortlisting candidates in my sleep! Sticking to a routine both at work and home along with making time for things that really matter to me keeps me on an even keel. I spend most mornings walking along the coast before work and it clears my mind before I start my day. I think that gratitude is the key to happiness in life, so in challenging moments I remind myself of why I do what I do and the things I’m most grateful for.

What’s one thing that you think makes the difference in your team?

Communication. We communicate openly and honestly, not just amongst ourselves but also with our clients and our candidates. Our industry doesn’t always get the best wrap but I think we are paving the way to be the change. It’s about being honest with ourselves and with our stakeholders and communicating with candidates even when we have no news for them. At an internal level, we have created a culture where if someone has an issue or a challenge, we can confidently talk about it and face those problems head-on.

What’s the next step for p2p Perth?

We are going from strength to strength and just celebrated our record, best-ever month which is fabulous! We want to become the go-to agency in Perth for white-collar recruitment and have our consultants known as leaders in their fields.

Keen to make contact with Kim? Email or phone her on 08 6160 6200

Read our 8 lessons from 8 women.

Read our second interview with Catherine Kennedy, NSW Director.