Meet Me In A Minute: Rosie McAlister, Senior Talent Agent

What's your area of expertise?

I specialise in freelance and permanent recruitment within digital design and development.

What types of roles do you recruit for?

In the design space, I look after UI Designers, UX Designers, Service Designers, Human Centred Designers. In the development space I mainly focus on front-end Developers and full stack Developers.

Why do you love what you do?

I absolutely love building genuine connections with my clients and talent. I really enjoy helping to build teams and being able to watch new innovations come to life.

Having been a photographer for many years, I love being able to work with so many passionate creative people who generally care about what they do.

What industry experience/expertise are you looking for in Talent?

I partner with a number of clients across a wide range of industries, from retail and education, to financial services and e-commerce.

It's great when I can work with talent who have experience in a number of different industries.

For me, it's really important to find Talent that have great communication skills and a strong UX/UI background or coding experience.

What are your top 3 tips for UI Designers, UX Designers, Service Designers, and Human Centred Designers looking for new job opportunities?

1. Personal brand and networking: LinkedIn is your online résumé, so make sure it looks professional but also approachable. Also build your connections by reaching out on a genuine level and try to attend meetups as often as you can. I also think it's super important to book in a few coffees with industry leaders and find a good mentor who will offer you open and honest feedback.
2. CV and portfolio: Make sure your CV is up-to-date and that it has all the relevant information on it. Don't be afraid to add your achievements and promote your success stories in your CV. Your portfolio is important because it shows your thinking process. If you need any help reviewing your current portfolio feel free to send it to me.
3. Interview preparation and follow up: Do your research on the company and find out exactly what makes their business unique. Speak confidently when talking about your work and don't be afraid to show your passion. After the interview, take time to sit down and write a thank you email to everyone who you met.

Describe an ideal client relationship

Open and honest with amazing communication. I believe in partnering and consulting with my clients to get the best possible outcomes for the business.

What are your top 3 tips for hiring managers?

1. Trust your instincts and ask the right questions when interviewing. It's important to spend time mapping out the interview process and making sure you were getting all the information you need to make the right decision.
2. Promote your workplace and the organisation. Interviews definitely work both ways and it's important to sell your organisation to the candidate. I would talk about opportunities for career progression and the benefits that your organisation can offer.
3. When you have made a decision make sure you are clear on how long the recruitment/on boarding process will take. It's important not to lose good candidates because of uncertain timelines in the recruitment process.

Outside of work, what do you love doing?

Creativity is definitely the key to my happiness — I love singing, stand up comedy, painting and building my indoor plant empire.

I absolutely love spending time with my rescue greyhound, Harrison, and taking him to some of the best cafes in Melbourne.

I'm definitely falling into the hipster lifestyle!

How do people get in touch with you?

I'm always available for a call on 0468 882 501 and please connect with me on LinkedIn. You could also send me an email via [email protected]. Looking forward to hearing from you!

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