I applied to work at Hanami International in November 2018, going through a 3-stage interview process before being offered (and accepting) the role as Business Support Executive.
Since I began, not only have I progressed but I have watched the team grow. We celebrate each little win and support each other to ensure success throughout the business.
But let’s start at the beginning… In 2014, Directors Andy Bell and Matt Harrison built a brand-new business, backed by James Caan’s growth capital firm, Recruitment Entrepreneur. Both from a recruitment background and living in amazing cities like Sydney and Tokyo, they had all the right tools to build an international business.
Fast forward to June 2019 and Hanami has celebrated its 5th birthday as a team of nine at all levels (consultants, senior consultants, managers and partners), all contributing to Hanami’s success. That’s the thing about working for a start-up, you really have a voice – contributing your opinions and ideas, seeing them put into practice, and making a positive impact.
I decided to catch up with Claire Mason, Adam Nelson and Tom Glennie to talk all things Hanami, their highlights of 2019 and what they are most looking forward to in 2020.
Hey guys! So, tell us a little bit about yourselves:
Claire Mason: I joined Hanami in February 2019 and work within our Corporate Finance team. Previously to that, I spent pretty much my entire recruitment career (12+ years) in international finance recruitment – I guess I must love it!
Tom Glennie: I joined Hanami in June of 2019 and have been involved with the Internal Audit team with a primary focus on the UK & Ireland market. My background before Hanami involved one year of IT audit recruitment experience with a focus on the financial services sector where I really developed an interest in the audit market.
Adam Nelson: I’ve been at Hanami for three and a half years, joining as a consultant in July 2016. I’ve worked mostly on international audit recruitment within the Big 4, but over the last two years I’ve also built up Hanami’s presence in the forensic accounting market, which I love as it is incredibly interesting work.
What is it really like to work at Hanami?
Claire Mason: Working at Hanami is quite unique – we have all the best bits of a great recruitment firm (excellent process, rigor, training, benefits, fun) and none of the worst (KPIs, micro-management). You’re probably thinking “what’s the catch?”, but I’ve been here nearly a year and am yet to find one!
Tom Glennie: Working at Hanami is hard to put into just a few words as I have not worked with a group of people that get along so well and all with a common goal. Everyone wants to help each other, whether it is within Hanami or their clients and candidates. The hard-working natures of the individuals within the team all pull together to make a fantastic team where the company values genuinely mean something and are the core of what Hanami are about.
Adam Nelson: Hanami has a great team environment, but we work hard. International recruitment is full of challenges and you need to be culturally aware, flexible with your time, and fully committed to make it successful. With that said, Matt, Andy and the team support you every day and I personally find it way more rewarding than local recruitment, which I used to do!
At Hanami we have benefits such as flexible start times and monthly socials. What is your favourite and why?
Claire Mason: I think I appreciate the monthly socials most. And not just because they usually involve alcohol! It’s a great time to get to know your colleagues better and build a stronger bond as a team
Tom Glennie: There are a number of benefits at Hanami and I think the main one for me is the flexible working hours. Being involved in a number of sports after work during the week, it’s great to have the option to come in early and leave early so I can attend training and matches every week without timing being an issue.
Adam Nelson: I think the flexible start and finish times are great, and a real rarity in recruitment. It means you can fit exercise, social life and all the other important things into your work life.
What’s been a 2019 highlight for you?
Claire Mason: Joining Hanami, of course! And having the opportunity and freedom to carve out my own niche in our market.
Tom Glennie: I think for me, it would be the trip to Dublin I went on to meet our clients out there. We have done quite a bit of work in Dublin and to be able to go out and meet our clients really helped to get a good understanding of what the working conditions are like and the individuals in the team.
Adam Nelson: For me, it was helping a client of mine in Paris find a key hire that will open a new office for them in Switzerland. Working on senior, strategic hires is tough but incredibly rewarding, and I was proud of Hanami/myself to be a driving force in the project.
2020 is fast approaching, what are you looking forward to in the new year?
Claire Mason: Visiting my clients and placed candidates in Paris and Madrid. It’s the best bit of the job – meeting the people whose lives you’ve helped to change.
Tom Glennie: There is plenty to look forward to in 2020 and I think one of the most exciting areas for me is the growth we are going through as a business. Having more talented recruiters coming through and having the opportunity to learn and develop from the colleagues around me gives me a sense of excitement of what the future could look like.
Adam Nelson: Our new office! Moving into our new space will give us room to grow, a free gym, rooftop bar and a great space for our networking events.
Including team nights out and flexible working, Hanami offers vouchers for consistent performance, team socials, an annual company holiday (this year we visited the beautiful city of Barcelona), quarterly top written performance socials, a high performers night out, and a chance to see the world on client visits.
If you are looking for a new and exciting opportunity, with the chance to travel to amazing countries, visit our join us page and drop us a message.
