In today's people behind the brand, the series where you get to know the Orbis team, we sat down with our Compliance Officer, Beverley Zalinski.
We chatted all about compliance in recruitment, the importance of company culture and Bev’s mom being her daily inspiration.
To hear more from Bev, read below!
Tell us about your journey to Compliance…
To be completely honest it was a job I fell into by chance.
In 2018 I moved to the US on my own for a year and a half to travel and I had the best time of my life. When I returned to the UK, I had no plan in place, no job and absolutely no idea what to do with my life.
I remember seeing a Job Ad for a Compliance Role for a recruitment company. The role was described as fast-paced, each day you face a new challenge and you needed to have attention to detail, which I thought was perfect for me. So, I applied and then later got the job.
I didn’t really know anything about Compliance but I learnt so much in the 3 years at my first company and I fell in love with the atmosphere you have working for a recruitment company - it really was so different to any other job I had ever worked for and now I couldn’t picture myself working outside of recruitment.
What attracted you to Compliance in Recruitment?
That it is fast-paced, process driven, challenging but rewarding and each day is different to the day before which I like. Regulations are constantly changing, therefore you are constantly learning.
What’s the best part of the job?
You will learn something new every day which I love because it is most certainly never boring working in Recruitment.
I love the way Compliance is black and white and you cannot cheat the process. I also love my team and I am so lucky that I have a really supportive network around me. I also really enjoy background checks and delving into things which are flagged up as non-compliant - I always want to know the reason why.
What's the biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge I face in Compliance is that I worry over things which I cannot control.
I will have sleepless nights over a contractor not being able to start on time due to a background check not completing in time which is completely out of my hands. I hate to disappoint people. I know in Recruitment that communication is key so as long as you are clear from the beginning with regular updates then that is all you can do.
What’s something you wish you’d known at the start of your career?
I wish I knew that it is okay to make a mistake but to learn from this and accept that it has happened.
At the beginning of my Compliance career, I would feel pressured into doing things I knew were not right; however, I would do it anyway due to a lack of confidence and last-minute Friday pressures for a Monday start. Now I have the confidence and experience in my role that I know when it is ok to push back and say no.
Who has had the most impact on you (personally or professionally)?
My Mum!
She is my rock. She is the most positive person to be around and extremely hard-working and she continues to influence me through life on a daily basis. If I ever need advice she’s there and I am so lucky that we have the relationship we do.
What attracted you to Orbis and would you say there’s something unique about Orbis’ culture?
Right from the interview process, I remember Orbis calling me, and I would run into meeting rooms at my old office so I could speak. I instantly got this really good vibe from the beginning and I couldn’t wait to start working for them.
They are so inclusive of everyone, and I just love that. The work events are fun and the work culture is everything I stand for and it’s so nice that I can honestly say I am really proud to work for this company and alongside lovely colleagues!
In another life... If you weren't a recruiter, what would you be doing?
Full-time travel blogger, something about waking up in a different country every month experiencing new cultures and trying foods you have never tasted. Talking to people you would never meet in your normal day-to-day life back at home and taking photos, inspiring people to visit these places gives me this sense of freedom.
It all sounds like an absolute dream!
