Our Stories > Zack Keane - FinTech
Zack Keane
Joined as a recruiter April 2014
Today, Senior Principal Consultant on the UK FinTech division
Also a Key Account Manager for Caspian Partnered Capabilities
[Interviewed 2020]
Tell me about your path to Caspian One - where you were before, what you were doing, how'd you get here etc?
I was working for a telecoms company, an online retailer selling smartphones essentially - all over the world. It was quite a small company, so I was performing a bit of a hybrid role. I guess mostly it was inbound sales and a fair bit of marketing actually; doing a lot of content on their blog and things like that.
So yeah, I was doing that for quite a long time - 6/7 years, but I realised I'd hit the ceiling within the company and couldn't progress. I was then thinking about the next stage in my life, how I would earn more money and push on - and then Phil Staples (who I played football with, known him for years), told me about he was doing recruitment. He said there was no ceiling there, and it was more about managing your own desk and carving out a career for yourself, which I thought sounded ideal.
I wasn't actively looking, but Phil referred me into Caspian One and introduced me to some of the people there. The interviews then went well, and I guess, the rest is history.
Did you have any reservations about recruitment beforehand?
I'd done a bit of research beforehand.
I learnt quickly what recruitment actually was - not just calling people and putting them into a job. There's a lot more around it. I did have a slight concern at the time because recruitment has a reputation for hiring and firing people. I was settled in a long-term role, so there was that risk - but being younger then and with fewer responsibilities I thought, just shoot for it, and it's worked out quite well!
What happened when you hit the ground at Caspian One - what were those first weeks like?
Well back then it was a bit different. We were a smaller company, so it was more about getting hands-on, being on the phones and just learning that way. Now that we're a larger company, there's a lot more structure and a framework in place for people that come into the business to upskill and get up to speed quite quickly. But yeah, back then it was "here's a phone, here's a call list - go for it".
In my case, I learned fast, really enjoyed it and was able to become a candidate recruiter reasonably rapidly.
When you first came in, what market were you focused on?
I've always been FinTech. I started off doing Java in Scotland (of all places), in Glasgow because we had a few clients up there like Morgan Stanley and HSBC that were doing a fair bit of hiring. That was for the first four to six months, and then I did my first deal. After that, they set me free and I moved into the London market.
If we look at your role now versus then, how has it evolved in the company?
I've been quite successful, and that's led to promotions. I guess, coming in with no recruitment experience; bright-eyed and bushy-tailed - I got up-to-speed with the crux of recruitment and how to qualify people fast. That then led to more business development and talking to Managers, which meant I understood the full recruitment life cycle quickly.
From then till now I've gone from someone literally just tasked with being on the phone and finding people for roles… to managing accounts, building relationships with managers and actually, I've come away from recruitment mostly now as I'm tasked with managing our key accounts.
What does that look like for you today?
I'm doing a lot more direct work with our new and existing clients. I travel to London regularly, meet key contacts, follow up on leads from the team - trying to build out new clients and pick up new opportunities.
How has working at Caspian One added value to your life, outside of the business?
Well, massively. I mean since I've been at Caspian One I've got married, bought a house, had a child. Financially it's given me the opportunity to do things I might not have been able to do in a different job. So yeah, for me, all of the major milestones in my later adult life I guess I owe (to a certain extent), to Caspian One.
Thinking about your career at Caspian One then, what would you say have been the big, stand-out moments?
Ha, there's been loads. I think the key thing with any job is to try and get those promotions and get yourself up the ladder. I've been promoted a few times, to now being a senior member of the team. I feel I'm close to getting there again, which is really good - I feel there's still more to achieve.
Then for me, I never had the luxury of going skiing as a kid. Hitting annual targets that enabled me to go on company ski trips, that was a bit of an eye-opener and quite rewarding. You then have things like the car schemes, going up the tiers there and other milestones I've achieved over the years.
How have you been motivated at Caspian One, to remain resilient and get to where you are now?
I think recruitment is more challenging than most people realise. There are lots of different day to day demands; I don't think you're ever the 'finished article'. I quite enjoyed that aspect, the learning side of recruitment. As I've gone through promotions and taken on more responsibility, I've become more motivated to push harder.
In terms of the company, I think they're a great company to work for; I think they're fair. They certainly give you the platform to build a career from - and then my colleagues, I've been lucky to work with some cool people. We've got quite a settled team. Certainly at the senior-end, there's the likes of Adam, Phil, Ben and myself who've been here for many years. It's made us all quite close, inside and out of work which I think is essential as-well.
I think all the ingredients have been there - to keep me interested and to keep me challenged. Plus I've had the people around me to support my career development.
Why would you recommend a career in recruitment?
If you want something that's not the same every day and presents you with new challenges, doesn't get 'samey', doesn't get boring. If you want to be a bit entrepreneurial and own your desk with no real ceiling, recruitment could be for you. You get the chance to build a network for yourself and have ownership which I think is really important.
It's nice knowing that when you join a company with no contacts, you can get to where I am today after six years, with a strong network I can reach out to (both on the candidate and client-side). That's nice to look back on, having built my community from nothing - I'm quite proud of that. All of those things give you a ton of satisfaction, that's what I'd pass on.