Belinda recently celebrated her first year with us here at Scitex – and what a year it has been! She joined us early last year just before the pandemic began kicking off. Belinda brought with her a wealth of experience from the food industry; she has worked in quality, R&D, and technical sales! Belinda’s extensive industry knowledge and connections have let her thrive in her first year as a recruitment consultant where she has been focussing on quality and production roles across the food & beverage industry, but also in pharma, biotech, and others.
Tell us a little bit about yourself – hobbies, activities, general?
I live in Auckland with my husband, 2 boys and an energetic labradoodle. We enjoy getting out and about and now the kids are that bit older are having fun cycling on our mountain bikes. I love being active but it is even better when there is a glass of wine and a platter on the way!
This has been your first role in recruitment; what were you doing previously?
I have been in the food industry for all my working life, QC, R&D and Technical sales. Most recently I was working as the Technical Sales Manager for Newly Weds Foods – this was an exciting time for Newly Weds as we had a brand new factory in NZ. Lots of opportunities and quite a few big export projects we had the chance to work on with our customers in the food industry.
What was your ever first job?
Delivering the afternoon Auckland Star newspaper around the North Shore and then later with Robert Harris Coffee shop in Takapuna. Coffee has come a long way since then! I must have made hundreds of pots of filter coffee and only a handful of espressos – I am afraid to say those handful were rather poorly made!
What were your motivations for getting into the food industry?
I chose to do something in food very early on – I love the manufacturing environment and was always creating new recipes at home when I was a kid. I really enjoy the hands on, practicality of food science and feel proud to be a Food Technologist.
What was a highlight of your time in the food industry?
It is always lovely to see a new product launched that you have had a hand in developing, even if it is in a technical sales role. I have felt privileged in the past to be involved in customers developments right from conception stage. I have enjoyed feeling like a trusted, extended member of their NPD/R&D team.
Why did you make the change to recruitment?
Recruitment has been something I have thought about for a long time and working with Scitex is the best of both worlds. It is a pleasure to find a great match for a business who is looking to hire while staying in touch with science and technology.
What advice would you give to someone thinking about changing industries/jobs?
Find something you feel really passionate about – it is fantastic to see a candidates eyes light up when they are talking about an industry they love!
What do you enjoy about recruitment?
It is a real pleasure to be entrusted to find a great fit for a business and get an in depth understanding of their requirements. I enjoy the aspect of finding people with the right skills and experience and then looking at their soft skills to ensure it will be a good fit for both the client and the candidate.
What have been the biggest challenges for you since starting in rec?
The pandemic! Working from home very early on in my time with Scitex was a challenge, but the team were very supportive on the phone and in online meetings. It is lovely to learn from a team with such fantastic experience in recruitment.
Has your past experience helped you in recruitment? How?
Absolutely, my experience has given me a very thorough overview of most aspects of manufacturing – not just in the lab, but production, quality, engineering, stores, logistics, procurement, sales etc. It helps establish a better understanding of the role and the types of people that will be well suited.
What are you most looking forward to this year?
Seeing more of NZ and making the most of the lack of travel for however long that might last!
If you’re looking for someone fantastic to join your team, Belinda is always happy to help – get in touch with her today!
belinda@scitex.co.nz
09 525 5520