Day in the Life: Staffing Executive

Taking a look into daily life at the agency, our staffing executive, Dionne, gives us the rundown on a typical day at Fortem & Mode.


8:30am – Time to set off

I’m lucky to live super close to our office, roughly a 20-minute walk from the centre of Cardiff. Before I head off, I give my phone a quick scan to see if anything urgently needs to be dealt with. Our consultants work various shifts. So, with some stores opening at 9am, I have a group of staff heading into work too! All looks good for today, so off I go.


8:55am – It begins!

After a hurried walk-jog dodging fellow commuters, I make it into the office. As we get closer to 9am, I double check our staff portal dashboard. Our staff portal allows staff to use GPS check-in to let us know they have arrived safely at work. As usual, most staff have checked in, and I pop a quick message to the remaining forgetful few, who quickly let me know they’ve arrived. Now I’m all set to start the day.


9:10am – Let’s get stuck in

First things first, it’s time to tackle my emails! Ah, a new request for some counter cover next week. Brilliant! A quick email lets the client know I’ve received their request, and I get to work on this immediately. The job goes up on the staff portal, and I send an alert to staff so they can apply. It’s a straightforward request, so I make a note to myself to check the applications at the end of the day. I also take this time to run through my to do list, and plan my time effectively.


9:45am – Checking in

Our staff can start work any time from 9am to quite late in the afternoon! So, I need to be on the ball and checking that all our staff have checked in throughout the day. My 10am starts are thankfully all set, so onto the next task.


10:15am – Application, application, application

I usually have a few jobs live on our portal at one time, as well as rolling applications for people who are interested in joining our books. I check the applications for my live jobs first, and I’ve had a great response from our database. Carefully selecting the best people for the job, I give them a call to run through the details. Luckily, I manage to speak to most of them this morning, and once we’re all happy, I get them booked in.

Next up I tackle the applications for our books. Once I’ve identified suitable applicants, I give them a quick call so I can get that first impression of them. From experience, I know that most people in this industry are workaholics and constantly looking for work! So, whilst I don’t have much response at this time, I leave messages to give them a chance to get back to me throughout the day.


11am – You’re hired!

Recruitment is first and foremost what I do. I am constantly on the lookout for the best consultants, so I make sure I’m available throughout the day to conduct staff interviews. Taking around 30 minutes, that time is dedicated entirely to getting to know and assessing the suitability of the candidate. My first interview of the day goes really well – they have great experience and were really engaging. I make sure to type up my notes onto our staff database, as we refer back to these every time we make a booking. Every job is different, so it’s worth really getting to know the strengths of each consultant.


11:30am – The satisfying part

Now it’s time to make sure everyone is in the loop regarding the status of their bookings. This is one of the most satisfying parts of the job – being able to let the client know that their request has been fulfilled, and being confident that they will be happy with my selection. With every booking, I send a profile pack and rota to the client, and to the store. This ensures everyone is on the same page about who is working and when. A lot of the time, this will be the first time our clients ‘meet’ our consultants. So, we make sure to give them a brief description of their experience, and why we’ve selected them for the job.


12:30pm – Keep on grinding

Another great interview for today! And best of all, they’re in an area that I have a live job in. I discuss the details the job that I think they would be great for, and send them the details to review by email. When we have such great applications, I try to get them started as quickly as possible if the job is right for them. This helps build the relationship between them, us, and the brand. I make a note to follow up with them tomorrow, once they’ve had a chance to double check their availability.


1pm – Pushing through

Ah 1pm! For most people, lunch time, but not for me. I am usually inundated with calls at this time, so generally take a later lunch. The new applicants I left messages with this morning give me a call back. Most seem brilliant, so I discuss details of booking an interview, and send them an email to confirm in writing.


2pm – Lunch time!

As much as I’ve tried, I just can’t stick to bringing a packed lunch! It takes me at least 20 minutes to debate where to get some grub. Once I’ve finally decided, I sit down to eat and take a few minutes to refresh and reset.


3pm – Back in the office

Once I’ve settled back in, I do a quick email sweep. A new request has come through from a client for a promotional site in Manchester city centre in two weeks’ time. We have great staff in this area, but we haven’t worked in this store previously. A quick response lets them know I’m on the case, so time get started. First up, I put details of the job on our database and make a note to check applications tomorrow.

As this is a new store for us, my first task is to get on the phone to speak to the store beauty manager to introduce myself. A lot of stores won’t allow temporary staff to work without having met them first. So, it’s vital that we check the preferences of each store and work with them to make suitable arrangements for the placement. Managers are often super busy, so I give myself as much time as possible to get in touch ahead of the booking. The afternoon is usually a good time to catch them, as it’s past the lunchtime rush. No such luck today, so I make a note to try again first thing tomorrow.


4pm – Final sweep

Before I know it, it is almost the end of the day! In the last hour, I double check my to do list and work through my final tasks. A quick run through of my inbox clears the remaining emails. Taking a look at the job I posted this morning, I can see there haven’t been many applications. But, once people have finished work for the day, applications will likely pick up. I make a note to check back first thing tomorrow morning. Finally, reviewing what I have to get done tomorrow, I prioritise so I’m ahead of the game. Every day brings new challenges, so I know this list isn’t set in stone. Bring it on!