Staff Spotlight with Charlotte Haines

This week’s Staff Spotlight features Charlotte Haines, Manpower Executive.   Charlotte recruits personnel to support SafeLane’s international projects and helps people around the world find rewarding roles in humanitarian and commercial sectors.

How long have you been at SafeLane and what did you do before working here?

I joined in May, 3 years ago.  And before that I worked as an Account Manager for a recruitment company based in Cheltenham.

That was my first job after completing my English Language degree.  I was primarily working to place suitable candidates at all levels across the IT, financial services, and retail sectors.

I enjoyed talking to people and trying to support them find their next role.

What interested you in a job at SafeLane? 

SafeLane Global, especially on the international side, has such an unusual focus. Explosive threat mitigation is definitely not your average job!  I wanted to move to work in a sector where I could help make a difference.

I know that the roles I’m placing and the projects I am working to support are making a difference to people’s lives by creating safer spaces.  

I love this fact; it keeps me super motivated even through the tougher, busier periods.

Having the opportunity to recruit for different international roles is also really interesting.  It’s exciting to speak to different people around the world and hear about the amazing work they’ve done.  

What’s the biggest challenge of your role in recruitment?

Managing the recruitment for multiple projects worldwide at the same time, it definitely requires excellent time management skills - especially when factoring in time zone differences.

As SafeLane works in a rather unusual sector, there has also been a lot to learn.  When I first started, I had no military background whatsoever.  I had to learn the military lingo quite fast!  I’ve also needed to learn the specific experience and military qualifications needed for humanitarian and commercial projects.

The learning process is always ongoing.  Every day we’re faced with new challenges that may require personnel with different expertise.  The team needs to be - and is - adaptable.  This means we are all continually building our skills and increasing our network.

What is your favourite part of your job?

Definitely speaking to different personnel from all over the world.  Getting the chance to visit international projects is also a real bonus.

Building rapport internationally can have its challenges, but I love supporting people to find a role they care about.  

It's also exciting to understand the aims of the projects we’re recruiting for so we can ensure we’re building bespoke teams that will help our clients achieve their goals.

What projects have you visited - and how did this opportunity help your role?

Well, the pandemic has prevented travel for most of us office staff for over a year.  But before that I visited Kuwait.  Meeting the guys I helped recruit was great.

It’s very different learning about a role from a distance; going out there and having a go with the equipment and seeing operations for myself really helped me understand what a day in the field is actually like.

Visiting operations also improved my understanding of the roles I place every day.

I was able to use the Sensys equipment that helps us detect unexploded ordnance (UXO) on the Al Mutlaa project.  The explosive ordnance disposal experts on the project helped me push the geophysical data collection cart.  The data helps detect UXO.  It was incredibly useful to get some hands-on experience with the equipment used to detect the threat.

For people looking to be placed on our international projects, what advice would you give them?

Well, I’ve written a couple of articles for LinkedIn that are packed full of useful advice.

One is for personnel leaving the forces.  I wanted to write something to help veterans understand how they can use the experience gained through their training in the forces and what they can expect from a job with SafeLane.

The other article is all about writing a standout CV.  It’s got hints and tips for all the things we look for.  I’d definitely recommend anyone looking to apply for any international role for SafeLane gives this a read.

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned from working at SafeLane? 

Learning the military lingo and understanding role requirements have been interesting highlights.

My favourite thing though is how I’ve developed my communication skills.  I speak to people all around the world. This has developed my understanding of different cultures and the needs of the teams on different projects.

Thank you Charlotte for your time.

Charlotte is an excellent communicator whose people skills enable her to find the perfect candidates for our project roles.  Charlotte helps build teams that deliver successful outcomes for our clients, and supports people joining the SafeLane team.