​What inspired you to work in education recruitment?

I’d love to say it was part of some grand career plan, but like a lot of people in recruitment, I completely fell into it!

What I didn’t expect was how much I’d love it or that, nearly a decade later, I’d still be just as passionate about the sector.

For me, it has always been about people. I love talking to people, building relationships and when I was a consultant it was about getting under the skin of a school to understand what they actually need. I’ve never been particularly interested in just filling a booking and moving onto the next one. I want clients to know me, trust me and know that I’ll always be straight with them.

My role at Link 3 Recruitment now allows me to take that experience and look at things much more strategically. I focus on developing long term partnerships with Trusts, as well as identifying and developing new locations where Link 3 Recruitment can grow. It’s about understanding a market, building the right relationships, and putting a proper strategy behind how we grow.

Education recruitment is changing massively at the moment and, if anything, that’s made me even more excited about it. I get to look at the bigger picture, build partnerships and help shape what is looking like a very exciting next chapter at Link3.

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What’s your favourite part about working with educators and schools?

Definitely the relationships!

I’m a massive people person, so for me there is nothing better than getting to the point with a school or Trust where you really know each other. They know they can ring me, tell me what’s going on and I’ll do everything I can to help. Equally, they know I’ll tell them the truth when I can’t!

I’m really proud that some of the relationships I’ve built in this industry have followed me for years. Recruitment can be very numbers driven, and anyone who knows me knows I LOVE my numbers, but ultimately there are people behind every single one of them.

That’s always been the bit that matters most to me.

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If you could share one piece of advice with someone considering a career in education, what would it be?

Never underestimate the impact you could have on a young person, because you might never actually get to see it.

There’s a famous clip of Ian Wright being reunited with his old teacher, Mr Pigden, who he thought might have passed away. If you haven’t seen it, watch it! His reaction gets me every single time.

You’re watching this incredibly successful man suddenly become that little boy again because standing in front of him is a teacher who believed in him and made him feel like he mattered.

Imagine being the teacher somebody is still talking about 30 years later.

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Short Biography

I’m Grace. I grew up in Cropwell Bishop, home of Stilton cheese, and I’m a Nottingham girl through and through.

Outside of work, I’m happiest around my friends and family. I love cooking for people, a good glass of wine and the occasional visit to a fancy pants restaurant.

I’m a big reader, absolutely love music (I managed to get tickets for Oasis Live 25’- it was one of the happiest days of my life. NO exaggeration!) and I’m always up for a quiz. I’m weirdly good with dates too, so if there’s a question involving what year something happened, I’m your girl. Ten out of ten for dates, considerably less reliable on geography!

I also have a fairly ridiculous trainer collection and can somehow always justify why I need another pair.

I’m very sociable, rarely short of something to say and have a pretty dry sense of humour.

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