CAREER PROFILE: Kirstin Radzio
Welcome to our April edition of our Career Profile Journal Series. We sit down with inspiring people doing inspiring things in their careers, to discuss what inspires them. This month, we sat down with one of our own, Kirstin Radzio, who has recently joined our team at Rèlier.
Kirstin is our Retail Recruitment Consultant for NSW, now managing all levels of retail roles across Sydney and other NSW areas.
First things first, how did it all begin? What was your first role in fashion and what inspired you to start a career in retail?
My first role in fashion was a casual sales assistant with Roger David and I LOVED it! I loved the styling aspect, the face to face customer interactions & being part of a team. What inspired me to start a career in retail was the leaders that I looked up too. Shout out to Natasha, my State Manager, at Roger David. I was surrounded by powerful women who made me want to aspire to be just like them. They educated me, motivated me and supported me to achieve my career goals and I decided that I also wanted to be able to influence peoples lives too. Plus, being on the shop floor is so much fun.
You’ve held some incredible multi-site roles for some big brand names, tell us about one of your most pivotal career moments to date?
Yes, I have been so fortunate to work across some amazing brands. Probably one of the biggest moments in my career was when I won Manager of the Year at Industrie. I will never forget the hype from my team and how excited they were that I had won. It was truly a moment that will stay with me forever and solidified that I was touching people’s lives and in turn kicking goals for the business. Shortly after that I was promoted into my first Dual Site role!
What led you to consider a career in recruitment and how did you know it was time for a shift from the shop-floor life?
One of my favourite aspects of being in a management role was finding new talent. I love the interview process and seeing the spark of excitement in a candidate’s eyes or hearing the passion in the way they speak about what they do. When I saw the opportunity to work with Rélier Group I knew it was time to really shift my focus away from the shop floor and into a new layer of impacting people’s lives by helping them find their dream roles in retail.
What does a typical day in the office look like for you in your new role at Relier?
A typical day for me starts with a nice walk in the morning and enjoying my coffee before getting into the zone! I start with reviewing my emails and checking my Linkedin. I set my calendar up for the day and usually tee up morning calls with the amazing candidates that I have been able to connect with. I love being collaborative so I’m always reaching out to my co-workers for a huddle over slack to bounce ideas and get feedback, especially while I’ve been settling into this new role. I love knowing that I’m on the right track to ensure that I’m giving every candidate the best experience! I enjoy lunch with my newest office buddies ( my husband and my cat Cetrix hehe) and after that, I will head back over to Linkedin to fill my afternoon sourcing amazing talent for our clients.
In your experience hiring retail leaders, what do you think makes an exceptional retail candidate through the application process?
To me an exceptional retail candidate is authentic, passionate, values integrity, is a strong communicator and has resilience. The application process can be competitive, especially when you are seeking highly sought after roles with aspirational brands. I believe that if you know who are, truly love what you do, are easy to talk too, are reliable in replying to emails, calls, texts in a timely manner and are ready to give all it takes to land the role of your dreams, you will succeed!
What’s your top application tip for those job seekers looking for their next dream role in fashion?
My biggest tip is do you research! Know everything you can about the brand you are applying for. How long the brand has been in business for, what their core values are, any sustainability projects they may be working on. Doing your research shows that you are truly passionate about working for that particular brand and I believe that goes a long way.
For those budding recruiters out there, what advice would you give for someone looking to make the transition from retail into recruitment?
Upskill yourself as much as possible in your current role. Practice head hunting, mystery shopping, take the initiative to host recruitment drives when you have the opportunity to hire and always network with your fellow retailers. Always look for new ways to learn about the art of recruitment whether it is from your managers, through webinars or podcasts. The best thing you can do is be a sponge and continue learn.
And finally, we do work in fashion, darling, so what’s the next purchase on your wardrobe Wishlist?
Oooohh my Wishlist is always a long one I absolutely loveee shopping!! I would say my next purchase will be The Harley Black Boyfriend Blazer from DISSH. I’m all about having a strong core wardrobe that I can easily rotate and love investing in quality, essential pieces that are timeless.
We are thrilled to welcome Kirstin to the team. To stay up to date with Kirstin and her NSW portfolio, connect on Linkedin and subscribe to our Rèlier newsletter x