Star of the Quarter: Neil Swing, aka 'Swingy'

Congratulations to Neil Swing, who has won Ellis Recruitment Group’s Star of the Quarter! ‘Swingy’ is a Client Sales Consultant for our Oracle contract IT recruitment agency, Oracle Contractors. We caught up with Swingy, who has worked as an Oracle and PeopleSoft recruitment specialist for decades. We wanted to know how he often knows, by name, the Oracle specialists who will be a perfect fit for his Clients’ Oracle and PeopleSoft projects.

Neil, tell us an interesting fact about yourself?

I was in England’s Under-17 Swimming Team and competed across Europe – not many people know that.

Talk us through a typical day as a client sales consultant for Oracle Contractors.

As I’m focused on the European market, I’m usually up and running by 8 am. I speak to my network of Oracle candidates about open roles for most of the morning. Then, I catch up with my Oracle clients about their Oracle projects and roles.

During the afternoon, I speak to clients about the various Oracle candidates I’m representing who’d fit their live openings and current IT projects. I’m a big fan of proactive recruitment, presenting candidates with a set of specific skills (including local languages skills) to clients that may require a particular profile. It demonstrates that I understand their project and its complexities.

How important are the candidate and client experiences to you, and how do you focus on these?

They are fundamental to everything I do. I’ve been working within the Peoplesoft and Oracle market for over twenty years. I have been fortunate enough to build strong (and personal) relations with a vast network of Oracle clients and candidates who trust me and work with me exclusively.

What do you believe makes a great recruiter?

The characteristics for a great recruiter include being coachable, hard-working, well organised, resilient and having a good sense of humour.

Tell us about collaborative working at Ellis Recruitment Group.

For most of my recruitment career, I have focused on the PeopleSoft market, but joined Ellis Group to move into the Oracle technology market. Working with the Oracle Contractors team has helped me get up to speed with the technology and jargon at a deeper level, understand the market, and identify suitable candidates for my openings. As a team, we regularly work collaboratively.

How does it feel to be the Ellis Recruitment Group Star of the Quarter?

Even more than the monetary reward, it’s great to receive recognition. I work hard and support my team, and it’s not gone unnoticed.

How are you planning to spend your reward?

I have booked a table at the Clockhouse to enjoy some Michelin Star cuisine! I am pleased to share it with my partner, too. She knows how hard I work.

How would you describe the culture at Ellis Recruitment Group?

Culturally, the company is changing daily due to its growth. With the type of role we’re in, there is always the culture of expectation, but this is equally balanced with the level of support received. It’s refreshing how much Ellis Recruitment Group supports new trainees and more experienced recruiters who have been on the job for many years.