Since joining Hydrogen as a digital researcher in 2015, Eutonne Tam’s career has gone from strength to strength.
It’s come as an unexpected but welcome surprise, “After completing my Linguistics degree at the University of Essex I wanted to gain office experience. But I never expected to take so much ownership and be given so much responsibility so soon.”
That level of accountability has multiplied since assuming responsibility for a team of three at the start of 2017 and being promoted to senior digital researcher. “It’s been a huge step up and it’s still all new to me. It’s forced me out of own bubble to engage more with people, which doesn’t come naturally to me as an introvert. And of course, I’ve had to learn to adapt my approach to different personalities and work styles – seeing people grow and develop is wonderful!”
So, what is it about her role as digital researcher that she relishes the most? “I love the fast pace and the multitasking aspect. You’re constantly learning about your industry sector, the organisations that operate in the sector and the skills they’re looking for. We support all Hydrogen teams internationally so you gain great exposure to diverse countries, such as Singapore or Australia. Seeing the business results from the relationships you build with clients and candidates is so rewarding.”
Dance discipline
As well as the lively office atmosphere, the fluent Cantonese, Mandarin and English speaker is keen to mention the support she’s received at Hydrogen. It’s been a big factor in her growth. “Ever since I joined I’ve always felt very supported which means a lot. People are always happy to take time out to explain things to you – everyone is so knowledgeable. Every team interacts with each other a lot, there is a real team togetherness here.”
In an industry that places such a great focus on skills and the attributes that match an individual to a job, there are varied skills that recruiters need to succeed. Foremost among them, according to Hong Kong born Eutonne, is self-motivation, a quality that her dance training helped her develop, “It was a very disciplined and competitive environment that taught me that you need to push and challenge yourself if you want to achieve your goals. A mindset you can apply to anything.”
While she’s learning to ‘take a step back’ in her new role as a manager, these are not words you can apply to Eutonne Tam’s career.
Eutonne’s top tips
Time – it’s a fast-paced environment, so you need to be organised and multi-task effectively.
Knowledge – the more you know about markets and systems, the less time you’ll waste.
Discipline – you must have the right attitude and be able to motivate and challenge yourself.
Patience – a personal one for me but it’s important to take a measured, considered approach.
Adaptability – it’s not easy being a new manager but you’ll learn a lot about yourself!
"Eutonne has played a vital role in evolving our Digital Research function to make it the success it is today. She always goes over and beyond, adding tremendous value to our business. Her career journey at Hydrogen – having joined with no prior experience – has been quite remarkable."
Egle Williams, Global Project Manager
Posted about 5 years ago