Gabriella Forbes
People and Culture Graduate at RES
How I got here
I developed a strong interest in business at school and enjoyed all aspects of the subject. While I was strong in maths, I didn’t want a career that was purely numbers-driven and was more drawn to subjects such as English, History, and Geography. I have always been very people-oriented, actively involved in sports, as well as leadership and representative roles.
I knew I wanted to pursue a career in business, but in a way that was people-focused rather than purely technical. This led me to choose a joint honours degree in International Business and Human Resource Management. While I could have combined business with Economics, Marketing or Finance, the HR pathway suited my interests better, allowing me to focus on work centred around both people’s needs and those of the organisation.
My semester abroad inspired me to pursue a career in a global company operating across multiple countries. I was particularly drawn to the dynamic of working with colleagues in different locations and collaborating across time zones to achieve shared business goals.
Alongside my studies, my internship experiences helped guide me toward a career in HR. My marketing-focused internship was very people-oriented, involving regular interaction with customers and stakeholders, while my business development internship provided insight into how organisations operate strategically. Experiencing both the people-facing and operational sides of a business showed me that I wanted to work in HR, supporting people and contributing to how organisations function. My current rotation in Talent Acquisition has supported this further.
I applied for this job in June, graduated in July, and started a few weeks later, it was a really quick turnaround.
What I actually do day-to-day
I’m on a two-year graduate rotation at RES, moving across three areas of the People & Culture team. I’m currently in Talent Acquisition, where I support the full recruitment process. Coordinating interviews in the UK as well as other countries where the business operates (US, Australia), managing offers and onboarding, liaising with hiring managers and recruitment agencies, and handling administrative tasks such as contracts, IT setup, ordering PPE and document collection. I also communicate directly with candidates, providing feedback and updates throughout the process.
I am currently recruiting for one of our business units, working closely with senior management and responding directly to urgent hiring needs identified by the CEO. This fast-paced environment requires managing multiple tasks simultaneously.
I sometimes apply analytical skills in a practical business context, including calculating pay increases, salary benchmarking, and preparing a monthly recruitment report to monitor the Talent Acquisition team’s performance.
Part of my role involves communicating with candidates about their offers. While I don’t make decisions on salary or packages, I liaise with Partners and hiring managers and relay updates to candidates. I also keep up to date with UK employment law, including right-to-work policies, which is important when hiring individuals who may require sponsorship.
While my focus is currently in Talent Acquisition, I regularly assist colleagues across the business with wider HR questions.
The rotational aspect of my graduate programme has provided additional development opportunities, including presenting a project on the company’s global sabbatical policy to the Chief People Officer and shadowing People & Culture Partners on employee relations matters.
What I enjoy about it
What I enjoy about my role is the people aspect – having conversations with candidates, providing information about the role, offer package, and the company, and sharing good news. Calling someone to tell them they’ve got the job is especially rewarding. While delivering difficult messages, such as informing a candidate they haven’t been successful, isn’t easy, candidates genuinely appreciate the feedback.
I also enjoy the fast-paced nature of the work. Tasks come in short bursts, so as soon as one offer is completed, there’s always something new to focus on. I like the constant momentum and the opportunity to juggle multiple priorities, which keeps me engaged and challenged.
This role has given me a broader understanding of the renewable energy industry. Seeing all the different roles being recruited often makes you think, “I didn’t even know that was a job.” It opens your eyes to the variety of roles that exist and how each contributes to supporting the organisation.
What you learn on the job
The role involves a lot of phone communication, so it’s best suited to someone comfortable speaking with people regularly. You deal with a wide range of individuals and need to handle every interaction professionally.
There are strict deadlines to manage, such as payroll cut-offs and pre-start screening checks, so staying organised and on top of tasks is essential.
You’re constantly switching between tasks and interacting with colleagues and candidates throughout the day.
My advice
My advice is to focus on what you enjoy and where your strengths lie, and don’t worry about pretending to like something. For me, that process of elimination helped me narrow down my options.
Many people assume a career in business means finance or accountancy, but it doesn’t have to. If you enjoy working with people and are interested in how organisations operate and attract the right talent, there are paths you might not have considered.
At university, I learned HR theories and practices, but I didn’t fully understand the roles I could pursue until I started working, and especially within a rotational role. I just knew I wanted a people-based role. It’s normal if you can’t picture exactly what a job entails at first- but you’ll figure it out as you go.
If you want to see whether a role like this might suit you, try imagining managing multiple candidates, coordinating interviews, answering questions about roles and the business, and delivering both good and difficult news. If that sounds engaging rather than daunting, it could be a good fit.
