Human on the Inside with Calleo’s Gavin Campbell
Human on the Inside. We’re big believers in the power of human skills. But don’t just take our word for it - the evidence for excellence powered by human (‘soft’) skills is everywhere! In this engaging, ever-enlightening series, we speak with industry leaders, innovators and game-changers to learn a little about their personal career journeys, and how human-led strategies, philosophies and cultures are proving a force for good in their working worlds …
Maxme: Welcome Gavin, and thanks for stepping into the #SuccessIsHuman spotlight. You’re currently General Manager at Calleo - a specialist contracting and recruitment business that prides itself on partnering with clients and candidates to deliver exceptional results.
In 1 sentence (ok, we’ll give you 3), what does your role entail?
Gavin Campbell: Well it’s definitely evolving. Originally joining Calleo, I think I had a rather simplistic view of my role - to grow the business and then grow the business some more. Revenue growth equals success and so on and so on. Over the last four years, Calleo has given me some broader perspective that it’s about providing great experiences and supporting people on their journeys. Calleo for me isn’t about being the biggest, it is about trying to create a great place for the team to work in and provide a great service to our people, the rest kind of takes care of itself.
M: You’ve been with Calleo for almost four years now, but your career of course extends much further. It all started in Madrid (Spain) in 2010 with a short stint as an Intern with AusTrade. On return to Australia the following year, you joined Robert Walters (RW) as IT Recruitment Consultant. Over a period of almost 9 years with RW, you progressed through the organisation in two further roles - Manager, IT Major Accounts followed by Associate Director - Tech & Transformation.
How does all this work speak to your personal purpose and what drives you as an individual?
GC: Finding your purpose can take some time I think, and it wasn’t something I felt immediately clear about. Over time I started to realise that to feel connected to what I do, I needed people and relationships at the core of it. It did take me a while to find that passion. By the time I hit the pathway I’m on now, all my peers felt so much further ahead in their careers and ultimately so much more together than I was. I learnt early on to stop making comparisons.
The experiences that people have with Calleo and our business form a large part of what drives me now. I think ultimately the struggles I had going back to University later in life, dealing with the many failures and rejections of an older graduate attempting to enter the workforce - it all gave me the experiences I needed to truly find my place in recruitment. Knowing how hard it can be to find a role when being out of a job, and having empathy for people’s situations, and the joy you can give someone finding a role - they’re the real drivers for me.
M: Tell us a little about your personal education pathway/s - what led you to where you are now? How closely do your formal qualifications match your current career?
GC: I’ve taken a few zags from where I originally thought I might end up. Having travelled a bit as a kid and then doing an exchange year in Venezuela, I was focused on a role involving foreign affairs or something along those lines with an international flavour. Completing high school, I was accepted into International Studies at Uni, but dropped out shortly afterwards. I spent the next seven years playing music and generally enjoying some of the indulgences that come with being a signed artist. Unfortunately, that didn’t work out. Not enough hits and plenty of misses.
Being released from our record label, I headed back to University at the age of 25 and luckily… was accepted again. Having completed my Degree along with an internship in Madrid with the Australian Government, I came away with a relatively firm view that a role in the public service wasn’t for me. I wasn’t really attracted to a role with an NGO either, which is where a lot of my Uni peers landed. The business and commercial elements of both my Uni course and internship was what I really latched on to. Those elements from those educational experiences are still very much what I draw on today.
M: If you could share one piece of career advice to your 21 year old self it would be ...
GC: To be open to experiences and opportunities. Not everything is linear, especially in the sense of developing a career. The more you’re exposed to, the more options you have.
M: Maximising the potential of individuals, communities and businesses through the power of human skills is the reason Maxme exists. Can you tell us a little about the role and / or value of human skills in your workplace or industry right now?
GC: The stereotype of a recruiter always felt at odds with what I believed this role to look and feel like. If you don’t care about people, I think you get found out pretty quickly. There are obviously those that have different drivers, but I really believe this role is built around communication and care. Obviously a certain amount of activity needs to occur, but some self-awareness, care and empathy goes a long way.
Leading the business and team in Victoria, we have a group that really puts people first. They are passionate about the people we have working on client sites. I feel fortunate they have chosen Calleo as a home. My role is to make sure they feel supported and this is a place they can learn and grow for however long they choose to be here.
M: Self Awareness sets the critical foundation for all Maxme learning experiences. With that said … what’s your strongest trait / personal super power?
GC: I feel like I’ve had a fair share of failures over the years and dealt with some pretty challenging situations. I think some of that now guides me in what I do. Empathy and drive if I had to put my finger on it.
M: And on the flip side, what’s one human / ‘soft’ skill you’ve had to really work on improving over the course of your career?
GC: I’m an emotional person. I’ve found this to be both a positive, and a negative at times. Over the years and as a goal, I‘ve focused on managing my emotional reactions. It’s always a work in progress, and nowhere near a finished product. I have really tried to take my emotions out of my decision making, my reactions to certain situations and how I respond to things not moving in a linear trajectory. I’m also conscious that I don’t want to appear emotionless either. Remaining calm and balanced in what can often be a pressurised environment.
M: If you could share one piece of career advice with recent Uni graduates or candidates keen to work in a field like Recruitment, what would it be?
GC: This industry and role offers a lot from commercial management, to human resources, to contract management, events, to leadership. At the core of it though is people and trust - you need to be able to give, and receive it.
M: You’ve been granted approval to add one University graduate to your business, but have 100 applicants, all with outstanding academic results. How do you find your perfect candidate - what are you looking for?
GC: I’m a big fan of people’s back stories. Getting to know the person, what drives them, and most importantly their lived experiences. Obviously, the results in academia land matter. It shows a level of commitment, application and general aptitude. But if someone has maturity, empathy and self-awareness, that will always get me. I also hired someone based on their interest in 90s seminal hip hop act A Tribe Called Quest… so maybe that kind of helps as well.
M: In the words of John Dewey, “education is not preparation for life, education is life itself.”
What’s next on your #learning agenda?
GC: I always say “this is the year”. Aside from continuing to plough through the leadership books my father passes on each Christmas, I hope to do a Post Graduate Degree in Business. The goal is to continue to drive Calleo forward, whilst doing something more professional development orientated.
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