Eilish understood the brief from day one and was able to provide us with not one, but two perfect candidates.
We are very grateful to Eilish for her development understanding and candidate briefing.
“Being a candidate looking for a change of role can be a stressful experience. Even for senior candidates it can be quite overwhelming.
The key to managing this, is a kind and professional approach, carefully balancing the needs of the hiring organisation with that of the candidates.
Eilish managed my entire process from initial conversation to the final onboarding with talent and genuine sensitivity. Every conversation was useful, emails were timeous and the process clear and transparent. It certainly exceeded my expectations.”
I first worked with Eilish McDowell when I moved back from Canada to take up the post of Director of Development at Edinburgh Napier University and Eilish supported me in recruiting a wide range of development roles. As a professional fundraiser herself, she completely understood the demands of each role and was sensitive to the culture of the University. We ended up appointing team members who flourished, with a number being promoted to new roles within the team.
Since founding Cairney & Co, I have worked with a variety of not-for-profit organisations requiring key development staff. One example being an inaugural post with the University of Central Lancashire, and I was able to recommend, among other recruiters, Eilish’s services without hesitation, and she successfully secured the project among her competitors. She is highly professional with a warm personality and always goes the extra mile to work with the hiring manager. Eilish treats all candidates with professional respect, helping them to put their best foot forward at interview and ensuring that if unsuccessful, they receive feedback and relevant suggestions for future interviews.
“From the very beginning of the process, Eilish provided the most exceptional care to me as a candidate. Applying for a new role and navigating the recruitment market can be a stressful and scary experience, but Eilish was there to support every step of the way. From reaching out with a role she had identified as a good fit for my experience, to chatting me through the application and interview process, to checking in after the interview to see how I was feeling, Eilish provided professionalism, as well as compassion, at every point. Her genuine joy when she called me to deliver the good news after my interview, cemented the fact that she honestly cares about every single candidate and is willing them to do well. I am now in a role I love, in a team in which several members have been recruited by Eilish, and I couldn’t be happier.”