Stay in tune with how people are using technology when you’re running an online business

FOR starters, I wish I’d known how collaborative management is. In my previous role, in which I was a sales manager, I was responsible for delivering sales, managing the sales team and, as with any sales person, trying to exceed targets. To a large extent, sales is really all about the individual. You are accountable for your sales, your clients and your targets.

I loved that part of my career, but what I didn’t realise at the time was just how selfreliant I was. So, in the first few weeks of becoming general manager, I was slightly hesitant about asking for advice from higher management or raising any issues. I quickly realised that collaboration and support is the backbone of good management and ultimately what builds a stronger and better business.

I started off my career in a recruitment agency which gave me huge experience and allowed me to find my feet in this industry. I learned so much.

Essentially, what we do is pretty straightforward; Jobs.ie makes recruitment simple. We help people find a job that is right for them and we help employers find the best person for their various vacancies. However, while the goal of the business is simple, making the process happen is quite complex. It involves teams of UX designers, product developers, project managers, account managers and marketing professionals. We’re all working so closely, I feel I see more of these people than I do friends and family. Before I give the green light to any changes or new developments, I put myself in the shoes of a person using Jobs.ie. I ask myself, will this process make it easier and quicker for our jobseekers to find a job, or for our clients to find the right candidates? I can’t stress enough how important it is to stay in tune with how people use technology when you’re running an online business. Their user experience expectations have to become our goals. We carefully track how people come to Jobs.ie and how they use the site. Is it via mobile or desktop, for example? How long are they staying for? What are they interacting with? It’s really fast paced and we’re never standing still.

I think it’s important to remember to be approachable. I like to keep my office door open as much as possible, but I need to schedule time for myself each day, too.

You need that time to get certain tasks done and someone always needs to be thinking about the long-term goals.