Recruitment Manager, Ruth's journey with Frame
Looking back over the past seven years, there are so many stories and memorable moments from the Frame journey so far. It is without-a-doubt that the phenomenal people along the way have played a big part in making the memories so special. From candidates, to clients, and of course, our team - we couldn’t be luckier with our Frame community.
One of our team members who has been along for a lot of the ride is Ruth Smith. Ruth started out as a fresh faced Account Manager, progressed into the Training Manager role, and now leads the team as the Recruitment Manager. While walking down memory lane this month, we talked to Ruth about her time at Frame so far - have a read.
Tell us a bit about your work background, where did you start, and what did your career entail before joining Frame?
I began my retail journey when I was 15 years old. My first job was at my local Pumpkin Patch during high school. Since then I have worked my way up in management roles at various companies including Northbeach, Underground, Surf Dive & Ski (while living in Sydney), Hallensteins and my most recent role before joining the Frame team was Regional Manager for Boardertown looking after 5 stores Nationwide. I have experience managing small and large teams in high-volume environments as well as working closely with the owners of smaller local businesses.
What led to you joining the Frame team, how did your shift to fashion recruitment happen?
I have 3 wonderful tamariki. When my second son was starting school I decided I needed to find a role that had more flexible hours to better fit with our lifestyle. I had met Rachel a few years back when I lived in Christchurch, so when I found out she was looking for an Auckland Account Manager it seemed like the perfect opportunity for me. I found that my previous in-house recruitment experience throughout the years had equipped me with transferable skills that I could bring to my new role.
How have you grown and developed since starting at Frame as an Account Manager, to now being the team’s Recruitment Manager?
I began my journey at Frame as an account manager in January 2020. When I joined we were a small team of 4. Since then we have grown as a business and I naturally progressed to become a senior account manager as my recruitment experience increased. I was then given the opportunity to use my prior training experience to step into the training manager role to support our new team members. At the end of 2021 I headed off on maternity leave and when I returned in 2022 I took on a role as operations manager for 6 months. From here I was offered the opportunity to step into the role as Frames recruitment manager where I support our team of account managers while also looking after my own clients. It’s been such a wonderful challenge taking on this new role. I feel very privileged to be working with such a talented and supportive team and for a business that values and supports career growth and professional development.
What is one of your favourite memories or moments from over the years at Frame?
I have so many great memories with Frame but nothing can beat our annual conferences when the team from across the country are all together. It’s always such a great time of upskilling, collaborating, strategising and connecting as a team. This year we had gorgeous weather when we gathered in Christchurch and ended our trip on such a positive note with a private beachside yoga class.
What is something unexpected that you have learnt about recruitment or the fashion industry since your first day?
How quickly the market can shift due to external factors and how important it is to have strong and genuine relationships with both clients and candidates.
