Ricarda Simon

How would you describe yourself?

I am passionate about people – I find it fascinating to study others, what makes us behave the way that we do, how do we make choices and what motivates us about life. I am authentic, outspoken and stand firmly for what I believe in, particularly when I feel that there is an unjust situation, or something that could be improved upon. I am a businesswoman but at the same time I am also a loving mother to my two-year-old daughter and I like “operating’ in those two worlds. It is not easy to always cope with both “jobs” as they are demanding in such different ways – to meticulously time manage and to have a strong support network at work and at home is key.

What do you enjoy about your role and Eliot Partnership?

Eliot Partnership really is the perfect platform to deliver on what I enjoy – finding the right talent for our clients. I always have been good at matchmaking, and to professionalise it has been a great joy. I love how collaborative we are, we celebrate when great things happen, and we are there for each other when things are not going well. The unique team spirit has grown organically and is something that I have not yet seen to this extent in other firms.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

I always wanted to be a lawyer when I was younger. I read everything John Grisham and pictured myself fighting for what is right in the world and ‘putting away’ the bad guys. But I also realised how long it takes to graduate, and I was keen to enter the working life quickly, so I decided to study business law instead.

What is your most pertinent life hack?

As a headhunter (and as a mother, by the way!) I live by the mantra of the 3 “P’s”. Passion, Patience and Persistence.

You need to be passionate about what you do – others will feel this passion and it can be contagious.

There are times when you have to know when to pull and to push, headhunting is all about being patient – your day can go from high to low within minutes and you have to be persistent and hang in there.

We are dealing with people, all day and every day – the most wonderful yet complicated species, so our work is a reflection of that.