Tamara Tamburic is a Creative Recruitment Consultant at Macpeople Australia, creative recruitment agency specialising in design, digital, media, marketing and communications.

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1) To kick things off, could you tell us a little about your career background and current role?

I currently work as a Creative Recruitment Consultant at Macpeople Australia. I also moonlight as a singer and musician performing at various events from time to time.

I was introduced to the recruitment industry when I started working at Macpeople towards the end of my bachelor’s degree and was taking care of marketing and social media.

My interest in recruitment really grew when I saw the consultants around me meeting people with different talents, and each account different from the last – ever-changing. I loved the human interaction component and I knew I had to take the opportunity and dive in myself.

2) What does a typical day in the life look like for you? Can you take us through a recent workday?

I love changing up my routine and constantly learning new things, so I’m happy that there isn’t really a ‘typical day’; each day at work has its own unique spins and its range of different characters to meet and speak with – I’m always kept on my toes!

If I was to delve into a recent workday however, it would involve lots of communication with candidates and clients – over the phone, over email and meeting, going through CV’s and checking out portfolios, keeping updated with the evolving workforce; and essentially being a match-maker.

3) Does your current role allow for flexible or remote working? If so, how does that fit into your life and routine?

Recruitment is often known for working long hours so I’m grateful to work with a group of people who understand the importance of balance and that there is life outside of work; and have flexibility around that.

I was initially taken on part-time whilst I was completing my bachelor’s degree and singing at a restaurant on a weekly basis, which was amazing as it allowed me some proper time to focus and get things done outside of work too.

4) Do you have any tips, tricks or shortcuts to help you manage your workload and schedule?

Make a to-do list and stay calm! Rarely can anything be done when you’re frustrated (or hungry).

I find it so much easier to see everything that needs to be completed for the day laid out of a piece of paper in front of me and ticking off each task once completed.

Of course, in recruitment – like many other industries – things pop up unexpectedly and you can’t always plan for this. It’s about keeping cool and understanding you might not be able to get to everything on time; prioritise your most important tasks and above all, keep on top of your health!

5) What does work-life balance mean to you and how do you work to achieve that goal?

As someone who constantly likes keeping busy, it’s always very easy to get caught up with tasks and suddenly realise I’m exhausted.

For me, achieving a healthy work-life balance means I’m focusing on work whilst at work and I’m also able to spend time with family and friends and achieve my own personal aspirations outside of work. Taking a time-out when I feel myself slowing down gives me a chance to refresh and re-focus.

6) What do you think are some of the best habits you’ve developed over the years to help you strive for success and balance?

It’s taken some time and serious restraint but, it’s transferring the time I would’ve spent on social media in my personal life and instead focusing on the present and my ‘real’ life.

7) Are there any books that have helped you improve over the years?

Psychology and philosophy books are my go-to when I need more fuel for the brain. For a little recharge, my go-to is currently 50 Psychology Classics: Who We Are, How We Think, What We Do: Insight and Inspiration from 50 Key Books by Tom Butler-Bowdon.

It goes into some of the most interesting components that make us (humans) who we are and has just enough key points to keep you enticed for the next topic.

A novel that’s always stuck with me since reading is “Siddhartha” by Hermann Hesse. What I took from this book is how truly unique our own experiences are to each of us. Until you’ve lived through something yourself, you can never really know about it yourself.

That’s something I try to bring into my daily life and even bring into my role as a recruitment consultant – you will never really know what someone is going through or has been through, so always try and be respectful of that and be kind!

8) What is the number one thing you do to make sure you get the most out of your day?

Remind myself to have a laugh and smile! I feel most productive when I’m feeling good and I’m balancing time for work and play – If there’s no time to laugh then we’re doing it all wrong.

9) Do you have any last thoughts on work, life or balance that you’d like to share with our readers?

Don’t get overwhelmed or feel pressured to get into habits that don’t work with you and your aspirations!

It’s all about what works for YOU – some people are happy to and thrive off working at a desk all hours into the night, and some are the opposite. It’s up to you to choose how you want to live your life and how you balance it.

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