‘It’s almost my dream job’

Dr Rachael Dillon recently took up the role of talent analyst lead with the Cpl Future of Work Institute, the newly established subsidiary of recruitment firm Cpl. The institute has been set up to explore, question and help design future work solutions with clients, collaborators and candidates.

It will also conduct research, workshops and engagements across a number of core areas including diversity and inclusion, talent technology, employer proposition, new workforce models, creative leadership, and future skills.

Her route to the new role was more than slightly unusual, having first qualified with a PhD in psychology from TCD before moving on to work for leading US software company Qualtrics.

“I had considered a career in clinical psychology first but changed my mind,” she says. “I went to work for Qualtrics as a product specialist. I was there for a year. It was a great place to work, a really cool company. But there wasn’t a lot of flexibility – it was quite desk- and office-based.”

She decided to take a break from work in September 2018 to consider future options when serendipity came into play. “It’s quite a funny story how I ended up in my current job,” she says. “A friend worked for Cpl and suggested I should do some temping work for the firm while making up my mind. The company had my CV and I was approached to work for this new subsidiary. I was working on the front desk at the time and got this offer. It’s almost my dream job and very flexible. It’s just great.”

Dillon finds the combination of research work and flexibility very appealing. “We are looking at new and up-and-coming ways of working. I am building psychometric tests to ensure the best people are recruited more effectively. We operate out of WeWork office space, which is fabulous space. I also work a lot from home. Everyone is fantastic to work with. Looking into the future of work is very interesting. Change is great.”