Career Journeys in Talent Acquisition: Sylvia D'silva

Thanks for reading! This series is designed to shine a spotlight on Talent Acquisition professionals and highlight their career journeys and learnings so far. Today, we're joined by Sylvia D'silva. If you'd like to be next, please reach out to a TTC Community Manager.

Introduce yourself:

I'm a seasoned talent acquisition specialist with over five years of experience in sourcing, recruiting, and partnering with senior leaders across various functions. I'm passionate about streamlining recruitment processes and delivering exceptional candidate experiences. I am currently open to work and on the lookout for my next big TA opportunity in the UK.

Can you walk us through the key milestones in your career in the talent acquisition space? What were some pivotal moments or decisions that shaped your journey?

My career in talent acquisition truly took off when I joined Freshworks, a global SaaS company, as a Recruitment Coordinator. I quickly advanced to Talent Acquisition Associate and eventually Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist, where I managed full-cycle, high-volume recruitment for go-to-market roles, including Sales and Customer Support. Over my tenure, I successfully hired over 250 candidates, a milestone that remains a highlight of my career. I also played an instrumental role in TA projects, such as implementing a robust ATS and leading the Career Restart Program. This initiative helped 18 women return to the workforce, significantly bolstering our gender diversity efforts—an achievement I'm particularly proud of.

A transformative decision in my career was taking a gap year from 2022 to 2023 to pursue a master’s in Human Resources & Organisations at The London School of Economics & Political Science. Graduating with distinction, I delved into subjects like organisational behaviour, people analytics, and the science of leadership, which broadened my perspective and deepened my expertise in HR.

More recently, I joined Everfield, a PE & VC firm, as a Talent Sourcing Specialist on a short-term contract. Here, I developed and implemented customised sourcing strategies for both Tech and Non-Tech roles across the UK and European markets, significantly enhancing our talent pipeline. This role allowed me to leverage my skills in managing complex data and delivering strategic insights, demonstrating my adaptability in niche markets.

Throughout my career, I've collaborated closely with senior leaders to understand their evolving needs, providing valuable market insights and honing my skills in advanced sourcing techniques and data-driven decision-making. Each role and educational pursuit have not only shaped my journey but also reinforced my commitment to delivering top talent and supporting organisational growth.

In this rapidly evolving industry, what strategies or practices have you adopted to continuously enhance your skills and stay ahead of the curve? Do you have any resources or learning methods you'd recommend to others?

In this rapidly evolving industry, I have adopted several practices to enhance my skills & stay ahead of the curve. Here are my top 3 recommendations:

1. Hands-On Experience and Experimentation: I embrace opportunities to take on diverse and challenging projects, such as leading diversity programs and implementing executive-level hiring initiatives. This hands-on experience is invaluable for learning and growth.

2. Networking and Professional Associations: Being an active member of professional networks and associations, such as the CIPD and TTC, allows me to exchange knowledge/experiences with peers, and gain insights from industry leaders.

3. Staying Updated with Industry Trends: I subscribe to industry newsletters, follow influential HR and recruitment blogs, and participate in webinars and conferences. Some of the articles I follow are on the CIPD website and Harvard Business Reviews. LinkedIn also offers webinars run by industry leaders and they create bite-sized content on various HR and TA topics. This helps me stay informed about the latest trends, tools, and best practices in talent acquisition.

What has been the most challenging aspect of your career in talent acquisition, especially when you were actively seeking work? How did you overcome it, and what advice would you offer to others facing similar hurdles?

My most challenging job search has been the current one I’m experiencing in the UK. Given the competitive landscape, market conditions and my desire to work in an organisation where their cultural values align with my values, it has been quite a challenging journey. My mantra to succeed in this endeavour is to constantly keep putting the work in - Don’t let the rejections get you down, apply for roles even when you’re feeling blue; network with as many people as you can because if not now, it can come handy in the future; keep updated on what’s new in your line of work and most importantly, take breaks from your job search to balance it with activities that you enjoy doing! I love to do a little karaoke, read some fiction, practice yoga & volunteer - Activities I have picked up during my job search journey.

The recruiting world can be fast-paced and demanding. How do you strike a balance between your professional commitments and personal life? Are there specific routines or rituals you follow?

Balancing your professional commitments & personal life is an ongoing process that requires intent & deliberate effort. It’s important to regularly reflect & adjust your routines & rituals to help maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Routines I follow to balance my professional commitments:

1. Prioritisation & Organisation of Tasks:  I start my day by reviewing my to-do list and prioritising my tasks based on urgency, importance & business impact. I also block time on my calendar for different activities such as sourcing, scheduling interviews, taking interviews, reviewing/updating my personal data, lunch and breaks! This helps me stay on top of all my tasks and ensures that I’m productive during the day.

2. Setting boundaries: I set clear work hours & communicate the same to my team & stakeholders, helping me establish clear boundaries of work & personal timings. This helps me balance my personal obligations and professional commitments.

Rituals I follow to maintain my personal life: 

1. Physical activity & Mindfulness: It’s important to make time for physical activities like hitting the gym, practising yoga or going for brisk walks/ jog - whatever is your cup of tea! I also make it a point to practise gratitude journaling, positive affirmations, prayer & breathwork-meditation to help manage my mental health.

2. Hobbies & Interests: Cooking a hot meal, reading a book before bed, painting on weekends - these activities help me unwind with a creative outlet.

3. Family & Social activities: I make the time to call my family & friends back in India and indulge in planning meetups with my friends in London to do something fun - Having a strong support group helps me maintain a healthy lifestyle outside of work. 

As someone involved in talent acquisition, you've likely witnessed various technology and trend shifts. Which technologies or trends do you believe have had the most significant impact on the industry, and how have they influenced your role?

Two of the notable trend/tech shifts I’ve experienced in my career that have influenced my role, has been moving to a remote set-up (owing to the pandemic) & the implementation of an Applicant Tracking System.

1. Working remotely came with the challenge of efficiently trying to manage recruitment activities and working asynchronously. It also challenged me in terms of maintaining my work-life balance and drawing clear boundaries around work time/personal time.

2. On the tech front, with one of the two companies I’ve worked with, we moved to a much more efficient ATS to manage our volume of hiring. While we had to manage task allocation & delivery in this project asynchronously, it was an enriching experience as it took away our hassle of spending time on repetitive tasks and gave me more time to spend on building recruiting strategies, honing my sourcing skills, and focusing on metrics such as diversity, candidate experience etc.

For those entering the talent acquisition space or those looking to pivot within it, what's the one piece of practical advice you'd give to help them thrive, especially if they are actively job-seeking?

My one piece of practical advice to those seeking a career in TA is to continuously build and leverage your network while focusing on the experience you deliver to those you work with. It’s important to understand how the TA landscape is constantly evolving. You can do so by joining relevant communities like TTC, attending seasonal events run by the CIPD, Recfest etc or even buddying up with people in this business on the Meetup app. Ensure that whoever you interact with from a networking perspective as well as in your working capacity appreciate your approach to interacting with them. This can help you build your personal brand, enhancing your visibility and credibility, while also making you an attractive candidate to potential employers.

That being said, I do help other job seekers with CV reviews and interview tips because I know how challenging this space can be. So please don’t hesitate to reach out to me on LinkedIn, I’d be more than happy to help!