Issi's Story

Issi joined us in 2024 as our HR Administrator after gaining experience in a previous job after she left college. Opting to pursue full time work instead of going to University, Issi has shown dedication to continuous learning and development, having recently completed her Level 3 CIPD and currently working on her HR Support apprenticeship alongside her role.

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How did you come across Carrington West during your job search?

​I searched up HR roles on Indeed as I had experience in my previous job, and this one of the top ones that came up. I then researched the business and found the Work For Us video on the website, and as soon as I saw that, I knew I wanted to work here. It was actually the only job I applied for, so I definitely had my heart set on it, and I'm very happy to be here now!

What made you decide to join Carrington West?

Definitely the career progression, and the opportunity to work towards my CIPD accreditation. It showed me that the business were willing to invest in my long-term learning and development. The atmosphere in the office was also great - when I was sat in the waiting area for my interview, everyone who walked by stopped to say hello, so you just instantly get that friendly welcome!

What's been your biggest highlight of working for Carrington West?

The people and the culture. Everyone is so supportive here, and they genuinely do want you to succeed and do your best! It makes such a difference when everyone has that same positive winning attitude - it just motivates you to work harder, alongside the fact that hard work is recognised, whether it's small wins or big wins. We have things like our monthly excellence awards, the high performer's private dining incentive at The Pig which I was lucky enough to go to; it all just shows that you're genuinely valued here.

We also do several social events throughout the year - we went to Tinwood Vineyard last Friday for wine tasting, and we do Glorious Goodwood every year, which is definitely my favourite!

One of the best things about working here is that wellbeing is such a priority here, and we've got so many resources, we get free private healthcare, free fruit delivered every Tuesday, free spinning classes and so much more!

What's been your biggest challenge in your time working here?

I would say, being new to HR, it's a whole new industry to learn, and there's lots of employment laws which are regularly changing - but ever since doing my CIPD and getting that first-hand experience on the job, it's definitely built my confidence to understand these areas a lot further.

Could you tell us a bit about your CIPD course at Chichester College?

Yep! I recently passed my CIPD, which is a Level 3 Foundation course in People Practice, which covered a whole broad range of topics like recruitment, learning and development, culture, performance management - then all those topics were assessed through assignments which were submitted every 2 months. I went to college every Wednesday from half 4 until half 8. I did have the option to online for my lessons, too, but I decided to go in-person as I felt that the sessions were much more interactive and engaging.

Alongside that, I'm also studying my Level 3 HR Support apprenticeship which finishes in December, delivered simultaneously with my Level 3 CIPD course. For this, I have to conduct a project where I suggest something that might need improving or changing in the business, and then I present my findings and recommendation, and have a professional conversation with an examiner where I talk a bit more practically about what I do in my day-to-day role.

How have you found balancing your college work alongside a full time job?

I feel like time management is definitely an important factor. I normally play my day ahead and plan my week so I know when I'll fit time in. Kirsty, our in-house trainer does a really good time management training session, so I got lots of valuable takeaways from that about how I can best utilise my time.

What would be your advice to someone starting their career at Carrington West?

I would just say, be open to learning as much as you can, be a sponge to new information, because there is a lot to learn when you first start. Just trust the process, enjoy the journey and ask questions - no question is a silly question! It just shows you're looking to learn and grow, and we were all in your position when we first started, so we understand!

I would also encourage going to all the quarterly social events, and it's such a good opportunity to interact with others around the business, meet new faces and build those relationships!

What are your plans for the future?

One of my goals is to be promoted to a HR Coordinator, so hopefully that'll be after I finish my apprenticeship in December. I'm also looking forward to completing my Level 5 CIPD after that.