At the beginning of this century, she entered the recruitment field, first as a consultant via USG, and then as a campus recruiter at EY. She has recently been appointed as the ‘Global Talent Attraction & Acquisition Leader’ at the large accounting and advisory firm, after previously serving in a similar role for the entire Europe, Middle East, India, and Africa region, where she was responsible for roughly 80,000 hires per year. In short, Irmgard Naudin ten Cate is someone to be reckoned with when it comes to recruitment. Soon, she will be delivering one of the keynotes at the Global Talent Intelligence Conference in Hoofddorp. Here’s a sneak preview.
> What do we know about her?
Irmgard Naudin ten Cate was born in Den Helder, Netherlands, into a military family—her father served in the navy until she was 8 years old. As a result of her father’s work, she moved every three years, spending three years of her high school education near Seattle. “I think that by moving regularly—both within the Netherlands and abroad—I first learned to cope with change. I certainly had to develop the skill of stepping back, observing many different cultures, and appreciating the expected do’s and don’ts of my new environment,” she says about this experience.
Her father served in the navy until she was 8 years old.
During her studies in International Law at Erasmus University, she actually dreamed of becoming a lawyer. “During my studies, I held various jobs, including working at a law firm for five years, supporting a PhD researcher, and working for a radio station. These work experiences really helped me identify the things I did not want to do for a career. Eventually, it became clear to me that the educational component of becoming a lawyer, with a lot of time spent in the library, was probably not for me.”
> How did she end up in recruitment?
“I think sometimes we get lucky and quickly discover what we want, but I also believe there’s nothing wrong with working backwards, crossing off the things you don’t want to do from your list, and then, through a process of elimination, discovering your strongest skills and what you really enjoy doing,” she reflects, speaking to Richard Pickard. “I realized I enjoyed interacting with people, and I particularly liked understanding a problem and helping to find a solution. One of my friends worked for a recruitment agency and suggested that I join them.”
“I think there’s nothing wrong with discovering what you truly enjoy doing through a process of elimination.”
She had what she describes as a “super fun” time there. “Initially, I thought I would stay in this job for about 6 months, but I ended up staying for almost 3 years—until someone at EY approached me and suggested I join them to provide a similar service, but internally. As I went through the interview process, everyone I spoke with at EY was genuinely passionate and highly engaged with the company. It became clear to me that the culture was something great and that the work would challenge me—another thing I was looking for.”
> What are her greatest life lessons?
Asked about her biggest lessons from over 20 years in the recruitment world, Irmgard Naudin ten Cate says, “Have the courage to lead. If you see something that is not right or see people doing things that are inappropriate, don’t pretend you didn’t see it—have the courage to intervene or at least develop an effective strategy for how you will address the situation later. I am a calm and happy person, but when I see our core values being ignored, I will always step in and speak up. Do not allow situations or comments that go against your values to go unchallenged.”
> Who has inspired her?
When asked about her role models during her 20 years at EY, Irmgard Naudin ten Cate mentions three individuals who have had a significant impact on her.
The first is an EY partner who has since retired but asked her a pivotal question when she was 28 years old: “What are you doing here?” At that time, she was an HR business partner, but the office partner felt she had more potential. “Why don’t you push yourself more?” he asked. “My initial reaction was that he was very rude! But then his comment made me take action. He sparked my career development and helped me challenge myself again.”
“I have learned how important it is as a leader to understand the analyses and data of your business area.”
Also, the former Global Recruiting Leader was important to her. “She absolutely taught me how crucial it is as a leader to understand the analyses and data of your business area. She was completely right; I had a blind spot, and she helped me upskill myself and add a very important extra skill to my toolkit.”
Lastly, she mentions the previous Global Recruiting Leader at EY. “His leadership style is so versatile, and he encourages me to be open and share as transparently as possible with my team.”
> What does she look for in candidates?
At EY, they’ve also become very interested in skills-based recruiting lately, she says, particularly when it comes to soft skills. “I wouldn’t want to emphasize their technical skills – because we can assume that candidates are qualified for the job they are applying for.” So what is she looking for? First and foremost: curiosity – “and especially coming prepared with examples that show how you have been curious in your current and previous roles. Where have you not accepted the status quo? Where have you tried to improve or innovate?”
“Never try to please the interviewer alone!”
Additionally, she is always looking for what she calls a “change mindset.” In other words, how do you handle continuous change? “Again, please come prepared with examples that show how you embrace change as an opportunity to develop and learn.” And finally, the question: does this really suit you? “Never try to please the interviewer alone! Make sure the conversation feels natural and fits your culture, see if the conversation flows smoothly, and determine if you genuinely want to work with us. If so, EY might be the right place for you!”
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