International Day of Women & Girls in Science: Rachael Bull, Cyber Security Division

What is your area of expertise?

I work in our Cyber security division, specialising in Identity and Access Management.

I predominantly work on contracting roles, supporting both consultancies and end clients to meet the complex and dynamic needs of their implementation projects.

What excites and motivates you about this area?

Cyber Security isn’t a want, it’s a need. It’s a fascinating area because it’s a huge part of all of our lives. Identity and Access Management enable so much of what we do every day, at home and work, but most of us aren’t aware of its impact. As soon as I started this specialism I developed a keen awareness and appreciation for the work that happens to maintain the integrity of tools and services that we depend on…and keep us safe!

Cyber security is constantly changing and fast-evolving, and I enjoy working with the people on the ground and at the cutting edge who are upholding this critical pillar in the industry.

Can you tell us about a highlight recent placement?

We enjoy very close partnerships with our clients. Our capacity to provide highly specialised, talented contractors is critical to delivering on project commitments so we often work on multiple hires at once. A recent highlight is someone I placed as part of a large-scale project for a European client. He was extremely talented but felt held back in his permanent role. I secured him a long-term contract that gave him international experience with a company where he had always aspired to work. Even in the fast-paced world of contracting, it’s critical to understand people’s hopes and aspirations and it’s very rewarding when you can exceed both client and candidate expectations.

What are the challenges facing women in your industry?

Cyber Security is still a highly male-dominated industry, and as I work largely with contract engineering roles, representation is even lower. That said, I recently attended an industry conference in Barcelona and was encouraged by the number of women at a senior leadership level who were present.  Maybe things are changing, little by little.

What did you do before Wenham Carter and how does that experience inform your work?

I started as a generalist recruiter in IT which was a great foundation to build on. I then moved to a different company where I focused on Executive Search and high-level technical and commercial roles in data and analytics. With Wenham Carter, I’ve built on my trajectory in technology and deepened my specialism. It seems like a logical career progression, but before I began a career in recruitment I studied musical theatre! It’s still a passion and hobby, and something I now get to share with my little one. The arts are always a good place to start a career, whichever direction you go next.