Asha Morzaria - Taylor Root, London

Asha Morzaria - Consultant
London – In-House Interim Banking and Financial Services

Academic background
LL.B (with Honours), Kingston University

Previous work experience
Recruitment Consultant at Hays Legal and prior to this a litigation lawyer at a regional law firm for 4 years.

Why did I choose to follow the path of a recruiter as opposed to a solicitor?
Being a lawyer was simply not for me.  I was a litigation lawyer who was dealing with cases which had been running for 2 years and were no where near being settled.  I am a results driven person which is what initially attracted me to recruitment.  I was then slowly more and more drawn into recruitment when I gained a better understanding of how people-focused the role was and opportunities which it gave me to get involved in other areas such as advertising which allowed me to use my creativity.  There are a lot of similarities in skill sets required as a lawyer and a recruitment consultant but I just felt that being a recruitment consultant offered me with much more satisfaction and enjoyable challenges. 

What distinguishes Taylor Root from other legal recruiters?
I had numerous conversations with recruiters when I was seeking a qualified role and therefore had a fair idea of made a good recruiter from the other side of the fence.  I would really value a recruiter who could be honest and provide me with a consultative approach.  I was also very keen to develop a relationship with a recruiter rather than being simply another candidate.  Taylor Root is much smaller than its competitors which certainly allows them to provide this more personal and consultative service which is invaluable both from a client and candidate perspective.  I believe that is made easier by the fact that the majority of the consultants have a legal background. 

What do I enjoy about interim recruitment?
I recruit interim qualified lawyers and paralegals into the banking and finance industry which I thoroughly enjoy.  I have always focused on interim recruitment and cannot imagine moving away from this.  It certainly suits my personality.  It offers the fast pace and hectic environment which I thrive in.  The best aspect of interim recruitment is that you achieve results in a very quick space of time which is very motivating.  You can submit CVs on Tuesday afternoon and have an offer by Friday which is a brilliant feeling before leaving the office for the weekend. 

Why do I enjoy working at Taylor Root?
As a solicitor and then running my own business, I had lots of autonomy and responsibility which is something I was worried about losing when working for an organisation like Taylor Root.  That fear was removed immediately upon meeting with the consultants and partners here at Taylor Root.  It was evident that you were treated like adults and trusted to get on with your role, but with the support at hand if I required this.  They talked me through simple things like where the partners and consultants are seated which says a lot about the ethos of an organisation.  I, for example, sit a couple of metres away from the Partner who is constantly on the phone like me speaking to clients and candidates.