Employee Spotlight: Isabel Fuell

‍First things first, what's your current title, and what are you doing at HIVED?

I'm the Operational Excellence Team Lead (also known as Senior Operations Manager). The operational excellence team designs and builds all the processes that run our operations department. It involves looking at problems and figuring out how to design something that fixes it. I split my time between running projects to improve those processes and supporting my team with their projects.

Before joining HIVED, what was the most unusual or interesting job you've ever had?

I spent a lot of time developing non-alcoholic spirits. Creating a liquid that behaves and carries the same flavour as a gin without alcohol is hard! There was a lot of time in labs learning how to taste properly (yes, apparently, there is a correct way) and trying to figure out how to stop the liquid from becoming mouldy. Spoiler alert, it turns out alcohol is an excellent disinfectant, and leaving a bottle of what is mostly water on the side for a month does not result in a nice drink.

Apart from that, I worked in a bakery for years growing up. My special skill was being able to inject the jam doughnuts with jam with my eyes shut. Not the most useful skill in the real world, sadly.

How did you first learn about HIVED, and what initially drew you to the job?

I was looking for a job after my last company shut down, and a recruiter approached me. My background is in food & drink development and supply chain, which I assumed I'd get another job doing. When I heard about HIVED, it seemed like a completely new challenge rather than doing something similar again. Right at the start of my career, I was told that you should never do the same role twice, and I thought that this certainly would be something I'd never done before.

What's one thing that surprised you about your role?

How much it changes. Looking back, when I started a year ago, the team looked completely different, as did the kinds of things we worked on. I know that in a few months, it will look completely different again — and I'm definitely here for the ride!

What do you enjoy most about working at HIVED?

I like how collaborative it is. None of us has done anything like this before, so we're all learning together. It makes it super easy to ask people for help, and no one will ever tell you you can't get involved with something because you don't have the right experience.

If you could switch your job with anyone else within the company, whose job would you want?

Probably someone who is working in HR. I really like figuring out what makes people tick and predicting how they'll react to different situations (a psychologist raised me, haha). Plus, I wouldn't mind the opportunity to be in charge of arranging the winter holiday party!

What is something unique about you that few people are aware of?

I'm a carer for my partner. He has severe and complex mental health conditions that sometimes mean he can't be alone or support himself. It can be super challenging balancing that with my role, but everyone's really supportive. I have huge respect for all carers out there. It has taught me a lot about empathy and the untapped strength we all have in times of adversity.

And lastly, any advice for future candidates?

I know it sounds like generic advice, but just be yourself! People often feel that they have to pretend to be something they're not at an interview, i.e. super formal, but that will only make it harder to figure out who will be a good fit. Bonus points for anyone with super high energy and cute pictures of pets to share!

Bonus question! If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

I would love to have a photographic memory. Honestly, it would be the most useful thing ever. Or, given that I'm always short of time, maybe the ability to freeze time?

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