Training Academy Graduate Profile: Mark Bailey

LLB (Hons) Law 2:1

Joined Sagar Wright in April 2007

“Tell us a little about yourself?”
I was born and bred in the upmarket suburb of Leeds, or Bradford as it is known! I’ve always been keen to ‘stay local’ and as such decided to study Law at Leeds Metropolitan University. Leeds is the ideal balance for me, as it provides all the opportunities and luxuries you would get from working in London, yet its close enough to home and you can spend your hard earned on more than a tube ticket and a £5 pint. Outside of work I have two high maintenance hobbies – rugby and ‘the wife’. Both are extremely rewarding but take a lot of upkeep – indeed one in particular costs a large amount of money! Joking aside, I enjoy eating out, drinking (when I am allowed!) and going on holidays. Having the ability to do what you want in your free time is a huge plus to working at Sagar Wright, as is the ability to pay for a large recent wedding, a house and trips to Spain, Turkey, Cuba and New York all in a 7 month period!

“Why did you join Sagar Wright?”
After leaving University I joined the graduate scheme of a ‘Big Four’ Accountancy Practice. Unfortunately I felt the scheme didn’t offer me the diversity that I was looking for. To be honest I was bored and didn’t enjoy the work. I wanted to work with likeminded individuals in a challenging role where I had a total control of my success. Sagar Wright was just that – it represented a career offering a huge challenge, massive variety and the chance to truly control my earnings.

“What’s the best aspect of working at Sagar Wright?”
This simply has to be the people! From a work perspective you are working with the best in the industry, day in day out. The ability to seek advice from the very best really does mean you can improve at a rapid rate, and this is a major advantage of working at Sagar Wright. From a social perspective, the team here are great. The office is filled with a great mix of characters that make you want to come to work, and there’s nothing better than being able to go for a pint with people you consider friends at the end of a hard day.

“What’s your favourite part of the job?”
Making a placement - this feeling is immense! Once you realise that the hard work you’ve put in, and the time that you’ve spent to ensure that you’re better than your competitors has been rewarded, the ‘rush’ is massive. And when you consider the money you’ve made yourself, you feel even better!

“What skills have you developed at Sagar Wright?”
I genuinely can’t imagine another job which could have developed me more. I have learned a really broad range of skills - CV Writing, Counter-Offer mitigation, Candidate Interviewing, Salary Negotiation etc. In particular, my overall communication skills have been developed to a really high level. I now have loads more confidence in tackling difficult assignments for my clients and candidates. I now really ‘deliver’ a consultative telephone call, rather than just ‘make’ one.

“What are you most proud of at Sagar Wright?”
In terms of the company, I am hugely proud of the time that all the team invests in my personal development. Every corner is covered to ensure that you have all the skills required to be successful and advice is always only ‘an ask away’. In terms of my own achievements, I am particularly proud of securing the role here in the first place, and the successful client relationships that I’ve built with industry leading figures.

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