By Business & Finance 
Pictured:Derek Diviney, Vice President, EMEA Sales, Indeed.
Derek Diviney is Vice President of EMEA (Sales) at Indeed. He joined Indeed in 2019 and, prior to that, spent twelve years at Google where he was a member of Google EMEA’s leadership team.
What was your first job?
As a teenager, I worked in our small family-owned hotel in Galway. This taught me so many formative lessons that I only really appreciated later in life – one of which is that being a small business owner is a 24/7 commitment that requires you to build resilience and develop crucial problem-solving skills.
What pushed you to pursue a career in this field?
Growing up, I was always analytical and interested in subjects like mathematics and engineering. I also really enjoyed sport, particularly the team element of it, and my first job showed me the importance of customer service. Ultimately, I think all of these factors combined have helped to drive my career over the last 25 years.
What would you regard as your greatest achievement to date?
I became a parent at the age of 18, and being able to navigate that at such a young age is a big source of pride for me. More recently, I have become a grandfather, so I’m now challenging myself to be the best grandad ever!
Career wise, would you do anything differently?
No. I think all the mistakes and wrong turns you make in your career and life are essential ingredients for the person you are today.
In one sentence, how would you define success?
Success for me is the achievement of personal or professional goals that bring fulfilment, growth, and a sense of purpose.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Always be hungry for feedback and advice on what you could improve on. It took me many years to embrace this as it’s very easy to be defensive. However, this ethos means that I’m always learning.
How do you motivate yourself and your staff?
From my experience, the best way to motivate your team is to support them, such as by establishing employee resource groups or offering flexible working arrangements. This is also backed up by research, with our recent survey of working parents and carers finding that employers who provide meaningful supports to both of these groups are more attractive to talent and will experience higher levels of employee retention.
How do you handle adversity?
My perspective is pressure and stress is very personal. If I can gamify a traditionally pressurised and stressful environment, I can think more clearly and instead turn it into a puzzle to be solved, or an exciting challenge to overcome.
How do you relax?
I love all types of sports and fitness, and my wife is a personal trainer which really helps!
What is your favourite (non-business) book?
“The Night Manager” by John LeCarre. It’s a gripping spy thriller with deep explorations of morality and human nature.
What are your aspirations for the future of the business?
Our mission at Indeed is to help all people from all backgrounds get jobs. I look forward to the day when, particularly with the help of artificial intelligence, a simple press of a button will help every jobseeker find their ideal next job.
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