Some people grow up knowing exactly what they want to do with their life, others stumble into it and somehow end up right where they’re supposed to be. Lana Coombs falls into the latter category and as a self-professed “people person”, her role as a Recruitment Advisor at BCI Minerals is the perfect fit.
Her career journey has been colourful – dance teacher, property, hospitality, dental nurse, cruise ship attendant, industrial relations, and FIFO worker. While she might have fallen into recruitment, she hasn’t looked back and loves developing meaningful relationships.
Lana brings an infectious light to the BCI office, and it is a privilege to tell you more about her.
Question: When did you start at BCI and what does it involve?
Answer: I started at BCI as a Recruitment Advisor in April 2023. In my role, I advertise, pre-screen, source, headhunt, interview, conduct pre-employment checks, prepare letters and contracts, and facilitate onboarding activities for all employees new to the business. I build meaningful relationships from the get-go with new employees and internally with hiring managers across the business.
Q: What do you like about your job at BCI?
A: I recruit for a range of different roles across the business and recruiting across both site and corporate roles ensures that no two days are the same. I like working with different hiring managers and being able to assist in finding the right fit for our business needs. I like the flexibility within my role and the team I work with.
Q: What’s something interesting about you?
A: At the end of 2022 I set myself a goal, I wanted to sing for my husband on our wedding day. I sang many, many years ago, back when I was maybe six or seven, but hadn’t done it since then. I took lessons for just over a year, and then in November 2023 I sang “Amazed” by Lonestar at our wedding in front of 160 people. It was such a daunting thing to do, but I’m so glad and proud I committed.
Q: What made you want to learn to sing for the wedding?
A: I have always been musical and have danced for so long, so given I was planning on doing a fun dance for the wedding, instead of a traditional first dance, I decided why not do the whole package and sing too. I wanted to surprise hubby with a gift he would remember forever, that’s why I thought singing would be a beautiful surprise. Our guests still talk about it, and my husband was blown away that I’d even think about doing something like that.
Q: What did you learn from the experience?
A: I learned it’s never too late to learn something new, and I enjoyed having a bit of a different hobby from the norm. If you put your mind to something, you really can do anything, and singing in front of that many people on my wedding day proves it. It was a great experience as it pushed me out of my comfort zone.
Q: What do you do with your weekends / spare time?
A: Brunches or wine with friends, taking my dog to the dog beach, hanging out with my husband and our group of friends, and developing my side hustle business in artificial flower arrangements for weddings.
Q: What are your final thoughts on the year that was 2023?
A: I dove into a new role here at BCI and when I walked through the door there was a lot of work to be done in the recruitment space, especially getting that vacancy list down. Whilst learning this new role, I also managed to plan my wedding and honeymoon. 2023 was an exciting year and I’m looking forward to what 2024 brings for BCI Minerals.
“Salt of the Earth” is a fortnightly series where we get to know our dedicated team members.
To see the current opportunities at BCI Minerals, please visit our careers page: https://www.bciminerals.com.au/careers.html