This is not a series (S01E02) - Featuring Alison Mulligan

One of the biggest challenges many of us have faced in the last year or just about is not having the possibility to connect in real with people. I'm far from being alone being impacted by this constraint and who's affected. Downward spiral, lower inspiration, blank stares, emotional bumpy ride, and much more...

The reactions I've received last summer following my It's OK not to be OK! article were already a sign of not being alone. In the recent weeks, with the uprising of new pandemic wave(s) and the turn of the year, I've witnessed many other community "buddies" go through rough times too.

SO, in a selfish move, I've determined that one way to help me get back on the saddle of writing, contributing, and sharing would be to talk about some of the people that have crossed my path and with whom I've connected. Under different circumstances, they've helped me out, professionally and/or personally.

This is not a series.... why? Simply put, I have no clue if this will be such. Putting one step in front of the other, that's how I'll take it. (so far, this is my second post, following up on last week's featuring Nick Doelman) Who knows, it may help get back that "jive" I used to have and get back at sharing my Power Platform learnings, etc...

I also hope that for those reading this/these article(s) that you'll discover or learn more about these stars or behind the scene superstars. Take the time to connect with them, I recommend it.

With all my love and care, here it goes!

Alison Mulligan, MVP, the rockstar recruiter!

Well known in the Dynamics / Power Platform UK scene, Alison brings plenty of colours wherever she goes!

I've discovered and learned to know Alison during the TDGI's Global Hackathon. It didn't take long to notice her, as she does have a colourful and bold personality! But very quickly going beyond that first impression, I've discovered someone who cares about people... well maybe who cares even more about dogs 😉😉

From there on, I've watched many of her #OneMinuteMonday clips on LinkedIn, that even turned into #TwoMinutesTuesday at some point. That's how I've noticed that she was definitely not "just" another recruiter out there! Her willingness to freely share her knowledge with partners, HR personnel, and people looking to change careers was quite a clear signal that she wasn't there for the hit n run story.

Furthermore, via her company (Maximus-IT), she supports and sponsors many community events, such as Scottish Summit, TDGi's hackathons, and many other user group meetings. Yes, it could be considered normal for a recruiter to do so, but knowing Alison, I know that it's more than a mercantile equation. She's involved in that support, she's not taking it as simply signing at the bottom of a cheque.

Based on those values that she demonstrated, I wanted to reach out and get to know Alison more closely and engage in discussions with her. "Hi Eric, how can I help YOU?", that's pretty much how it all started, confirming my assumptions about Alison's objectives. At some point, we even managed to meet in Vancouver, BC, while she was visiting family members and I was presenting at a conference. Not shy to give and get one of those giant hugs, this meeting was one of the highlights of that trip. We chatted further about career empowerment, life, and our mutual love for doughnuts!

Ever since then, Alison has regularly been a sounding board for me when I was at different turning points in my career and a guiding light along my path to becoming the Practice Lead for Power Platform at my company (XRM Vision). She has done so, in a way where I never felt like I was making her waste her time, nor in a way that could have been more profitable for her (as a recruiter for example).

It's one of the many reasons why I wanted to share my gratefulness and recommend anyone to connect with Alison. To my fellow Bespoke Badger rock star, I want to say thanks and I really appreciate the different opportunities that we have to connect ;-)

Besides the human factor, there are many other "professional" reasons I recommend you connect with her. She's very involved in community activities and that includes presenting on technical subjects, not just career improvements, etc.

She actually knows what she's talking about, she actually knows what we're working in, she actually can help you as an organization to find the right person to help you on a project or for a job role, or you as a person to find that organization that will fit with your and your objectives.

You can learn more by reaching out to her: