About

Laureta Kelmendi started working at Stonehouse Recruitment Group in September 2025 as our Finance Officer, alongside Stonehouse’s Finance Director Debbie Spencer. These two wonderful women came in as our Finance Department, bringing all our finance in-house and having a huge impact on the business, and we are so incredibly grateful and fortunate to have them. 

Not only is Laureta fierce, kind-hearted and absolutely hilarious, she is incredible at what she does. She has an eye for detail, has amazing people skills, and is incredibly dedicated and hard-working. We cannot wait to see how her role here at Stonehouse Recruitment Group develops, and for all the incredible things we have no doubt that she will accomplish!

We conducted an interview with Laureta, to not only show off her and champion all her success so far, but for those she works with externally to the business find out a little bit more about her and what makes her great at her job role.

1. When did you first get in contact with Stonehouse, and what was that experience like?

I first got in contact with Stonehouse around three years ago. Funnily enough, I was actually interviewing for a Recruitment Consultant role. At that point, Stonehouse was still a fairly new business, with just Sohan and one other consultant. Jake hadn’t even joined yet, and now he’s part of the furniture.

Sohan was exactly the same as he is now – funny, genuine and easy to talk to. It didn’t feel like an interview, it felt like a conversation with a friend. That left a very positive impression on me.

At the time, I ultimately decided to go with a different recruitment agency. We laugh about it now, but if I’m completely honest, I’m actually glad I made that decision. That experience helped me realise quickly that recruitment wasn’t the right career path for me.

Years later, the positive impression of Stonehouse stayed with me. Coming back to join the finance team feels like a full circle moment. It’s so great to see how the business has grown!

2. Why did you get into your role as a Finance Officer, and what do you enjoy about your role?

I decided to pursue a role in finance while I was studying for my master’s degree. I really enjoyed my finance and accounting modules and achieved first class grades in both, which gave me confidence that this was the right path for me. I was also keen to find a role where I could gain a real understanding of how a business operates behind the scenes.

I reached back out to Sohan, and at the time he was looking to grow the finance team. We always say it was meant to be.

What I enjoy most about the role is being able to support the wider team and knowing that the work I’m doing genuinely makes a difference to the business. I also really enjoy the people I work with – everyone is supportive and great to be around, which make this role that much more enjoyable.

3. You and our Finance Director, Debbie Spencer, work very closely together. What have you learned from Debbie? And describe the dynamic of our Finance Team.

Working closely with Debbie has been a great learning experience. I’ve learned a lot from her! She’s knowledgeable, very supportive and always takes the time to explain the ‘why’ behind things. She explains things so clearly and breaks things down in a way that makes them easy to understand, so I never feel lost or unsure. She’s also hilarious so it makes working with her even more enjoyable.

The dynamic of our finance team works really well – I think we make an amazing team! We’re somehow always aligned and can work efficiently together. My favourite days are definitely when she’s in the office!

4. Has anything surprised you about your role, and more specifically, surprised you about working for a Recruitment agency in a back office support role?

Something that surprised me was just how involved the finance team is in the wider business. It’s not a role where you’re disconnected from everything else like I initially assumed, you’re in constant communication with the sales team and play a big part in helping keep things running smoothly.

You also end up building relationships with the candidates and clients along the way. Even in a back office role, having good relationships with them really matters. Being responsive and helpful when answering queries can make a real difference to their overall experience with us.

Another surprise was the work culture at Stonehouse. Everyone is genuinely supportive and wants to see each other do well. It’s a fun, positive environment and a family feel which is rare in a workplace.

5. What skills are required for your role?

Strong attention to detail is the one of the most important skills in finance, especially when it comes to managing numbers and ensuring everything is accurate. Small errors can have a big impact so being thorough is essential.

Organisation and time management are also key as there’s always a lot going on and priorities can change quickly. Being able to juggle multiple tasks and meet deadlines is a big part of the role.

Communication is another key skill. Working closely with the consultants means it’s important to explain things clearly so there’s no misunderstandings, ask the right questions and make sure everyone is on the same page.

Finally, as Debbie always says, having a bit of a detective mindset is crucial in finance. When something doesn’t look quite right, you need to go back, spot inconsistencies and work out what’s caused them.

6. What is the biggest challenge you have had to overcome in your role at Stonehouse so far?

Girll….I do not know. Can I say having to chase people constantly?

7. How would you describe the team dynamic and company culture?

I’d describe the team dynamic and company culture as very supportive and hard working. I think we work exceptionally well together as a team. Everyone is willing to help and to take time out of their day to explain things.

The culture itself is really positive. Not a day goes by where I don’t laugh. We’re very lucky to work in an environment like this as it’s rare to find a workplace where people genuinely care about each other.

8. In what ways have you grown professionally since starting this job? And how will you continue to grow?

Since starting this role, I’ve become much better at prioritising, managing deadlines and staying organised when things get busy. I’ve also grown in confidence and have developed my finance knowledge.

Going forward, I’d like to continue building my knowledge, keep learning from Debbie, take on more responsibilities and continue helping improve our processes as the business grows. Being in such a supportive environment makes it easier to keep learning and progressing so I’m excited to continue growing alongside the business.

9. If you had to describe your journey so far in three words, what would they be—and why?

Full-circle, rewarding and constantly growing. My journey has brought me back to Stonehouse which makes it feel like a real full circle moment. The role is rewarding because I enjoy the work I do, feel supported by the people around and me and know that what I contribute makes a difference to the business. I’m also constantly growing and developing my skills. I’ve learnt a lot since I first started, and I’m keen to keep learning and improving.