Welcome to Recruitment
Being asked the question what do you do, and myself answering recruitment, always seems to receive a follow up question of exactly what it is we do. Before I started my role as legal resourcer, I always responded, with little knowledge of the full ins and outs of the industry: well we help people get their ideal jobs. Most people were satisfied with that answer, but the majority of my inquisitive friends and family were not, and wanted to know more about my new role. And so I would explain how I will be sourcing CV’s, speaking to the candidates, and assisting the consultants. But in all honesty I felt hugely blind with what I was walking into.
A month has now passed as my role of legal resourcer, and I have definitely learnt a variety of things from first impressions:
1. There is more to recruitment than the typical response of – you find people jobs.
There is in fact a lengthy process of sourcing the right candidates, then getting to know them to find out their ideal role, to build a relationship with them, and then to assist them in their job search for the right role. All of this ‘behind the scenes’ business I did not realise was going on, and my eyes have been truly opened to the extensive (yet rewarding) process we go through to build relationships with our candidates, (and clients).
2. No two days are the same.
When you are told this at any interview, most people take this comment with a pinch of salt, as you know in reality usually there is repetition in any job role. But this has definitely got to be the only job I have ever held that literally is a complete mix, and as my colleagues says you wear a different hat every day. Whether that is my ‘sourcing candidates’ hat, my ‘admin/finance’ hat, or my ‘writing job ads’ hat. And I have many more parts to my resourcer role that I have yet to learn. Once I am fully trained up I should be sporting a full wardrobe of varieties of hat styles.
3. You have to be a team player.
Working as a team is essential. I did hear horror stories before starting in recruitment that at some agencies working as a team was not a priority, it was instead all about the individual. But here, it really is about the value of us working together as a team, by bouncing ideas back and forth, supporting each other where needed, and all having in sight that equal success is the key to our overall success and development.
4. Recruitment is hard.
Before starting this role, I did not by any means expect an easy ride; that is not something I ever envisioned for myself, I have always wanted a challenge. And I certainly am being challenged here. What I don’t understand are the people who believe it to be a job that anyone can do, don’t get me wrong, there is not one sort of person who can recruit as I have learnt, (and can further imagine), yet there are definitely various personalities who recruit in all different ways, and this individuality is really encouraged here.
By what I see in this office, the way we recruit is by being honest, thoughtful, genuine, and more than anything supporting each other in our search for placing candidates at our clients firms. Overall, my first month in recruitment has been eventful to say the least (I wouldn’t want it any other way), and I look forward to learning and progressing more in this busy office with a great team!