The recruitment industry can be fast-paced, fun and fulfilling. It can also be pretty ferocious. I remember being new to recruitment like it was yesterday – and it was tough. So, when I was asked to write a blog for those just starting out in the recruitment industry, I was more than happy to share my advice.
So, what are my three top tips for first-time recruiters?
For me, recruitment was like starting my own business. Sure, I was part of a company and a team with great benefits, support and morale; but I was also starting with a cold patch. The front-end patch in the South West hadn’t been touched for nearly two years, and even then, that was only for a brief period.
Resilience was fundamental to my success. Things weren’t going to happen straight away, therefore I needed to be persistent in my attempts to build business in the area. In my first three months, I obtained three offers: one was accepted, and the others were rejected (mainly down to my inexperience.)
Was it hard? Yes. Did I keep at it? Of course. I kept going because resilience ultimately leads to success. And it did.
Tip: give things time to develop and blossom.
Of course, you need to work hard in any position, but recruitment requires a different type of hard work. I have a young family, meaning that I can’t dedicate my weekends and evenings to catching up. Therefore, I have to work hard in the day and work smart in the evenings to maximise my time and success.
To do this, I always write down tomorrow’s plan at the end of today. This ensures that I can step into the office and start work straight away to utilise my office time as best as possible. In the evenings, I make myself available for any candidates that want to call and, instead of checking Facebook while waiting for dinner or through the ads, I’m keeping tabs on LinkedIn – far more useful and a smarter way to spend my time.
Tip: give it every inch possible.
Recruitment isn’t a job where success falls into your lap. A lot of the time, you’ll be pushed back by prospective clients, potential candidates, and sometimes existing ones. To be successful, you need to be proactive – interacting with clients and candidates daily, discovering problems and finding solutions, picking up the phone to win new business, and doing everything you can to ensure no two days are ever the same.
Luckily, at Evolution, I now have more scope and support than ever before to realise my full potential. I’ve been able to take on extra responsibilities to expand my knowledge, take part in world-class training sessions to increase my skills, and worked with a vast variety of clients and candidates to develop my career.
Tip: spin lots of plates.
My first job in recruitment hasn’t been easy, but that’s a good thing. It’s taught me how to be a better recruiter, and it has shown me that there’s no stopping in what you can achieve when you put your mind to it.
If you want to become a first-time recruiter with a Platinum IIP recruitment agency, contract Gareth or Nicola in our internal recruitment team on 01925 283116, or visit our careers page.
