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The
following description can serve as a guide for what is involves in
working as a trainee recruitment consultant:-
I
joined a1 Recruitment in 2004 as a fresh graduate, and it was the first
full time office based job I had ever had. I was initially nervous about
what to expect and how easily I would acclimatise to a commercial
environment coming straight from university, but I soon settled in what
I found to be a welcoming environment, with plenty of initial one to one
training and continuing support to help develop my abilities and
confidence.
During
the first 3 months I spent all my time, as do all new trainee
consultants, on the phone continuously to potential clients. This gave
me the opportunity to practice my sales skills, at the same time as
learning about my industry - accountancy - and developing relationships
with clients with whom I may be able to place candidates in the future.
This time also enabled me to ensure that a1�s name was established
within the market place, putting me in a better position for when I
began to recruit in earnest.
After
my 3 month review I began speaking with candidates, both those already
registered with a1 and those I brought on board via advertising policies
and through word of mouth. I now split my time roughly 50:50, depending
on current market forces, between interviewing potential candidates and
speaking with clients. The most successful consultants at a1 are
generally those who spend the most time on the phone, and who develop
the strongest relationships with both clients and candidates alike. Our
individual specialisation also enables each consultant to become an
expert within his/ her field, and with access to a large international
database of companies with often untapped potential, the world really is
your oyster.
A
day in the life of a consultant at a1 is often hard work, and usually
challenging. It can demand that one day you need to push yourself to
generate business when business is slow, but the next day you struggle
to prioritise and stay on top of things when busy. But ultimately, when
a successful placement is made, or a client relationship is forged after
much groundwork, it is highly rewarding.
As
a relative newcomer to both the company and the recruitment industry,
I'm still developing the methods, skills and techniques which form the
essential ingredients for a successful consultant, so whilst on a fairly
steep learning curve I find it important to be in the office no later
than 8.00am. This gives me some vital planning and preparation time
before the phones start ringing and enough time to empty my email inbox
of both candidate job applications and general client communications. In
this job you learn very quickly that time management and general
organisation is vital - I've never known a job where your day seems to
be gone before you know it.
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