What do you wish you knew before you started working in recruitment?

Working in recruitment was certainly never something I had ever dreamt of. I would never attend a fancy dress party dressed as a recruiter. Nine times out of ten, I dressed as a princess, once I dressed as an Army Cadet, but unfortunately, both of those career paths didn’t work for me – so here I am.

Recruitment is Tough!

To put it bluntly, recruitment isn’t easy. Forget what you’ve heard about the industry being a “get rich quick scheme”. Get rich? yes. Quick? No. recruitment is a form of sales, so like all sales environments, you are financially rewarded for your hard work, but unlike other sales environments, you aren’t selling an object. When people are involved, things can change VERY quickly.

Prepare and Plan

Be prepared for down days, be prepared for every day you plan, to be changed at least three times. Be prepared to rely 100% on a calendar to remind you what you’re doing and when you’re doing it (if you’re even half as unorganised as I used to be, this will come as a shock to you too).

You don’t have to work harder, just smarter! It’s not about who stays the latest, who spends the most time on the phone – more about who gets the most done during the day, speaking to the right people, getting the right results. You don’t have to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at your desk in order to be successful, you have to plan your day correctly.

Ask Questions!

You’re starting in recruitment, with no experience at all – people won’t expect you to know everything! If you don’t understand something, ask. I spent (wasted) so much time during my first month or so trying to figure things out for myself. Your team are there for a reason – to help, to support you and your growth within your role, use them and their experience to your advantage!

The Thrill of the Sale

Finally, recruitment is addictive. Once you have your first success, you will push and push until you have another, and another, and another. If you are a motivated person and get a thrill out of working in an industry that will reward you both financially and in terms of social incentives, recruitment is definitely a good path for you – and if you want to work for a company who go the extra mile to ensure their staff get the very best out of their career… head over to our career page!