My alarm goes off at…
7 am every morning I get showered, dressed and head downstairs for some breakfast and a coffee, this gives me some time to check emails and plan my day.
I’m responsible for…
Working closely with my clients to understand their recruitment needs and challenges. Making sure I am providing them with the highest quality and most relevant applicants.
My typical day…
My day always starts by catching up with my clients, conversations with hiring managers at the beginning of the day are important as they could affect my daily plan. I then continue the morning by identifying and sourcing candidates. Over lunchtime (when candidates are more available), I arrange interviews, then take time out for some lunch with colleagues in our kitchen/break-out area.
The worst part of my job…
Is giving candidates bad news. No one likes to be the bearer of bad news, but having been a candidate myself, I know that the way we handle this part of the job is one of the most appreciated by candidates.
The best part of my job…
Is the working environment. We work in an open plan office where consultants, managers, and directors all work together. The energy and buzz are instantly noticeable as soon as you walk through the office door!
My most challenging placement…
My client was located in a very difficult area. It was difficult to get to and just a little too far away from the major hubs. This, combined with the technical skills required and the level of role, meant this was going to be a challenge. After a week of sourcing via a range of methodologies, I found the ‘diamond in the rough’. At the time, the candidate was only looking for contract work as he had his own limited business. The candidate was based in the hub and could relocate anywhere and after a week I arranged a call with my client and candidate, the call went well and he was invited for a face to face interview. At the end of a very positive interview the role was offered, however, the candidate decided not to relocate and asked if working from home would be an option. Surprisingly, my client agreed to put this into place, however, due to legal complications the applicant would have to be employed as a contractor. Organising this took over three months, therefore managing a candidate who was active on the market proved to be difficult. The successful candidate is still working for my client today and has been asked to become a permanent employee.
My biggest candidate success story…
My client had recently changed their recruitment model which meant no manager contact was permitted. This made understanding the role and requirements very difficult. A role had been available for over two months before it was allocated to me. The success started as soon as talent acquisition agreed to let me talk to the hiring manager, which gave me a chance to really understand their requirements. After a discussion with the hiring manager, I knew exactly where to start my searches, what skills were going to be required, and I could accurately provide data to candidates to makes sure it was the job they wanted. At the time, a direct competitor was going through redundancies. I identified a legacy copy of the candidate’s CV on our database. After having a long conversation with the candidate he agreed to look at the information for the position. To make sure I could continue to present the company, I organised a late evening call with my candidate to go through all the information he required. After two stages of the interview, the position was offered to the candidate. Unfortunately, the offered salary came in lower than the candidate’s ideal requirement, which meant selling the positives of joining the business again. After two days of discussions with his partner and supporting my candidate through a counter offer, he accepted the role and started four weeks later. I managed to fill a position that the internal recruitment team was struggling with for over two months in just three weeks.
After work…
I would normally leave work just after 18:30 and drive to my local gym for a workout. After this, I venture home to have a huge dinner! This always sets me up for the next day……that is a life as a recruiter!