idealpeople blog

I’m lucky enough to work with an especially crack team of highly-skilled individuals here at Idealpeople - and whilst it’s taken some time - they’re finally creeping out of the woodwork and are ready to give your blogmaster some help.

So without further ado, here’s our first Guest Author article, written by our very own Richard Stockill. This ties in nicely with some upcoming work we’re looking forwards to at the University of Northampton’s Career Service, who are keen to go the extra mile in terms of advice and consultancy to soon-to-be graduates looking to enter their working lives in what is very strange time for them (more on what we mean by this to come).

Richard’s background includes a stint in the Military (the Household Cavalry), where he did a tour of duty in the Balkans. Since then, he’s succesfully completed an MSc in Psychology, before bravely embarking on his career as Idealpeople’s Defence Technology specialist, and in-house psychometrics guru. Richard’s LinkedIn profile can be found here for some more background. Feel free to get in touch with him at richard.stockill@idealpeople.net. Here’s what he has to say….

Why Work in Recruitment?This is a question that from time to time I ask myself. Why? Well, it’s because I have usually had another overwhelming day and am sat quietly, reflecting on the day’s activities. In moments like this I often ask myself what I get from such a demanding role, because there is no point dressing it up, Recruitment is a dynamic career which demands attention and requires a high degree of commitment. I could give you a very valid argument about Recruitment being the keystone of any business or that I enjoy finding the right job for someone and seeing them happy. But this would not be the entire picture by a long shot. My reasons are far less altruistic than these.

Let’s look at a typical day in my Recruiter life. In point of fact we can’t do this because there is no typical day. This is my first point, being a Recruitment Consultant is one of the most diverse roles you are likely to work in. No two days are the same and there is rarely a dull moment. One day you will be sourcing candidates, the next you could be on a training course and the next you could be visiting existing clients to discuss recruitment and selection or developing relations with new clients. Of course the degree to which this is true brings me to my next point, autonomy. Working for the right recruitment consultancy can give you as much or little responsibility as you want. This is an important point to highlight, some roles will be literally like running your own company and others will be restricted but as with all jobs you choose who you work for and for me autonomy, in a supportive work environment, is key to my success.

So what do I do in Recruitment? I develop business, so I am a business development guru. This is a skill which is highly sought after in the job market and one which is transferable to almost any role. I research and headhunt candidates for roles and then technically screen them. Research is one of the key skills required by employers from graduates right throughout to senior managers. The ability to understand your market and where to find information on it can make the difference between success and failure. Let’s face it, second place is the first person to come last, especially in Recruitment. The person who knows where to look for the best candidate will always fill the vacancy and gain return custom.

These are my two primary functions. Dealing with clients, developing business / relations, and dealing with Candidates, finding and selecting the right ones. There are also a myriad of other factors involved but the extent to which you get involved depends on you. There is scope not just for general Recruitment but also for specialist Recruitment in challenging areas such as technology, building or - in my case - Defence. Really, you can work in any market and area you can think of. As well as sourcing candidates for clients you can also get involved in the selection process yourself. It is becoming more commonplace for Recruitment Consultants to carry out the technical screening of candidate to asses their suitability for a role beyond what the candidate has written in their CV. If you have the skills and training Psychometric tests are also an option for more senior positions that can add more to the service you bring to a client. Really you can get involved in all aspects of the staffing industry; most often the only limit is you.

Wow! That’s a lot of information to cover you may say. Well, that’s Recruitment. But it doesn’t stop there - Recruitment is as busy as you make it and success does come as a guarantee but only for those who make it their business to be busy, to learn and to develop in the industry. As you develop your clients you will start to develop a network of opportunities and areas you can work on or in. This exposure will also facilitate the development of a strong business acumen across the areas that you work in meaning that you become better at the job of Recruitment. While this does help build your business it also helps with your career development. Let’s be frank, a job is not for life anymore and if you find yourself in the position of needing a new job the knowledge you have and all the associated skills along with your network of contacts will guarantee that if you are looking for a job it won’t be for long. You will also get headhunted yourself, as you develop in the business of Recruitment so the best recruiters won’t even have to look for a new role.

If you are still reading it must either be because you are genuinely interested in Recruitment or have some more time to spare. So here is the thing with Recruitment: You can do it! There is no typical recruiter profile. There is probably nothing tangible that would discount you from working in Recruitment. There are, however, a few qualities that will set you apart from the crowd, but these are the same for many jobs. Being conscientious will go a long way; having an ability or aptitude towards effective communication, as part of a team and as an individual, will greatly facilitate relations and you must have a drive to succeed in what you are doing. This is the key point, drive and a hunger for success. Apart from these points that is it! Everything else you bring to the table, so to speak, is a bonus and will only help to bolster your career in Recruitment. But what about qualifications? Well, this is a good point. I have worked with Recruiters who have Masters Degrees right through to those who barely have two GCSEs to rub together. Pieces of paper are not important, of course, as I have previously said they do bring more substance to a Consultant but the point is that most people who are properly motivated can be successful and make a good career in Recruitment.

This is a lot of information so let’s draw this together by focusing back to the initial question: Why work in Recruitment? Because it provides you with a level of business acumen second to none - I challenge anyone to show me a career that will give such a diverse and yet detailed understanding of the business market. It gives you a very large and highly transferable skill set for the business world; it provides training and development; it gives you as much autonomy as you want to have; it will give you a network of invaluable contacts from which many opportunities and options can arise and oh yes, the pay is fantastic! So why work in recruitment? The question should be why are you not already working in Recruitment…