Recruitment Rollercoaster – 5 Things to Consider Before You Buckle Up
I was watching a programme recently with my daughter on the world’s scariest roller coaster rides. One of them I had actually been on, called “Superman”, in Six Flags when on a J1 in Boston a number of years ago.
As we watched my daughter was fascinated by the length of queuing time required to get on the ride but, having been there, I have to say it was well worth it. So much so that we were willing to queue for a second go and even waited that bit longer for the front seats.
Why am I my telling you about my trip to a rollercoaster park? Well, it has nothing to do with the rides or the theme parks, it actually has to do with a career in Recruitment and how the rollercoaster ride experience is similar to an hour, day, week, month and a year of working within the Recruitment industry.
Recruitment is a massive market with great opportunities to develop a career in a fast paced and rewarding sector. It is interesting that most people in recruitment claim they “fall into it”. It is not a career that many wake up on a Monday morning and say “I want to be a Recruitment Consultant.”
Your recruitment rollercoaster should be a satisfying experience and not a scary bumpy ride. Here are five things you should consider before you buckle up.
1. Pick the right theme park
There are many recruitment agencies. All will purport to be the best and this may be the case depending on locations and sectors. However, they may not be the best for you. As with most businesses there are a lot of variables across the industry and this can be due to size, market focus, national and international presence.
The key is finding the right fit for you. This can be achieved by researching the company but also ensuring that when interviewing you ask questions on the Culture, Induction, Training, Career Progression, etc. I would suggest you take the time and always remember find the company that best fits you and what you want to achieve.
2. Pick the rides you want most
Markets can be very specific. Whilst the process of recruitment generally follows some set rules of finding the right person for the right role at the right time, a lot of the time there are variances depending on the market the Consultant is recruiting for.
Make sure you have an interest in the market and are open to gaining in depth knowledge of same market. In the long term when dealing with clients and candidates, knowledge is the key to the development of credibility.
3. Remember queuing time exceeds the ride time
Do not over expect it to happen overnight. I have chatted to many Recruitment Consultants and people looking to get into recruitment. Whilst opportunities are great in recruitment, it is important to note that in general the industry takes time to learn and develop within.
I have often seen people being frustrated by this. It is important to note that the highs are high and the lows are low. The key is remembering the highs and being patient in the low times.
4. Remember the rush
Many people look and see all the positives in the role. I agree, there are many. If it is the career that you want to pursue, there is great satisfaction in finding the right person for the right role and knowing all parties are 100% happy with decisions made.
Just remember this satisfaction is not a constant and you need to remember this during the slower more laborious periods.
5. Read the signs and follow the rules
I remember at another theme park, Alton Towers, when on a different trip, we went on a number of rides that had height restrictions. One had a limit if 6ft 2. Being 6ft 5 I threw caution to the wind and got on the ride, however every second was not the thrill I expected but instead a terror-filled two minutes that I would leave decapacitated.
Make sure you follow the rules and do the right thing for both the client, candidate and yourself and you will never have any issues. A key rule for me in recruitment is to never make a decision or advise on something that would benefit you.
Make sure it is always in the best interest of the candidate and client. Whilst this may cause short term pain, in the long term it will set you up for a long and rewarding career.
As I mentioned, like so many I fell into recruitment. Looking back on almost 10 years in the industry I would have to say it has been and will continue to be a rollercoaster ride but always an exciting and rewarding one.
