Recruitment Consultant Review

I greatly enjoyed my placement year at Hays. You are constantly kept busy doing new and exciting things; no day is the same and this is what made it so enjoyable. This placement has given me the chance to meet a variety of people internally and externally; which has provided me with invaluable insights and deepened people skills that I have completely changed and enhanced me as a person. I would highly recommend Hays as an internship that gives you valuable and transferable skills that you gain in an enjoyable manner.

As an Intern you get treated like a full time employee which is one of the aspects that has stood out the most to me. I have found there is always someone to turn to in times of need and members of the business will make time for you to train you up and answer your queries so you feel as comfortable as possible. A lot of time is invested in you as an Intern which shows a great deal of respect for all members of staff regardless of the level you are operating at.

Support and Guidance is always given. In the first couple of months, members of the business are very aware that you are in a new environment and a lot of the time it is your first proper full time job - they take this into account and invest a lot of time to make sure you are comfortable with all aspects of your role. Later down the line it is more about you asking for support and guidance when needed but it will always be there none the less.

I would say the majority of the time that I always had enough to do in a day to keep me busy. You rarely clock-watch which I think is a good thing! Saying this, there has been days where things have been extremely busy and you do have to stay late/get in early to ensure you can cover off everything; however, for me this was not often and only did arise when I happily accepted to become a talent scout - this obviously meant I had to manage my time in a more efficient way and occasionally it felt like I didn't have enough hours in the day! You learn to adapt yourself to meet your requirements so planning your day and working smart is key.

I felt I was given a great deal of responsibility which I thrived off! It made me feel valued and trustworthy that my work colleagues believe I could complete certain tasks. The only reason I give this a 9 and not a 10 is just on the client side of things. My director kept myself and my team 180 due to desk demands; however, I feel it would have been nice to get more involved with clients and business development. However, there was justification for this and it made sense to put our business needs first and focus full responsibility on candidates and become an expert in this side of things.

A solid 10! I feel I have grown so much as a person; from people skills to growing my knowledge and become an expert in my field. I have gained knowledge that I had no idea about before joining Hays and it has broadened my career prospects. You build confidence from being on the phone, meeting with new people and even just socialising with different members of the business. Work ethic is another thing to emphasis as I feel I manage my time much more efficiently and work as hard as I possibly can.

Buzzing! I love the noise and the atmosphere that was produced on a daily basis - it really makes you want to get stuck in and do some business! Even on a Monday morning there would be a lively atmosphere once people got going. Another important aspect is team culture - even though you are working hard, my team always made time to have a laugh and ask people how they are/weekend plans etc. Obviously in Recruitment, not everything goes your way so there has been times when colleagues and yourself do have days of disappointment but you learn to deal with this and pick yourself up with the help of your team!

Well structured. For the most part I am always aware of what I am doing/what I need to do. You receive information before you start and from day one you do training and write day plans so your days are structured and you are making sure you complete all the tasks you need to do. I think it has been a very efficient process e.g. having training days scheduled and regular meetings with directors. If at any point things haven't been as clear then there has always been people to turn to!

I feel so much time and effort has gone into my training and development - it has been amazing as I have spoke to people completing other internships and I feel that they do not feel like they have been as invested in as I have. I feel honoured to have had this much training and time invested in me and it really gives you the drive and desire to work hard for the people who have invested so heavily in your career and your future.

Very good - my director has already spoke to me about opportunities to return on completion of my University degree which is a very exciting prospect. We have kept it very open but having the option to do this is amazing and I feel very honoured! Hays do invest in interns greatly so if you did decide to come back then you already have exceptional knowledge around recruitment and your specialism that you can apply immediately.

I would say this is good but could be better. We were told that intern nights out would be arranged for us so that we could all get to know each other, however sadly this didn't happen so it was more about making yourself known and socialising throughout the business with other interns. Once you do this then the social scene is good with other interns, however it is better with your team and your specialism and there seems to be more arranged to do with them as opposed to other interns.

Expensive!! The one downfall of working in London; it is the most expensive place in Britain! You find that towards the end of the month you are needing pay day badly as once you add up the cost of travelling, food, socialising etc. then your pay soon diminishes. Saying this, most of the time it is worth it as working in London for a placement year is a dream come true and I wouldn't change a thing but it is very expensive; even more so for those who pay rent in London.

Great nightlife!! Only reason for not giving a 10 would be going back to the point of it being expensive which is the only downfall. Being in London, there is so much to do and so many cool places to discover!! I have been to some great places that I can show to friends and family that I have discovered from working in Hays. Being in the centre of London definitely has its perks and you will never be at a loss for a fun night.

Yes, there has been End of Year and Christmas parties that the whole business get involved in which are great fun and celebrate successes! Also everyone at Hays gets a chance to get on incentives if you reach certain targets which gives people great motivation to work as hard as possible and be rewarded for their efforts. It perhaps may be good to get more involved in more networking events however just to get more exposure.