Recruiment Consultant Review

This placement allowed me to get involved with a range of duties, and it was really exciting to get involved with recruiting for some of the largest employers in the United Kingdom. Being the middle man between candidates and clients meant lots of communication, and the chance to help a range of people find the talent they need, or find somebody their dream.

We work in a team-based environment, we all work together and support one another. There are always lots of opportunities to get involved in helping other people and new starters across the business, to share knowledge and ideas. You are always thanked for this and feel the benefit of everybody working together.

When you start the internship, you will be assigned a personal mentor. This person will guide you through your first 12 weeks, with a specific 12 week training plan, which they will complete with you at various times. They will also be there for any questions, and spend time with you during working hours to demonstrate a range of tasks and duties to ensure you become up to speed very quickly. After your 12 week plan is finished, they will still act as a mentor and be able to guide you through further training and any issues that you face.

Working in such a fast-paced environment, there were always tasks to be getting involved with. Recruitment involves being the middle man between clients and candidates, so there is a lot of work to juggle, such as recruiting for current jobs, attracting and registering candidates, generating further business through business development calls, dealing with HR and contracting issues. This is an engaging role which means you will never be bored.

I was given full responsibility and accountability, and was responsible for my own account. I was the sole recruiter for this account, and was responsible for its development and success. I was the sole point of contact for clients and candidates in this market, which made my responsibility all the more important.

During my internship, I also was required to complete two assignments as part of my course. My practical experience, and training within the role, meant that I had enhanced my time-management and inter-personal skills, meaning that I was a much better student as a result. I was able to complete the assignments in much better time, and at a better quality, due to the level of organisation I was able to demonstrate.

As mentioned, it is a team-based environment. We work in a competitive environment also, so there is a lot of friendly competition between us, and a lot of fun that surrounds this. It is a work hard, play hard environment, we all motivate each other and it is an environment that celebrates success. There is a lot of opportunity to learn, develop and succeed, and that is reflected in the positive attitude found in every Hays office.

The Hays internship programme is something that has been going on for a while now, and the company are always looking for ways to improve it. It is very clear that this is a structured placement, and before you have set foot in the building, there is already a specific plan set out for you personally. From day one, you will be assigned a specialist area, specialist training, development plans and events which allow you to become an expert in your field. The organisation collects feedback every year, and always strives to continuously improve the programme, and this is something you will feel the benefit of.

Hays provides interns with a specialist training programme, where you get to travel to London for the week, all expenses paid and spend the week with market-leading trainers, who provide a range of training across the industry, from candidate training to systems-based training. This is all done at a specialist training complex within the city of London. This is then supplemented by training courses held locally by trainers who visit your local office to provide 'refreshers' etc. Hays are always looking to invest in you and help you to advance to the next level.

You are made aware of the career plan and route available to you. You are advised on what steps you need to take if you would like to return to the company, provided with promotion guidelines, and given a comprehensive idea as to the long-term future with Hays and the timeframes involved. The progression routes available are unparalleled, and you are always kept aware of what you need to do to achieve the next target. This is appealing, as knowing this information keeps you motivated and allows you to keep progressing upwards.

There was a forum between interns on a national basis, we were in an email group and received a monthly newsletter. There were people within the business who specifically look after interns and make sure that everything is provided. Locally, there were events where interns in a particular region could meet up and discuss how the placement was going. There was also a feedback forum towards the end of the placement, where we were encouraged to provide feedback, and we were all taken out after this to celebrate our time at Hays.

The cost of living and socialising in the area I worked in was very cheap.

The nightlife in the city I worked in was very good, as the city is a university town with lots of clubs and bars.

There was a range of events to get involved in, from fundraising events, charity events, sponsored walks, celebrations, football matches, and also a range of incentives to get involved with also, There is always something going, and everybody is always included and made to feel welcome if you would like to participate.