Recruitment consultant Review

My placement at Hays was a very thorough and enjoyable experience. Most importantly for me, I have learnt a lot, which is something I was promised from the start. 10 months down the line with 2 months still left, I have become a lot more commercially aware and been exposed to an array of senior clients, all the way up to CEO's. It has given me a lot of confidence and general understanding of the operations and the autonomy of an organisation. For myself personally, despite learning an abundance of skills along the way, I don't believe recruitment is the future career for myself and is the only reason I can only score an 8. Although, taking away this element and basing my score solely on my office build up, how the organisation is run (senior management, to training and localised office environments) and personal management, I would score it a 10/10 everyday.

Very! Since day 1, I wasn't seen so much as an intern, but more as a normal part of the team. Instantly I was integrated into associate meetings, set the same targets/KPI's and given the same opportunity as everyone and anyone. This was one of the most motivating things at Hays and is one of, if not the biggest element to what has helped me gain confidence so quickly in my role and enhance my opportunity to develop and learn so much in the past 10 months.

My manager has been second to none. Since starting in July, I have developed a relationship with my manager both professionally and personally. Despite being friends in a personal manner too, my manager has always possessed my upmost respect. This might be a unique experience for myself as I have seen my manager in my last 10 months to be one of the most successful recruiters in the organisation, not only just in monetary terms, but in the way they build relationships with clients (which is honestly a pleasure to watch and listen in to), but also manage a growing team of 3 different departments now (Office Support, HR and I.T.). I've said in every meeting since undertaking my placement that I am so happy to have fallen under their reign, as I believe around 80-90% of everything I learned in my time at Hays has been because of their guidance, and more specifically, their way of working and leading by an example philosophy.

There's always something to do, which is something I thrive off. It is just a shame that for me personally, that recruitment isn't perfectly suited to what I would like to be doing in the foreseeable future. Although there is something always to do, this isn't to say that work at Hays is the be all and end all of your life. Recruitment is notorious for a long hours, hard working industry, but Hays have always enforced in my tenure the - Work hard, play hard ideology.

During my time at Hays I was given a bucket load of responsibility, more than I could ever have imagined at the start. From day one I was on the phone to candidates and very soon after, calling clients and trying to arrange meetings with them, getting out of the office door and meeting clients from department managers to CEO's. It is what has helped me experience the learning curve that I have at Hays, as I've been in positions where I solely met with senior managers and held a 30-40 minute meeting, getting to know and understand all the ins and outs of their business and try to seek out any future opportunity for us to cooperate with them. You do legitimately run your own desk.

I do not know how, as of yet, my Hays experience will transpire into assisting myself with my university studies. However, I can certainty say as this moment in time, I have gained a vast array of transferable skills that will not only enhance my ultimate year at university, but also, be an asset for my first graduate job and future life. I am much more adept in dealing with clients, and feel I have an advanced knowledge in how to deal with various clientele and in the appropriate manner.

The atmosphere in our office was brilliant. It was a typical sales environment and what was so special about the Reading office is that not only is it part of the best performing region (West and Wales), but it is also one of the best performing offices in its region, and we are continually looking to add to the current head count and drive our current staff forward too! It's a really fun and vibrant office and this is translated because of the opportunity and energy from the top management staff down.

Fantastically. Simply, because you are valued as any normal member of staff, it means that you are treated no different and the placement is set up brilliantly. It's also worth noting that I attended the best training course I have ever been too, which lasted a week in London, and the way Hays operate means that you don't just attend a one week learning course in London, but you are continuously learning on the job all the time and I'm attending numerous monthly meetings for management to analyse my daily, weekly and monthly performances to see where we can improve.

As aforementioned, I attended the best training course I have ever been too, which lasted a week in London, and the way Hays operate means that you don't just attend a one week learning course in London, but you are continuously learning on the job all the time and I'm attending numerous monthly meetings for management to analyse my daily, weekly and monthly performances to see where we can improve. They continually provide you with all the tools and resources that are needed to get the most out of my time at Hays.

Hays have made it clear that there is opportunity for myself and anyone who wants it. As soon as you walk through the door at Hays they make it apparent that you can go anywhere in the business as long as you work hard and strive for this. You always know and understand what your next target is and how to get there and it's a fantastic way of keeping informed on how to get to the next step and beyond.

I didn't have any fellow placement students or colleagues with me on the internship, but I can only assume that if there were, with the way the rest of the office socialise, that it would be a perfect fit and consequently, I would score a 10. My office have already pre-hired an intern for next year and continually on the look out for more, so it is a good environment for a placement.

Reading can be an expensive place in regards to cost of living, but additionally, you can live on a budget if done well. For myself, I have been able to live comfortably and Reading is a brilliant area to not only work but live too and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in the Blade with Hays at Reading, with plenty of places for us to socialise together.

There are plenty of places to go and it's not a rarity for us to go out to after work drinks together (not just my team but the office) or find fun incentives to do in the local area, not just nightlife - but there is lots of places to go for nightlife if you wish.

Lots. Only the other day have we began to play in a 6 aside football team together (a few of us from my team) and this wasn't organised by my work either, which exemplifies how much opportunity there is to get involved in activities together if you wish, as everyone is sociable and willing to do things together.