Trainee Recruitment Consultant Review

I loved my year working for Randstad. It was hard and stressful at times, however it was very rewarding and I had plenty of support from my peers and managers along the way to help me. They gave me plenty of opportunities to grow and learn and gave me opportunities to travel to places across the UK. Never once did I feel like a placement student - they treated me as a normal employee from day one.

From day one, I was encouraged to learn and grow, so much so that I was offered to work a more senior role soon into my placement. My managers and colleagues valued the skills that I was bringing into the branch, realised my potential, and believed in my abilities. My colleagues invested time to my personal and professional development, which is key to a successful placement year. I was sad to finish my placement to return to Uni, but I still keep in frequent contact with everyone in the office.

The support and encouragement that was given to me by my peers and managers was second to none - I would never have had such a successful and impactful year if it wasn't for their guidance, teachings and motivational attitude. I wanted to work hard for them as they showed they genuinely cared about me and my progression in the job. Support came in the form of weekly 1-2-1 meetings, Monday Morning Meetings and most impactful, I sat beside my manager for the full year meaning that I had support and guidance whenever I needed it. If I was not able to get support from my direct manager, anyone else in the office was more than happy to step in and help me.

As I was given the opportunity to work a senior level soon into my placement, the job was hard and stressful at times due to the increased responsibility that I was given. I often worked slightly over my contracted hours to make sure my job was done to a high standard at the end of the day. For the majority of the time, the decision to work over my contracted hours was my own as I wanted work hard and make sure I was keeping on top of the high demand of the job. Having said that, I was always encouraged not to work over my hours and to take a break by my managers as they valued a work-life balance. The busy days made the week pass very quickly and no day was ever the same - I didn't clock-watch once!

My managers realised that I had potential to grow in the job early into my placement, so they gave me the opportunity to work at a senior level 3 months in. The fact that they gave a student with no previous recruitment experience such a high level of responsibility is a testament to Randstad's investment and belief in their staff! The new responsibility meant that I was able to manage my own recruitment desk with my own team of candidates and clients. I did have a direct manager to report to, however she gave nearly full reign of my job and supported me when it came to growing my desk.

I have already utilised the skills that I learned with Randstad in my honours year - I have become better at planning for my deadlines, better at time management and have become more professional, meaning that I am prioritising work that I wouldn't have prioritised before my placement; I am even writing my dissertation on the Recruitment Industry. I have so many doors I can open when I graduate, from recruitment to sale and HR etc. My new interview skills and professionalism will help me greatly when securing a graduate job!

The atmosphere in the office was great! There was a perfect balance between professional and banter; both can be very motivating! Everyone got on well with each other and the office was very lively - especially during core hours. Everyone motivated each other and were up for a laugh when it was appropriate to do so.

The placement was very well organised and structured, however Randstad give you the freedom and opportunity to grow and show your potential meaning that you can make the Placement your own. They reward hard work and it's up to the student to make the most of it and take up all opportunities that arise throughout the year.

The company paid for me to travel to the head offices in England for specific training which helped me in the position greatly. We also had visits from the L&D team every two to three months which allowed us to have 1-2-1 sessions covering topics that we needed more knowledge and training on. Randstad really value training their staff so that they work to 100% of their potential!

I would love to return to Randstad as I would be able to return into the senior position that I finished my placement on. There is plenty of room for progression and I would have access to benefits such as a competitive salary, company car, uncapped commission and travel opportunities.

As I was the only placement student in Scotland, I didn't really have a social scene with other placement students in the company. However, on the last Friday of every month, my colleagues and I made every effort to go out to celebrate our successes from that month. Every Friday is also a dress-down-day, meaning that there is a more relaxed and sociable atmosphere in the office.

As I found a placement in my home town, I lived with my parents so my livings costs were low. Glasgow is a great city for socialising, and there are plenty of student deals on in town! Transport costs are reasonable and there are plenty of inexpensive places to have lunch.