Have you ever thought about getting into the recruitment world? Sometimes it's difficult to take the leap into a new career so we thought we'd take a deep dive into what it's like to be a recruitment consultant by speaking with the people on the 'front line'! After reading what our consultants have to say - you might just be interested in joining us.
What qualities do you need to be a great consultant?
Our consultants have a variety of attributes but they need to be:
• Hardworking
• Excellent multi-taskers
• Able to build an instant rapport with candidates and clients by being a great 'people-person'
• Able to build long-term relationships through being good listeners
• Caring and knowledgeable •Able to give constructive and honest feedback
• Skilled at matching individuals with teams and managers that will suit them most (it's not just about looking at what's written on a CV; it's about getting to know the person and p placing them with the most suitable company / with the most compatible people).
What does a typical day look like?
Each day is different - there is no such thing as a typical day! In general though...
"Firstly, we prepare for the day ahead, which means checking over our calendars and prioritising and responding to any emails that have come in over night. A big part of our job is completing any admin tasks such as compliance checks, ensuring candidates timesheets are submitted and accurate etc.
Calling our candidates who have interviews that day is super important; we want to make sure they are prepped and feel comfortable and ready. Checking in with our active clients / managers is also a priority.
For the rest of the day, we are busy on the phone developing and managing client and candidate relationships, doing interview preparation, placing suitable candidates and sourcing new business opportunities.
We are very fortunate to have an expansive database of qualified and experienced individuals that we have built up over the many years we have been operating, so our candidate pool is vast. As well as this, we have access to the leading online platforms through which we attract the best people for our roles.
Further responsibilities for Team Leaders include making sure our consultants are ready for the day, are motivated and aware of their daily tasks. Another huge part of a TL's role is to provide guidance and support to our team members and ensure they are comfortable and happy in their job."
What are the best aspects of the role?
We thought it would be easier to break this down into points that our consultants cited:
• Being able to make a real difference to people's lives; for example, helping a job seeker find a role they really thrive in and are happy in
• Having access to a wealth of training and career development opportunities and working under great mentors at SCS
• Being part of an award-winning recruitment agency. (Winner at the Recruiter Awards 2019 for Best Candidate Care. We have also been shortlisted for the Recruiter Awards 2021 in the categories of Most Effective Back Office Operation and Most Sustainable Recruitment Agency as well as being finalists in the BIBAS in the category of Employer of the Year)
• The opportunity to develop relationships with candidates and clients ("Reading or hearing positive feedback from those I have worked with gives me a real sense of purpose and is highly motivating" - Snr Recruitment Consultant, August 2021)
• Working in a fast-paced, exciting and positive environment with good benefits and perks
• Being recognised for hard work through remuneration, regular performance reviews and awards
• Having the confidence in SCS as a quality-conscious business; we hold ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 27001, Investors In People Silver
• Team Leaders also find it very rewarding when their new consultants are developing well as a result of their training and support
• Belonging to a company that genuinely cares about its staff, candidates and clients. SCS constantly strive to be the best in their field, whether that be through investing in welfare, new technology or training and development. And by the term ‘investing’, we don’t just mean financially, we understand the importance of investing time and energy into making our business stand head and shoulders above the rest.
What are some of the challenges faced on the job?
As with any job, there are challenges!
Due to the fast-paced nature of the job, consultants are expected to be fast learners and be confident in themselves. People often say that 'the job is what you make it', i.e. if you are prepared to put in the work to develop and grow your market, the world will be your oyster. Our thorough training and development programmes provide all the tools needed to thrive in the role.
What attracted our consultants to recruitment?
Our consultants said that they liked the idea of changing people’s lives by helping them find their dream job. Of course, the remuneration and benefit aspect was a big factor too. Many of our consultants have come from a background in sales or customer service and were struggling to find a good work-life balance, particularly those that worked on weekends.
We also have a number of consultants that did a university placement at SCS whilst studying for their degree.. They enjoyed the job so much (in particular the business development aspect and the fast paced environment) that they decided to continue working for us permanently following graduation. One of these individuals has now progressed to the role of Senior Divisional Manager – a great achievement!
What are some of the benefits of working for Service Care Solutions?
Consultants mentioned the vast amount of perks that are offered here; from free lunches, monthly, quarterly and annual awards, access to MIND mental health support, free fruit in the office, flexible working from home policy, milestone benefits, a break-out floor (with pool table, dart board etc. and roof terrace), early finish on a Friday and more.
Service Care Solutions' company culture is cited as one of the main reasons people like it here. Consultants said that it has a very family-friendly feel and is significantly less pressured than a lot of other recruitment companies / sales environments. We take great care to place individuals within teams they will feel most comfortable in as we want to ensure our staff actually enjoy work and are surrounded by people they ‘gel’ with! During the interview process, we don’t just want to know about your professional skills and background; we like to find out more about you as a person.
We also offer a wealth of different promotion paths for consultants; from non-management roles to Team Leader, Divisional Manager and Associate Director (to name a few). Our Managing Director, Chris Musgrove, (along with all of our senior staff) started out with SCS as a trainee recruitment consultant, which demonstrates the huge scope for career progression!
How will I know if I'm right for the job?
Different divisions within the company can vary in what they require in an individual, but here are some of the most common skills that are required for the job: self-starter, good time management, excellent communicator, good problem-solving and analytical skills, target-driven, team player and good administration and IT skills.
Does this sound like the sort of role you are seeking? Does the thought of helping people obtain their dream jobs, whilst working for a company that develops and supports you sound interesting? Then becoming a Recruitment Consultant for Service Care Solutions might just be the next best step that you make, so take a look at our current vacancies and get in touch.
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