When you’re a recruiter, the sky is the limit on your career. But what is the journey of becoming a successful recruitment consultant really like, and what are the different pathways can you take?
We sat down with Hayley (Branch Manager) to discuss how she got started in her recruitment career and the steps she took to get where she is today.
Prior to working at QS Recruitment, I never knew what I wanted to do. I was interested in business and current affairs, and wanted a qualification that would allow me to work towards a career in this area. After a lot of research, I decided to peruse a degree in Business and Human Resource Management. The things I learned while completing this qualification have proved invaluable in my career to date.
After completing my degree, I searched for graduate programs in HR and recruitment. QS was one of three interviews I moved forward with, but I decided to take the offer with QS as their training program seemed significantly better than the others. There was one-on-one training, clearly set targets and mentoring schemes, and I felt these features would provide me with the support I’d need to get established in my career.
When I started my journey in September 2018 with QS in Leicester as a brand-new graduate with no experience in the Driving and Industrial recruitment industry, I found the role very challenging – in a good way. It was like nothing I would have expected! Having a dedicated mentor for the first three months made a huge difference, as did what I learned about using a database and the legal aspects of recruitment from the four-day Training Programme.
I worked hard and eventually found myself in a position where I was contract managing a huge industrial client that was growing constantly; an achievement I was really proud of.
QS are always keen to diversify and grow, so the decision was made for Hinckley to have an office hub close to Hinckley Town Centre for interviews, and to be closer to our clients and operatives here.
Though our main hub at that time was still Leicester Office, Hinckley was our second home that we utilised when needed. It was at this point that I became a Senior Consultant and Mentor. This allowed me to start my journey to becoming a manager, giving me oversight of setting targets, monitoring work and identifying opportunities to grow for myself and my team.
Once the team was at a point where everyone was trained, had their own clients and we were self-sufficient, we moved to Hinckley full time. After originally being scared and reluctant to take the plunge and open Hinckley as its own branch, I feel that doing this pushed me to become a better leader. My own journey means I am more focused on growing the branch and helping the team progress within their roles.
The team has now increased to three and we are continuing to focus on growing the branch. I am very proud of what we have done, and am excited to see what is next for Hinckley!
At QS Recruitment, we want to see our people thrive in their careers, and we take an active role in supporting and developing each of our consultants to be their best, wherever they are in their recruitment journey. If you’re interested in learning what it’s like to work for us or want to find out more about becoming a recruiter, feel free to reach out.
