Ruwaida works for Ellis Recruitment in one of our London offices. Here are Ruwaida’s tips for new recruiters and people who are thinking about becoming a recruiter.
1. Expect the unexpected – you’re going to get to know a LOT of people!
I didn’t know what to expect before I started my Accelerate Training; I had just graduated from university. I thought it was finding IT staff for companies, and when I mean IT staff, I mean like technicians – not to the high level of niche specialists we source.
IT recruitment is all about building relationships with our clients and contractors and fully understanding our clients’ requirements, goals, and drivers. Our aim at the Ellis Recruitment Group is to become their talent partner rather than just another supplier. When dealing with contractors, they’re like friends and family; we’re always in contact. With my clients, I know the contractors that will fit into their projects before they even ask for them – this doesn’t happen overnight – I have had to take time to build my relationships with clients.
2. Getting your first deal is important – but it’s not how you define SUCCESS.
I guess everyone would say your first success as a recruitment consultant is getting your first deal in, but mine was more when everything started to make sense during our training – the acronyms, the roles, the IT projects. Before my recruitment training, starting the course on the first day with no previous knowledge of IT recruitment was quite scary. During the training, I was able to put two and two together, and everything started clicking into place. We’re lucky at Ellis Recruitment Group that we have comprehensive recruitment training, and our mentors support us well.
3. Listen to your recruitment mentor, and if you are unsure – ask! It means you will learn far more quickly.
I love recruitment; the Ellis Recruitment Group fully prepares you for the job – but it does have its challenges. In the beginning, I found understanding requirements complex, and I had to get used to dealing with rejection. What was amazing was the support from the whole of the Ellis Recruitment Group team; my mentor, Lewis, who guided me through the process, gave me helpful advice about how to deal with rejection and provided thorough, in-depth explanations of roles and projects.
4. Understand the recruitment process, what could impact your clients and contractors, and how you will protect them – be prepared. Holidays are something you might not have thought about before becoming a recruiter.
Ruwaida – when she’s not recuiting!
It is my job to ensure I have the best contractors for my IT clients and have prepared for all eventualities, and know clients and contractors in depth – this is easier with the support we get from our mentors. I need to back up and manage the recruitment process efficiently, leaving nothing to chance – this works for the client and the contractor. If you are not prepared, it could be harder to get hold of candidates and clients, say, for instance, during the holiday season. Still, it is my role to understand which demographic is contactable, what contractors are available and what geographic locations are in holiday mode. Now that I have been in my position for a year, I know where my clients and contractors are and their home setup, so it’s not an issue.
5. Talk to people. We live in a digital world but having conversations with my clients and contractors is how they grow, which in turn grows me as an IT recruiter.
Take the plunge and get on the phone; it’s how we start our relationships with clients and contractors. 100% we live in the digital age, and everything can be done online – but it’s easier to build rapport with people when you talk to them. We’re fully trained on how to contact and speak to our contractors and clients before we get in touch, but our personality is what brings us those thriving work relationships. Step outside your comfort zone every day, and don’t take the path of least resistance.
6. If you work hard, you will be rewarded – be consistent.
Many things are great about recruitment, but in particular, the satisfaction of finding someone their dream job and the friends you make makes you feel good – the money is awesome too! To get the rewards, you need to remain consistent and resilient; hard work pays off, so stick at it. The role isn’t going to be easy, to begin with, but it’s fun, and over time, it will make sense and fall into place, which makes everything much more straightforward.