6 Tips for the first 6 months in Recruitment

My first six months have flown by so quickly as an Associate Consultant at Concilium Search, and I can't believe how much I have learnt during this time.

After half a year in the industry, I wanted to share my 6 top tips for any new Graduates starting out in recruitment.

1. Organisation really is key It is easy to be initially overwhelmed by the number of people you are speaking to on a daily basis – especially when working on multiple assignments, across various time zones. Working with Senior Consultant Kevin Ross was extremely helpful in learning how to organise everything, and ensuring all of my information was kept up to date at all times. During my first six months, the number of roles I have been working on simultaneously has gradually increased, which has required me to rely on my ability to be organised more and more.
2. Make sure you know your candidates This is necessary for two reasons: i.  Firstly, showing a real interest in your candidates through active listening is so important when building long-term relationships; something we value first and foremost above anything else. This ensures we are in the best place to offer consultative advice, when it comes to helping candidates making those critical decisions. ii. Secondly, asking the right questions is necessary to ensure an opportunity and the company, is the right fit for each individual, by understanding their short term motivations as well as their future aspirations.
3. Being efficient with your time This is definitely an area I have been working to improve in, especially since I started to work more closely with Adam Moore and Helen Thurtle. The life of a recruitment consultant is incredibly busy, requiring me to wear many different ‘hats’ in any one day. From candidate sourcing to business development activities, writing job adverts, to industry research and market mapping. Being efficient with my time by breaking down my daily schedule hour by hour has been really helpful.

   

    [Top tip] I have also invested in a diary, which has made such a difference in organising my daily and weekly tasks and targets.
4. Understand your industry Although I have always had an interest in science and studied Chemistry whilst at University, my knowledge of the Life Sciences industry was fairly limited before starting at Concilium Search. However, over the last 6 months, I have not only learnt about the variety of therapeutic areas but also about the key players in each sub-industry and how many different positions are involved within the development and life-cycle of a drug. This knowledge is essential in searching for the most suitable candidates and also offering consultative advice to both candidates and clients.
5. Keep candidates updated A simple message or quick conversation explaining to a candidate where their application is at and keeping them informed on the status of a process can go a very long way. It may sound obvious, but it is surprising how often this step is missed out on. For us, it is so important to have continued and regular contact with our candidates to ensure we build a close rapport.
6. Fall in love with the process and the results will follow Recruitment is a career with many ups and downs; certainly something I have learnt a lot about over the past six months! However, by following a proven and tested process (implemented by Maduka Okeke, Richard Ogbogbo and Richard Walker-Taylor), I am improving as a Consultant within my field and I cannot wait to see what the next six months brings!