My Life as a Recruitment Consultant: David Styles

Welcome to the first installment of our upcoming series "My Life as a Recruitment Consultant", where we give you the chance to meet our team, and also find out more about the day to day life of Recruitment Consultants.

David Styles is one of our senior Consultants, who manages teams recruiting for a variety of engineering and technical disciplines. Dave is degree qualified, and an accredited member of the RCSA (APRCSA status). He has 10 years experience recruiting in the UK, Middle East, and Australia, and when he's not at work he enjoys travel, socialising, and playing guitar.

How did you get into recruitment?

I have worked ever since I was old enough to do so and found that I very much enjoyed dealing with people. Once I completed my degree I joined Hays as a trainee consultant and worked through their fast track program to become a Consultant and then Manager.

How easy or difficult did you find it to pick up the basics of the recruitment role?

I picked the basics up quickly, but I still endeavour to learn from the people around me each and every day. Recruitment is an art - it can be learnt fairly quickly, but takes time to master.

What sort of things do you do on a day to day basis?

I set up the teams working with me in the morning and then review their progress with them throughout the day, offering guidance where requested or required. I still actively recruit and in this capacity I split my day into business development in the morning and candidate generation and interviewing in the afternoon.

What are the best parts of the job?

I love the pace of recruitment: to be successful you need to be able to work in a rapid environment and have the ability to prioritise your workload and then focus on the task in hand. I also enjoy the fact that no two days are ever the same. Put simply, I love this job.

And which are the worst parts?

Working in recruitment is like riding a roller coaster, it has highs and lows. When things do not go your way and you get knocked down you need to pick yourself back up, dust yourself off and push on through to make sure you get back on to a high as soon as possible.

What was the biggest mistake you made as a novice recruiter, and how did you deal with it?

One mistake I made as a novice recruiter was trying to take on too much at once and the end result is that you spread yourself too thin and in turn do not achieve your goals. I learnt to break things into small, manageable chunks before I try and tackle them.

How do you think the recruitment industry is perceived by our clients and candidates?

Clients and candidates who have worked with us before understand and value the service that we provide, which is why a large percentage of our work is repeat business. People who are not familiar with what we do may have other perceptions, which I would welcome them to speak with me about.

How do you differ from your competitors in the same field?

Outside of our exceptional database and significant advertising spend, we also have ongoing day-to-day mentorship for trainees and consultants as well as a formalised training program. In addition to this our single site base ensures the free flow of information between consultants, which offers candidates the best choice of roles and clients the best selection of candidates.

What advice would you give to someone considering a career in recruitment?

If you are tenacious, ambitious, resilient and determined come and speak with us: this could be the perfect career for you.

Why Counter-Offers Don't Work Out

I had been with my first agency for more than 5 years. I had seen the company grow from a medium-sized agency into a giant mega-agency, and had lived through many changes of staff, management, and policy. It was with some sadness that I decided it was time for me to leave. My company had merged with what was then our sister company, and my department had inherited a manager who was already occupying the exact role that I had been working toward, meaning that my promotion opportunities had taken a knock. I had received a good offer from a rival agency, and all that was left was to hand in my notice to my employer.

And here's where it got difficult. All my bravado filled evenings of discussion with significant others (often over a glass of wine or three) had not prepared me for the fact that I would feel quite emotional when push came to shove. A Cab Sauv inspired "They'll be sorry!" did not quite cut it when sat across a table from the MD who had been the very person to take a chance on me, hire me, and train me in the first place.

I had prepared my letter of resignation, and I managed to keep my cool as I explained my reasons for leaving, and admitted that I had accepted another job. I anticipated that they may be sorry to see me go, and perhaps be a little annoyed that I was 'disloyally' going to a competitor. I did not anticipate that my MD would be kind, that he would listen nicely, and then bring in other managers who would all do the same. I certainly did not anticipate that the MD would seem genuinely disappointed that I had not talked to him sooner, and would then ask me what they could do to make me stay.

If the problem was lack of promotion opportunity, then they could give me a new section. They had another department which already had 2 more junior staff on it, and they needed a more experienced consultant to steer it in the right direction. They said nice things about me, and made me feel warm and fuzzy and wanted. There was talk of my earnings potential being revised upward. I began to feel very sad about leaving this office behind, with all these nice people who had known me for so long, and valued me more than I had realised. I had been to people's weddings... birthdays... what was I thinking? Why would I leave?

As I visibly wavered and wibbled about my decision, the MD very kindly gave me some time to think things over. Did I use this time to get a grip, and keep a clear head? Not exactly. I used the time to phone my dad (hey - I was 26, and sometimes you need 'dad advice'), and after that I phoned the competitor agency and politely declined their offer. I then happily announced to my MD that I didn't really want to leave, and would love to take on their new team.

I lasted less than 6 months. The team had changed, but many of the factors driving me to leave had not. I did not suddenly begin earning more money (I needed to prove myself in my new team - if anything it was a slight backward step), and I did not enjoy the new sector as much as I had the old one. My frustrations with company policy were still there. I still felt stale and, worse, I felt that management knew that I was looking to leave and would be keeping an eye out for my replacement. I was repeatedly asked (by different managers) if I had plans to leave / to work overseas, and word got out to all my colleagues that I had been looking to move on.

When I handed in my notice for the second time, it was a sad moment (and I admit that I had to work hard not to get teary), but this time my MD agreed that perhaps my heart was not in it, and that I needed a fresh challenge.

National Employment Association statistics show that over 80% of people who take a counter-offer and stay are no longer with their company 6 months on. Many of these will (as I did) discover that the counter-offer is not a fix. Others will be on the receiving end of their company replacing them now that they have demonstrated their lack of commitment. If a company offers you $5,000 pa to stay, they will only have to pay you a small amount of that if they find your replacement swiftly and, in doing so, will have avoided being left in the lurch 'between' workers.

Many companies will not make counter-offers. If your company does then be sure to consider what is motivating them to do so, what is motivating you to consider it, and what life will be like now that they know you are unlikely to be a long-term prospect in the company. Better still, prepare for the fact that you will often feel sad when resigning, and that you may be offered alternatives to stay, but that accepting a counter-offer is very rarely the right decision.

Business Ethics Sink or Swim in Floods

The floods in Queensland last week caused immense damage to numerous properties and infrastructure, with people losing homes, belongings, and loved ones. The community spirit demonstrated by vast numbers of Queenslanders both at the time of the disaster, and in the subsequent clean-up, has shown how powerful a community can be when people pull together.

When the river began to rise did your workplace become a hero or a villain?

How a business responds in times of crisis can be an indicator as to the ethics that underpin the culture and environment of that workplace. Many businesses were forced to close due to premises flooding, or workers being unable to get there. Of these businesses, the majority worked through these conditions as best they could - allowing stranded workers to have paid time off, demonstrating compassion to workers affected by the floods, and closing premises to ensure no one was stranded at work when the flood was predicted to be highest.

However, this was not the case for all businesses. There were those who insisted that stranded workers forfeit holiday or pay, those that showed little to no tolerance of someone being unable to come to work, and those who refused to shut up shop even when it meant that workers ran a risk of being stranded at work, or driving in dangerous conditions.

Small businesses cannot always afford the financial burden of an absent workforce - whatever the cause. However, a business that values the people working for it will always treat their safety with the utmost regard. For a business to treat workers with a lack of compassion at this time also demonstrates a short-term approach, as dissatisfied workers will vote with their feet.

Queensland has a long road ahead in terms of cleaning up and recovery. We would urge all businesses to show tolerance and understanding for those workers affected by the floods. A business cannot exist without the people who work for it. Support those people, and you build a team striving to hit mutual goals. Let them down, and your real business values become very transparent to all.

Dear Santa... love from Recruitment Consultant

Dear Santa

I have been very good this year. I have returned (nearly) all my candidates' calls, I have given great advice to my clients, I have saved some big projects from being understaffed, and fixed up lots of great people with their dream jobs.

Bearing that in mind, I have made some suggestions for some Christmas presents that I might like...

Detailed feedback from clients

You know those clients we all love - the ones who give detailed feedback about why an applicant is suitable or unsuitable. This helps me to refine my searches, and means I don't waste their time in the future. It's win/ win. More of this please!

Fast offers

So, my client likes my candidate and my candidate likes my client. All is looking good. In fact, my client wants to offer a role to my candidate, and my candidate is keen to accept. Everyone is happy. But then a few days have passed and the written offer has not transpired. My client is starting to say worrying things - like 'the offer has to be signed off by head office', or 'John needs to create the purchase order number, but he is on holiday until 2012.' My candidate is getting nervous, and he thinks the offer is not coming. He's starting to talk to other companies again. My client doesn't understand why I am pushing for them to hurry up the offer. Arghh! Santa - could I please have the opposite of this?

Candidates who read the ad

Yes, I know that you don't have to be perfect to apply. And I know that you might not exactly fit the criteria, but you have other skills that could mean you are great at the job. That's all fine. But if the job is for a qualified Mining Engineer with X years hard rock experience, then please don't send me a letter saying "I feel my background and experience is perfect for this job" when you have worked in the fast food industry for the last 20 years, and your only experience of mining was watching Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

Contactable references

References are essential, and usually a company will not send an offer out without them. But actually getting hold of references can be a recruiter's nightmare. Everything is in place, ready to go, and then the whole process can be deadlocked by voicemail after voicemail. One candidate (who I shall not name, but I am imagining he was not on your 'good' list, Santa) actually listed a dead reference on his CV. That's right. Among the list of people to whom he hadn't spoken in years, had moved companies, and were no longer traceable, was "Joe Bloggs, Deceased". Well, Santa, in order to get the offer out I did try holding a seance but, alas, Joe did not have much to say...

Straightforward recruitment processes

Santa, I love my clients - I really do. I want to find them the perfect candidates, and I want to do all I can to make sure that those candidates see them first.

Some of my clients don't understand this though. They want the perfect candidate, and they want them before anyone else, but then they send me an email along the lines of "We have now implemented a new recruitment process. When sending a candidate to us, please make sure that you: complete 25 pages of forms, obtain signatures from the candidate, their mums and dads, their milkman, and first grade primary teacher, use our specially tailored CV upload website, and if it crashes out then please keep re-entering the information until it finally gets through (please note, this will only work with some browsers), find out the candidate's star sign, favourite colour, and name of first pet, and put this in another form, which then has to be scanned and emailed to Mary in HR, but she only works at certain points in the lunar cycle, and she will not reply to you. You may only submit candidates for roles that are on our website, which is updated annually. You must then never contact us again, unless we notify you that your candidate was successful."

There is more...

Actually, there is much, much, more, but I don't want to come across as greedy - and I wanted to leave room for the pony too. If you could please see to all of the above, then I promise I will be good next year too!

Thank you, Santa.

Lots of love

A (very well-behaved) Recruitment Consultant

Avoiding social media suicide

Many companies embrace social media to increase their profiles, and to develop new ways of working with clients and consumers. Many employees also use social media such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn, and a host of other blogs and sites in order to connect with other people and share information. However, as an employee, how do you avoid sharing too much...? At what point can social media use become detrimental to your career, and how can you avoid this situation?

Guidelines for social media use

In general, what you do in your time is up to you. However, activities in or outside of work that affect your job performance, the performance of others, or your company's business interests are the focus for company policy. Remember that you are a representative of your company, and your actions online may affect the perceptions of clients, candidates, and the general public, not only on yourself but also on your company.

Be responsible for what you post

What you publish will be public for a very long time. Ensure that what you post online is something that you are happy to have representing you (and, where appropriate, your company) for an indefinite period of time. Also ensure that you are prepared to deal with the consequences of what you publish. When you go public you are individually legally responsible for your commentary. Outside parties can pursue legal action against you for things that you post online.

Exercise good judgement

Think before you post. If you are in doubt, or if you feel uncomfortable about your posting, then a good rule of thumb is not to send it. If you feel emotional at the time of posting then consider sending it at a later time when you have had a chance to cool down. Remember that posting online is not the same as talking to friends and family in privacy. While it may be acceptable to tell everyone at the pub about your day from hell and your awful boss, this is not something we would recommend posting online. Remember that what you post online or in an email stays there in some shape or form forever. Deleting an item does not 'undo' it. You cannot control who sees an online post or email, and there have been many cases where conversations that were intended to be confidential ended up being made very public.

Always identify yourself

Use your name and, where relevant, your job position when discussing work related matters. Write in the first person and state that any views you are expressing are your own, and not necessarily those of your company. When you are not engaged in social computing that is relevant to work, take precautions to protect your privacy. Be careful about how much personal information you divulge in the form of contact details, photographs, and security sensitive information. For example, we would strongly advise against publishing 'holiday countdowns' or information about parties and suchlike online.

Tell the truth

When stating your opinion ensure that you stick to the facts, or that you make it clear when you asserting an opinion that is not based on fact. Do not pick fights, or allow yourself to be drawn into inflammatory debates. If talking about a competitor ensure that you are professional, courteous, and factual.

Always consider your audience

Consider whether your post will be relevant to the audience in question. Treat the audience with respect. Do not use insults, obscenities, or conduct that could be deemed discriminatory or offensive. Show proper consideration for the privacy of others, and sensitivity for topics that could be considered inflammatory.

Respect copyrights and fair use

Respect the laws concerning copyright and fair use of copyrighted material owned by others, including our own copyrights and brands. Do not reprint someone else's work without properly citing them.

Protect confidential information

As per your employment contract, do not disclose any information which may be construed as confidential pertaining to the business of your company or clients.

Add value

Provide valuable information and thoughts. Enter into worthy sharing of information.

Ensure your actions are a good use of your time

Do not let your work suffer through misguided use of social media. Always ask yourself if your current actions will result in the professional outcomes you seek to achieve.

Direct media attention to the appropriate source

If a member of the media contacts you in relation to your company then direct them to the appropriate contact within your company. Do not take it on yourself to give media interviews or commentaries that could later be used as a representation of your company's views!

To sum up

Use common sense. Assume that any photo or comment you post online could be reprinted on the front cover of a newspaper. If you wouldn't want that to happen then do not post it online!

Keep it professional

Be aware of the effect that your speech and written communication has on your professional relationships.

It is now generally accepted that email is a more casual style of communication than a letter, but that does not mean that your work emails should be indistinguishable from your personal emails!

Listed below are 5 of the most common crimes against professionality:

Using text speak in an email

"Thks," "pls," "tmrw", "cu," etc. None of these abbreviations are suitable for professional communication. At best you risk being misunderstood by a client who is unfamiliar with these terms, and at worst you risk being written off as unprofessional or immature. Such terms are too casual for business correspondence, and imply a lack of respect and over familiarity toward the recipient. Do not use - even if your client uses these terms when writing to you.

Spelling mistakes / grammatical anomalies in emails

You may think that as long as your point is communicated, then precise spelling and punctuation is not necessary. Wrong! The recipient of your email needs to have faith in your credibility and ability to the job, and they need to understand what you are trying to say. Poor spelling and punctuation may cause someone to pass judgment about your academic background, intelligence, and precision. It can also mean the difference between someone understanding or not understanding your point!

Emails lacking in content

"Yep," "Done," "Cheers," etc. These are not such a problem when emailing your colleague in reply to a quick query. They become more of a problem when sent out of your office to a client.

Remember that every email is a document that exists indefinitely from the moment you hit 'send'. Every email is a chance to represent yourself and your company. These casual emails may be re-read later when the recipient is trying to find a piece of information. E.g., "Did Skye Recruitment finalise that interview for me? I've got an email saying 'yep' - what does that refer to?"

If you take the time to write a slightly more useful message (e.g., "Yes, I have confirmed for John X to meet you at your offices at 2pm tomorrow") then you are not only sending a message that will have meaning if referred to in future, but you are also reiterating what you have done for the recipient.

Pet names

"Mate," "Darl," "Doll,", "Honey," "Love," etc. In a nutshell - don't. These endearments can be too familiar for the business world, and many people find them offensive and/or patronising. Again, they can also imply a lack of respect for the other person, and have the potential for being interpreted as unprofessional and/ or sexist.

Your personal life

If your client relationship has evolved to the point at which you are discussing the weekend / families/ personal information then you are doing a good job of building rapport. However, do not take this too far, and be mindful of the point at which relationship-building chatter turns into something that could make your client lose respect for you. Hearing about your tyrannical boss or 'messy weekend' may be something your client laughs along with, but will it make them respect your skills as a professional?

To sum up

Don't ever forget that you are a professional, selling professional services. That does not mean you can't have a joke with a client, or send a light-hearted email. Your correspondence does not have to be stifling and stuffy. But remember who you are talking to, and keep your communication polite and respectful. If your bank sent you an email saying "Hey mate, u owe us $20k for ur credit card, thks" you might not feel reassured that your money is in the safest hands! Don't assume your clients will feel any differently about you.

Don't wait until January

Now is the time when many of us start thinking about what we want to achieve next year.

A new job comes high on the list for many. Traditionally a new year prompts us to re-evaluate where we are in life, how our priorities have shifted, and what things we need to change.

If you are one of many considering a career move for 2011, then do not leave it until 2011 to act! Now is the ideal time to beat the hordes and line up your new job ready for a January start.

Many people do not realise that most companies are still hiring right up until the Christmas break, so if you leave it until January then you not only run the risk of competing with the masses, but you may have also left it too late to apply.

Companies are often keen to finish the hiring process in December, and go into the new year with a new employee already organised. Sometimes you may even be able to work for a few days in December, which gives you the opportunity to get to know the team, get used to the working environment, and feel confident about being able to hit the ground running in January.

It is also usually the case that new employees are invited to attend the Christmas function, which is an excellent opportunity for getting to know your new colleagues.

Start applying now and you stand a much better chance of finding work than if you leave it until January!