Cairo
What made you want to join Prospectus?
As someone who had finished my A-Levels in the summer of 2021, I knew University was not the path I wanted to go down. With a background in customer service and working in a fast-paced environment, I wanted to find a role and organisation where both of those experiences could be applied, but also developed in a different capacity. Straight away, one of the aspects that stood out to me about Prospectus was the emphasis on the values of the organisation, and the uniqueness of having a non-commission structure as a recruitment agency. I think now having been in the organisation, you really see those values are followed by each individual on a day-to-day basis. Another aspect that stood out was the prospect of recruiting solely for the charity and not-for-profit sectors. The thought of working alongside the thousands of different charities with inspiring missions and helping them fill roles was absolutely the reason that Prospectus was the only recruitment agency I had applied to. I think recruitment itself is very rewarding in nature too – whether it’s informing a candidate they’ve successfully secured a role, or appointing an integral position for a client – it’s very fulfilling!
Why did you decide to join the Trainee Programme and what did you enjoy about it?
I decided to join the Trainee Programme at Prospectus because naturally it was the first step to start climbing the ladder of recruitment. I really enjoyed shadowing my colleagues in the Senior Recruitment Team during client meetings, candidate screening calls and even in-person client visits. Being able to shadow and work alongside senior colleagues during my trainee programme was extremely beneficial to me, as it enabled me to develop my own style of working and my own approach when encountering different situations. It also enabled me to make a confident step-up to a fully-fledged recruitment consultant, which I do not believe would have been the case had I not started as a trainee. I had ongoing support from my team throughout my training and alongside shadowing, I also took part in workshops to enhance my learning and build confidence. My mentors Matt and Steve were always on hand to help and a piece of advice which has stuck with me is ‘you aren’t expected to know everything’ meaning that if I did not have an answer to a question straight away, it’s okay to say ‘’let me double check that for you and I will ring you straight back’’ which allows me time to ensure I give accurate information.
What do you love about your role?
There are so many things! I think the rewarding nature of placing a candidate in a role would have to be the aspect that I truly love, and is the ultimate reason I come to work each day with a smile on my face. Building a rapport with a candidate from the very beginning of the process, and seeing how truly invested they are in the mission of the organisation really adds to how much it means when they are the successful candidate. You never know how much a new role can change the journey or pathway an individual is on, or where they may have been heading if it were not for your support and proactiveness in finding them a suitable role. Hearing feedback from candidates when checking in on how they are getting on in their new job such as, “being placed in this role was the highlight of my year” is truly reflective of the sheer impact a new job can have on candidates.
