Caroline Nicholas, Recruitment Consultant with BlueArrow in Belfast, describes her job with the recruitment agency.
What’s your job?
My role is to sell our recruitment services to businesses and attract candidates for both temporary and permanent positions
How did you get there?
I have 5 years experience in Banking with Business Account Management and 4 years experience in sales roles. These roles have given me a great background for recruitment as my job involves selling and managing relationships between clients and candidates.
Do you have a typical working day?
Yes and no! An average day involves emails, sales calls, registering candidates, attending business meetings and updating people with interview arrangements and outcomes. Flexibility is however key to my job as our clients needs come first as they can call at anytime with positions they need filled and everything must be dropped.
What qualifications do you have?
A levels
What’s the best thing about your job?
Enhancing peoples lives
And the worst?
Paperwork
What other skills do you need in your role?
Interpersonal skills as I deal with a wide range of people ranging from candidates looking for work to business owners looking for staff. English and maths are also important for writing emails and calculating rates.
What do you think are the greatest challenges/pressures of the job?
We work to targets each week therefore you have to be focused and results driven to ensure that you manage these each week.
What advice would you give someone considering a career in your profession?
Make sure you choose a company that supports learning and development, treats their candidates right and research the company. Blue Arrow are in The Times top 100 companies to work for and Investors in People gold accredited, which means that our organisation provide the best training for our employees in the market place.
What did you want to be when you were at school?
An Entrepreneur
What’s the most common question people ask when they find out what you do?
Can you find me a new job?
What do you look for on a CV?
We get so many CVs, to set you apart I would recommend the following format; cover letter which will showcase why you are interested in the company and position, a personal statement, education, work experience, achievements in work and personal achievements. It is also important to check the grammar, spelling and layout and 2 to 3 pages maximum
When you interview someone, what qualities are you looking for?
Friendly, enthusiastic, smart appearance, good time keeping and positive!
Do you have a killer interview question and if so what is it?
Yes – sell yourself in 30 seconds!
How do you like to relax outside work?
Usually with a Pina Colada!
Read more about BlueArrow including the agency’s latest vacancies.
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