Name: Adele Blaikie
Job Title: Recruitment Consultant
Time with company: Since December 2015
What does a typical day look like for you?
No two days are the same in recruitment. It’s a fast-paced environment, and my daily tasks may change at any moment. My day all depends on what is happening with job and candidate availability.
Luckily, I’m a super organised person and always like to have a handy “to-do” list to keep me right. Some of the things that I focus on daily are:
Recruiting for a role
Knowledge is key. I need to research the full duties and competencies required of the person that I’m looking for and ensure I have a good insight to the scope/project that they will be working on.
It’s vital to keep regular contact with our customers to make sure that I fully understand what they’re looking for in their next hire. We discuss the role in-depth and also talk about their business needs.
Candidate Engagement
I regularly speak to potential candidates and understand what they are looking for in a new job. Both if I have headhunted them, or if they’ve contacted me for advice and potential job opportunities.
Number one – we need to check if it’s viable and desirable for our candidates to move jobs. Recruitment works both ways for customers and candidates. We need to represent the candidates and ensure the hiring manager reviews their application.
On top of this, I also provide professional job seeker advice: CV writing, interview preparation, market expectation, and much more.
What challenges do you encounter in your role?
Recruitment can be challenging, with many different contributors. Your day can take a 360 at any moment. Some of the challenges that I regularly face are:
- Challenging roles – a lot of research can be required
- Time restraints for fulfilling client needs
- Candidate availability
- Targets and pressurised workloads
Do you enjoy working in recruitment?
Absolutely. I thrive in a pressurised environment, and I love that I can speak to so many different people. I’ve worked in recruitment for many years now, and it’s never become tiresome. Every day brings a new challenge, a new person to speak to, or a new project to work on. There is a lot of variety!
What do you do outside of work to wind down?
I like to go on road trips around Scotland. We live in such a beautiful place there is no excuse not to go out and explore. I also volunteer with a few different charities around Aberdeen. One of these is a local dog sanctuary where I love spending my time – I help with feeding times, and also enjoy a good pup snuggle. Lastly, you really can’t beat a good series on Netflix (crime and documentaries being my programmes of choice).
Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to work in recruitment?
Lots! There are many skills that are valuable to have when joining a recruitment team:
- Good communication skills are a huge asset. Don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and start a conversation with someone that you’ve never talked to before.
- Be organised and ace multitasking. I can be working on many different roles at the same time, and these can be at different stages too – from CV shortlisting, interview, to offer.
- You need to be a “people person”, a good listener, patient, open-minded, approachable. The list is endless. In one day, I can speak to over 100 people!
My first bit of personal advice – always be genuine. You need to be able to connect with your candidates and customers. And finally, always be open to learning something new – every day is a school day in my eyes!
Are you looking for a job move or some recruitment advice, get in touch with one of our experts today.
