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Why being a recruiter makes me happy

Kate Allen, Executive Chair and Marketing Director, Allen Associates

Being happy in your job is incredibly important. We all spend a large proportion of our time at work, and when we enjoy what we do this can have a positive knock-on effect on many other areas of life. For me personally, recruitment has been the perfect fit, which is why I was pleased to read recently that recruiters are some of the happiest professionals in the UK.

A study of 2,000 professionals from across the country found that while 56.7 per cent of workers in the UK enjoy their job, this increases to 71 per cent amongst recruitment professionals. The stereotype for this industry is that it’s a tough sector to work in, and yes, recruitment is not for the faint-hearted, but what this research shows is that with the right approach, and the right team behind you, there are plenty of positives.

One of the most attractive attributes of recruitment for many consultants is the ability for their role to make a positive impact. Money isn’t everything, and for many people this isn’t the main motivator in their job – only 12 per cent of workers say that their salary is the most important thing to them. In recruitment, you have the chance to change peoples’ lives and their businesses. You’re working to match Candidates to their dream job, as well as to provide companies with the talent they need to grow and prosper.

Having worked in recruitment for over 30 years, I’ve met some incredible people and it’s been a real pleasure to follow them on their career journey. We’ve seen graduates progress to senior roles, then on to management, as well as those who have set up their own business and come back to us for hiring advice. What’s been so lovely is that as we’ve been building our business at Allen Associates, they’ve been growing alongside us. Many of our consultants have stayed with us for over six years and two have been with us for 10 and 16 years respectively and many more of our clients have worked with us for the 21 years we have been in business.

Of course, there are many benefits available within recruitment. At Allen Associates, we offer highly competitive salaries and team-based commission as well as an annual bonus scheme linked to company and individual performance.  We also offer additional holidays over 3 years’ service free weekly lunches and breakfasts and other perks such an all expenses paid weekend away in France as well as an annual Wellbeing Day.  As a sector, we know how important talent is to business, which is why we demonstrate our commitment to this by investing in our Employees.

All of this means that if you’re a bright, talented Candidate looking to start a career in recruitment, you’ll find many attractive offers on the table. Between 2016 and 2019, pay in the recruitment industry has risen by 18.3 per cent. If you work hard and do well, you could be earning much more.

I love that my job keeps me on my toes and no two days are the same. Even now, I’m still learning. Just over a year ago we opened a new office in London, and as Managing Director, this has been an incredibly exciting time. It demonstrates that this is a career where nothing stays the same. There’s always a new challenge to tackle, at whatever stage you are in your career.

You’ll need to be confident, a good communicator and good at multi-tasking, but if you enjoy this type of environment, you’ll go far. It’s a job that’s suited to people who like working to targets, testing themselves individually and contributing as a team. There’s nothing like the feeling of hitting your goals – whether you’ve sourced someone for a hard-to-fill, specialist role, found a Candidate who has gone on to thrive within their new position or won a new client.

Above all, this is an industry where you can progress quickly. You’re judged on your performance, not on time served. Just last year, we were proud to announce the promotion of our divisional manager Hannah Bush, who started her career with us in an entry role. We know that 79 per cent of people quit their jobs when they’re passed over for opportunities or lack appreciation at work. That’s why so many recruitment companies (including Allen Associates) offer professional training and development.

In our office, we’re a close-knit group where everyone supports each other, and we’ve shared some great memories in and out of work. It’s a high-pressured environment, but that means that people have to pull together, and having a great team – where you’re sitting next to people who you also count as real friends – certainly makes for a happy work-life balance.

Over the last 20 years, we have grown as a business to become one of the leading independent Recruitment agencies in Oxfordshire, and in 2018 have opened our first London office, to service Clients in the capital.

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