As you probably know, in the last two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way recruiters work. You’ve probably felt a change in your work life balance, along with expectations set by your workplace.
It’s not just the recruitment industry that’s feeling this seismic shift. In November this year The Guardian reported that the UK was in the midst of ‘The Great Resignation’, with one in four workers looking to change their job or career following the pandemic. And it's easy to see why.
The transition to working from home has been difficult, with many people struggling to set boundaries. Many people may have found that whilst resources declined due to furlough and budget cuts, work loads may have remained the same or even increased, and the KPIs of what was considered successful constantly moved. On top of this, many Consultants are feeling underappreciated for the hard work they put in throughout a difficult time, especially when some firms want to return to the old way of working. It’s understandable that many are looking for a new company to work for or even a career change altogether.
However, you may have found that you’ve had the opposite experience and your workplace has been really supportive and prioritised your wellbeing. Here are five signs that you’re working for a great recruitment agency - if your current workplace doesn’t match any of this, it may be time to look for a new role.
You're supported (and rewarded) for the work you do
As you’ve probably experienced, no day in recruitment is the same. The industry can be incredibly competitive and fast-paced. As a result, you’ve probably had the opportunity to earn commission or a bonus alongside your annual salary.
And it makes sense to be rewarded in this way - after all, the more clients you bring in and candidates you find, the more money you’ll be making for your employer.
But in order to obtain these bonuses, you should be given the tools and support needed to reach them.<br> <br> If the company you work for doesn’t have a clear and fair remuneration scheme, or they’re not giving you the tools and support you need to effectively do your job, then it might be worth considering going elsewhere.
At IDEX Consulting, we believe in rewarding our employees for their hard work, by incentivising them, which is why we offer generous rewards and bonus schemes. This is something our Client Director, Ashlea Walton can attest to. After joining IDEX consulting she climbed the career ladder and went from strength to strength and says, “There’s lots of external and internal training and you have everything you need to be successful [at IDEX]. If you can’t be successful here, I doubt you would be anywhere.”
Your agency embraces change and technology
The company you work for should make you want to work smarter, not harder, and it’s no secret that technology can revolutionise the way you work, ultimately improving communication with clients and candidates. With more and more agencies still experiencing the ramifications of COVID-19 and adapting to hybrid working models, the need to utilise technology is more important than ever before. If your company isn’t doing so, they risk losing clients and candidates to their competitors if they don't keep up.
Should you find your workplace is resistant to change and you’re using software on your own merit, it may be worth looking elsewhere.
A good recruitment company will have the right tools and technology in place to help their recruiters excel by focusing on what they do best.
At IDEX Consulting, this is something we truly believe in, and invest in solutions and technologies that make the lives of our Consultants so much easier, whether that's marketing leads, cutting edge technology or teams of support staff.
In fact this is something that has helped Lewis Campbell, Managing Consultant, thrive at IDEX Consulting. He says, “the management at IDEX is always willing to try new tools and help us work more efficiently and effectively. We’re given the space to suggest new methods and test new ways of doing things “
You're given training and career progression
Many boutique recruitment agencies expect you to hit the ground running with your existing skills and knowledge, but may not offer the necessary training to help you meet your targets, and progress in your career.
However, when you work for the right recruitment company, they’ll invest in you and give you the training and support you need to thrive.
They’ll set targets that are challenging, but reasonable, and more importantly, achievable, and offer you the training you need to thrive.
At IDEX, we provide unlimited training and development so that our recruiters who work in the Insurance, Financial Services and Legal sectors can thrive. We also approach targets in a way that help you climb up the ladder.
Our Head of Sales & Marketing, Richard Martin says, “By approaching targets as tools for progressing your career, you free up time and energy to focus on the activities that most benefit your clients and candidates. You feel like you’re making a difference instead of running on a career treadmill that doesn’t actually take you anywhere.”
You feel valued by your managers and colleagues
We’ve all heard the saying, “people don’t leave companies they leave managers”, and to a degree, this is true.
Many people start to look elsewhere and jump ship if they feel they’re being overworked and undervalued. You may have found yourself scrolling through social media and shuddering at just how realistic those satirical scenarios with bad management and toxic workplaces are.
If you feel valued and supported by your colleagues and managers, then you’re in the right place. For example, a great workplace will treat your vulnerabilities as strengths rather than weaknesses, and help you to improve them.
Our client Director, Ashlea Walton understands the importance of a company culture where you feel valued and supported. Before she joined IDEX she’d, “already spent nine months at a firm where I was made to feel like a failure, but the culture at IDEX instantly made me feel like I would be successful.”
You no longer get the Sunday scaries
There’s nothing quite like the weekend and we’ll all admit they could be at least two days longer.
But when you work for the right company, you may find that you’re not getting those dreaded Sunday scaries or Monday blues. You’ll wake up on Monday morning and look forward to what the week has to bring.
If you’re looking to work at a new recruitment agency, or want to progress in your career, apply to join the team at IDEX Consulting today.
