As part of our social responsibility and continued desire to find the Midlands top talent we often attend university careers fairs enabling us to meet with and get to know lots of undergraduates studying in many different subjects.
At such events we aim to talk to as many students as possible and share our expertise on starting a finance career. We give tips on everything from writing CVs to preparing for first interviews and advise on what employers are seeking in the current job market.
At a careers fair last spring we met with Chris Scotney from Birmingham University who is studying Mechanical Engineering in his second year. Chris was interested in gaining experience through internship work and after talking with us at the fair for quite a while we quickly realised that he would make a great addition to the ever growing Mitchell Adam team.
6 months on, Chris joined us for August working along side us as a summer intern. He has been involved with all aspects of the day to day job and has been a great help to many of the consultants over the weeks.
Before he escapes back off to Uni to complete his third year, I thought I would sit down and ask him how he has found his time with us.
Chris, so you’ve worked with us for a few weeks now, how have you found it? Is it what you expected from a summer internship?
“I’ve found my time here really enjoyable, the people are really friendly and the atmosphere is laid back. Everyone is very focused and just gets on with what they need to do. I was expecting to be thrown in the deep end a bit and tested on my capabilities which is what happened but I had a lot of guidance and the directors who spent a lot of time showing me the ropes of recruitment and what to look out for when searching for candidates.”
So why did you want to do an internship and why in recruitment?
“I wanted to do an internship to gain a position of responsibility on my CV. I wanted the position to show that an employer had put trust in me. I was looking for something more than working in a supermarket or bar where all you have to do is serve customers. I looked at loads of different internships in various industries like technology, engineering, retail with some big companies including Sky, BT, BBC and Rolls Royce. Mitchell Adam really stood out to me as a company that cared above all else. When I explained to director Adam Butler that I had an opportunity to work for 6 weeks at Glastonbury so would be unlikely to commit to the internship he encouraged me to carry on and then call him when I got back – he seemed really keen to show me what they are all about at Mitchell Adam.”
So what have you been up to for the last month? Can you give us a quick overview on what work you have been doing and how you have found it?
“To begin with I was doing market research for a new area. This involved looking at different companies and the demand for finance jobs in that district. The following week I was working on candidate sourcing and CV searching to help out the consultants in the office with jobs they had to service. I was also making the initial calls with the candidates in order to establish their needs and if we would be able to help them find a job. Then for the last couple of weeks I was given the opportunity to assist with servicing 4 finance jobs. At this point I was helping with the same jobs as the consultants in searching and trying to find the best people for the roles. I found it all good – I was say that it probably takes a few months to really settle into things and know how to deliver a recruitment service that is different.”
What would be your advice to other undergraduates who might be thinking about an internship within recruitment?
“I would definitely say to go for it! But do a lot a research first and ask loads of questions. I think there are blurred lines when it comes to what people think of recruiters and people might be unaware of what it involves. You need to be chatty and out going as well as focused with what’s going on. I think a lot of people might shy away from wanting to get into recruitment and I guess all recruiters are different but it’s actually a really good job.”
What has been the best thing about your time with us?
“I think the best thing has been the people; it’s a really good work environment and gives a true reflection of what good recruitment looks like. It’s really open and you can ask any questions and people help each other out. I think it’s really important to enjoy going to work and enjoy what you do, until working here I had a completely different perception of what recruitment was like.”
Are we likely to see you again do you think?
“I hope so, I have another two years left studying but if there was ever another opportunity to come back and gain more experience, I would take it.”
– Emma George –