Having recently been bestowed the privilege of Honorary Fellow of the IRP, it provided a unique opportunity to take a moment to reflect on my recruitment career. I became aware of three key notes of which I am most proud and grateful. The first is how diverse and interesting my roles have been; the second is how much I have learned about business and the amazing people who make it happen, and the third is how many awesome friends I have made over 20 years, some of who were candidates, clients and colleagues.

I was one of the rare creatures who actively sought out a career in recruitment having decided the insurance world was no longer for me. I joined Alfred Marks (Adecco) as a recruitment consultant and on my first day, I picked up a phone and the yellow pages! I enjoyed a week of induction, which was probably the best recruitment training I have received. I think this is where my own inclination towards an L&D role was born!

Recruitment has always provided me with the opportunity to have a new experience every day, entirely dependent on who you happen to meet or talk to. This is truly unique and there aren’t many jobs that offer a similar experience. I have seen the very best and very worst of candidates, clients and fellow recruiters and have learned a lesson from each of them.

I found my niche in business development and was offered the opportunity to open a new branch within 18 months of joining the company. This proved to be a valuable exercise, as it taught me business skills and how to manage a P&L. When you recognise the costs versus revenue factors, it brings home how tight margins can often be and how important it is to build an existing relationship on trust and honesty in order to continue to grow your desk from within existing accounts as well as creating new clients. From there I became a Regional Manager and moved to a couple of other High Street brands before transitioning into recruitment training in 2009 with Serocor Group.

I’ve enjoyed the experience of both actively recruiting and training others to actively recruit. Either way, my job has consistently allowed me to watch careers grow and this is a great privilege, whether it be clients, candidates or colleagues. Many of my current friends began life as junior recruiters or resourcers and are now in very senior management positions. A common factor is the excellent grounding a career in recruitment can give you, providing you are professional and ethical in your approach at all times. The respect for recruiters is certainly there if we show respect, accountability and responsibility to everyone we work alongside and in whatever capacity.

Stay tuned to hear the rest of Derek's success story, coming soon!

You can find out more about IRP's Honorary Fellowship here.

See this article on the REC website