Being a Politics & History graduate who loves all things football, fitness and travelling, a career in recruitment was the last thing on William's mind, but 3 years after graduating it would be safe to say that he's well and truly found his feet within the fast-paced industry with his employer NET Talent.
Beginning his employment journey working in nightclubs and bars, William graduated in 2016 and with his degree in hand, alongside the skills and knowledge that he had gained during a year of studies in Canada, he began his hunt for full-time graduate employment.
During his graduate job search, William attended various workshops aimed at helping young job seekers find their feet within the competitive job market and just like Samantha, William took part in our Employability Programme where he was supported in his graduate job hunt...
"I also attended workshops and seminars aimed at helping jobseekers, including the 3i course which was a great source of training and help in the hunt for graduate employment. As well as helping with specific issues such as CVs, it also helped greatly to put me into a professional mind-set which served me very well at interviews and beyond."
In addition to this before joining NET Talent, William completed an internship with Renfrewshire Council that opened his eyes to the opportunities available that would provide him with the job satisfaction that he desired!
In his current day-to-day role as Account Manager, it's fair to say that William is quite the multi-tasker. From creating job adverts and meeting with clients and candidates, to reporting on targets and carrying out market research - all whilst keeping in constant communication with various individuals - William is responsible for matching talented candidates with various vacancies within the UK's IT sector...
"As a recruiter you're a hand-holder, negotiator, scheduler, secretary, market expert and search engine."
Having worked with NET Talent for 18 months, William loves working with a great team of people, developing client relationships and learning all about the innovative technology companies within the IT industry. William's recruitment role can be challenging at times with high expectations, but he thrives within the fast-faced environment that allows him to challenge himself and demonstrate his capabilities...
"The first few months were the most difficult as you might expect. However, I've found that the challenge has remained consistently high as expectations and workload increased as I have proven myself capable of achieving good results. This is something that I am thankful for as I dislike the feeling of coasting."
Whilst William didn't imagine following a career path within the recruitment industry, his confidence, patience, resilience, initiative and strong communication skills all hold him in great stead for his role!
As we enter the month of July, graduation celebrations are in full swing and if you're currently on the hunt for a graduate job, William recommends gaining as much experience as you can...
"Every little bit of experience will add to your confidence. You should really just try lots of different things because that's the only way you'll learn what you like and don't like, what feels natural and unnatural to you. Try to cultivate some self-awareness by actually asking yourself where you could do better or where you've done well in jobs or at interviews."
In addition to this, William also suggests narrowing your job search down, expanding your network through attending seminars, job fairs and volunteering and tailoring your CV to the specific roles that you may be applying for. Some sound advice, William!
Are you a recent graduate looking to take that next step towards a new adventure? We're currently recruiting graduates within Renfrewshire to take part in an Employability Programme in conjunction with internships of up to 3 months with a variety of local organisations. Participating in CV writing, interview skills and presentation technique workshops, the programme will provide individuals with an enhanced understanding of how to market themselves within the competitive graduate job environment, all whilst gaining some valuable industry experience! For more information contact us on 01505 690093 or email us at graduates@clearviewminds.com!
Thank you for sharing your journey with us, William! If you're interested in a job within recruitment and you'd like to know more, head on over to the Prospects website for more information!