360 in Recruitment – Circle of Support - Article by Katie Underwood

I started my journey in recruitment by joining Ashley Kate back in October 2018 as an Administration Apprentice, this was a different path for me, not one that I had ever considered whilst at school or college but as I was looking for something that would continue to expand my skillset and allow me to meet new people I jumped at the chance. As an Apprentice, I studied for my NVQ Level 3 in Business Administration and thoroughly enjoyed it, during this time I gained more confidence and key lessons I would be able to carry on through my career. I soon became to realise that the environment at Ashley Kate was where I felt comfortable and I wanted to pursue recruitment as a career.

Who knew the next 12 months would be such a whirlwind?

I completed and passed my apprenticeship in record time, I then received a promotion to Resourcing Coordinator within Ashley Kate HR & Finance and started my recruitment journey. This was a great way for me to learn the ropes, shadowing consultants and understanding the terminology used. I did this for nearly 4 months, then continued my journey to where I am today a full 360 HR Recruitment Consultant supporting HR professionals across the Midlands.

After a few months of being in my new HR Recruitment Consultant role… COVID-19 hit.

I then found myself on furlough for a few months. This was such an alien experience for everyone, I am just thankful to be part of such a great business that believed in my ability and continued to support and guide me through that difficult time. I chose to take this opportunity as a time to reflect on what I had achieved in such a small space of time. Also, I took the time to focus on my own mental health and see what I could do for others, I wanted to help wherever possible, whether that was volunteering to help the elderly, cooking meals and delivering supplies to them during lockdown 1.0 or keeping myself busy with at-home workouts, decorating or training my black Labrador puppy (which was hard work).

The key learning for me during my time with Ashley Kate HR & Finance is customer care. When I found myself searching for a new challenge, straight out of college, I found that the recruiters here took pride in checking up on me, keeping me in the loop with updates, big or small, they also took the time to meet with me and ensure I felt ready for my next move. This is very important in the recruitment world. Although things may not pan out the way we want them to all of the time, it is key for us to be there for our candidates when they need us the most, it is times like this that they will remember you in the future when they are looking for other new challenges or making recommendations for recruitment needs with friends or family.

Throughout my journey, whether that was as an apprentice, on furlough or as a full-time recruitment consultant, I have always been supported, reassured, and kept up to date with decisions. It just goes to show that no matter what life throws at you, something good will come out of it. So from someone who has been on the journey, I can highly recommend it!

Katie Underwood
Recruitment Consultant
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