Starting my career with Harvey Nash

Georgia Barker-Wright

When did you first consider Recruitment as a possible career?
I first considered recruitment as a possible career when I was going into my third year of university. A student who was graduating said she’d secured a graduate role in a recruitment agency; I probed her a little and she continued to describe it as an industry that pays well and where confident extroverts often flourish. My degree was in the Creative Arts where the demand for jobs is low. Therefore the realistic chances of me getting a job in the sector I wanted to, whilst being paid enough to support myself, was highly unlikely and so I needed to consider other careers.

What about the Recruitment role appealed to you?
Recruitment appealed to me because it is a fast paced environment that rewards well if you put the effort in. A lot of people I had spoken to who had gone into recruitment or were in the industry themselves, had a comfortable wage which definitely attracted me to the industry.

What made you choose Harvey Nash?
Recruitment is full of stigma and preconceptions; I’m aware there are still agencies that aren’t too dissimilar to a Wolf of Wall Street culture, but Harvey Nash is different. It’s in the 21st century and prides itself on being inclusive. There’s a great buzz in the office which makes me want to get up in the morning and come to work. Everyone is friendly and works well together as a team, there is no overwhelming pressure, just encouragement to do well and progress. There’s a sense of continuous evolvement here.

6 months in, what challenges are you currently facing?
After being in the role for 6 months my biggest challenge is learning the IT terminology, coming from a background that isn’t IT focused at all I’ve had to learn a lot. That said, It’s great to be in a position to be able to advise my clients and candidates of new market trends and new technologies.

What advice would you give to a graduate considering a career in Recruitment?
Just go for it! It’s not a career that you will grasp overnight but when you start making placements, it snowballs! Make sure you do your research about the agency and their culture, how their commission structure works and what their values are. It’s a great industry that enables you to manage your own success.