January 26, 2016, by Laura Estrop
Sorry Dad, Accountancy Isn’t for Me!
By Giles Bennetts, 2015 Graduate, BA French and History
So there I was, approaching my finals, with one eye on my exams and the other eye on ski season, when my housemates started to secure their graduate placements. Reality struck. They were heading towards a good salary and the next exciting chapter of their lives, and I was in danger of being left behind.
The trouble was that I was far clearer on what I didn’t want to do with my life than I was on what I did want to do – my two summer internships in accountancy had at least taught me that much.
Sticking to my guns
You know the drill. Every parent secretly dreams of their child becoming an accountant, or a lawyer, or some other well-known profession that sounds impressive to their friends. I didn’t want to be any of those.
Finding the ‘one’
After weeks of looking through job adverts and researching my options, I kept coming back to recruitment. I’ll be honest, the potential salary on offer was a head-turner (around £40k in my first year, rising steeply if I was successful), but it was more than that. I guess the job requirements really resonated with me. They were looking for someone who loves working with people, who likes having clear goals and being instantly recognised and rewarded for meeting those goals.
Professional and challenging
One thing that really struck me about the recruitment industry was that it’s very competitive. There’s lots on offer – excellent training, fast-track career progression, plus exposure to senior management and strategy within FTSE 100 businesses. I quickly realised that it wasn’t going to be for the fainthearted, but if I put in the hard graft it could be highly rewarding.
Being choosy
To help navigate the industry, I worked with a specialist recruitment consultant from RULE Recruitment, who helped me identify the best companies in the market and prepare me for the interviews.
It can be a difficult industry to get into as many companies only consider the most ambitious and motivated candidates. I had to go through three rounds of interviews, including a presentation and role play, which I found challenging and exciting. In the end I was offered three roles, and I decided on a smaller, privately owned firm, with a good training programme and great offices in the City of London.
My first three months in recruitment
Now I am a fully-fledged member of the rat race, enjoying living and working in the capital. I have my own sector recruiting internal auditors, and in my first three months I’ve earned a great bonus, and I’m on target for a promotion in February.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s hard work. I’m often working 12 hour days, and some days can be incredibly frustrating when things don’t go my way. I have to be resilient and determined, but I have a great team around me, and we definitely know how to balance working life and our social life.
If you want to find a role in recruitment, our career advisers can help. Book a one-to-one session today. Got a tough interview coming up? You can find a range of useful resources here.
This is really interesting. I think from what you said it has to do with your personality. You probably love communicating a lot and more of an extrovert than an introvert. Accounting jobs can be rewarding too. Great you finally found the career path you love and enjoy.