A Day in the Life of a Recruiter - Yasmin Bryant

What is a typical day like for a recruiter? We love getting the lowdown from our members and finding out more about their careers! We asked Yasmin Bryant from CSG Talent what her day is like; how she moved into the recruitment industry and progressed to a managerial position.

My alarm goes off...

I usually check my emails first thing on my mobile at about 6am. After feeding my cat Tilly and having fruit and yogurt for breakfast, I head into the office for around 8am.

 I’m responsible for…

I am responsible for the UK-based Consumer team, managing business and also working on their development and growth. Making sure that team are continuously improving whilst also enjoying what they do is a challenge but so worthwhile!

 I got the job…

When I first graduated I was working three jobs and wasn’t sure where I wanted to focus my career. I watch the film ‘Friends with Benefits’ and after seeing Mila Kunis’s performance as a headhunter, I really liked the idea of doing it for a career. I had found my calling!

 I knew someone that worked at the headhunting business BW Penmen, one of the recruitment agencies that formed CSG. My contact was able to recommend me for an interview and my career took off from there.

 My typical day…

A typical day for me consists of a wide range of activities, which every executive search consultant will perform. I speak with candidates for the roles I am hiring for or, more generally, listen to their stories to help them in their career progression. Sometimes I feel a bit of an agony aunt but it really helps to be able to understand candidates’ issues.

 I also lead daily meetings with my team to check their plans for the day, mainly to ensure that our forecasting and pipeline are on track. As manager it is my responsibility to make sure that the team is continuously profitable.

 

My most memorable work moment…

My first placement was an extremely memorable moment. It was a candidate that I placed from a Baby company into a Christmas Decorations business. This placement established me within the Consumer market place and developed my role into what it is today.

 The worst part of my job…

When you have confidence in a candidate and their ability to do a role but they are - for some reason – rejected by the client. It is really difficult to let a candidate down when you know that they would have been perfect for the job. It’s also difficult knowing that you can’t help everyone with their job search as there simply isn’t enough time in the day.

 When a client changes the goal posts at the last minute it can also be extremely frustrating. As a recruiter you spend so much time at the beginning of the process trying to understand the role and when the criteria is changed it means that a lot of that work needs to be redone.

 The best part of my job…

I love seeing my colleagues succeed, especially those I am directly managing. The best part of my role though is being able to help candidates achieve their career goals, especially when they have been out of work for a period of time. You often find that when a candidate has been out of work they have lost confidence, so placing them then becomes an even greater achievement.

 I love recruitment because…

I love making a difference to candidates’ lives. There’s no better feeling than helping that person achieve their goal. I also like that fact that hard work is rewarded – being in control of my earnings is extremely motivating.

 My most challenging placement …

I had a really difficult role with longstanding Consumer brand in the UK. It was a Product Manager, the type of vacancy that I place all the time, but it was situated somewhere with a lack of other Consumer businesses. Finding someone then with the right level of experience within a commutable distance was difficult - as you can imagine there wasn’t the biggest talent pool of candidates! I had to adapt my approach slightly, and also use the assistance of the Marketing team at CSG to strengthen my search.

 After work…

I like to go to a local bar with colleagues after a successful day in the office to relax with a refreshing beverage. This is nearly always followed by a re-watch of ‘Friends with Benefits’ to remind myself why I wanted this job!

 My Plan B…

I don’t feel that I need a Plan B at this moment in time as I really enjoy my career and can see a clear future here for my progression.