Recently I have started with Optimum Consulting as a graduate recruitment consultant, working through the graduate programme that Optimum provides. This opportunity is a very exciting prospect for me, in that prior to my graduation from university, I had completed a six month internship within the recruitment sector for a different organisation. When applying for this role, it was my thought that all recruiters operate the same no matter what sector they are recruiting in. In this respect, I could not have been more wrong in the best way possible.
The previous organisation I worked with was and still is an extremely successful recruitment organisation. The sector was blue collar and predominantly temporary and contract engagements. Each recruitment consultant would have their own “desk”, their own leads and their own candidates; team work was minimal in terms of filling jobs and sourcing the best possible candidates; there was no “cross-pollination” between sectors. Each consultant had their own individual experiences, opinions and assessments when it came to candidate selection.
What I have realised over my first three weeks with Optimum is that teamwork in finding the perfect candidate for the perfect job is a central premise. Every role that is brought in is worked on by every consultant. Each consultant has the opportunity to source and provide their candidates for each job. They are no commissions and no boundaries when it comes to who sources what. This way, they have the ability to offer clients access to a larger talent pool as well as more than a combined 150 years of experience within a variety of industries and sectors.
Is there a better operational method? Does it depend on the industry you are recruiting for? Does it depend on blue or white collar? These are all questions that many different people will have many different opinions on.
Yes, they are both competitive environments. Optimum has a great sense of camaraderie and team work whereas the former has a focus on the individual. Both methods of which translate into a successful business. So which is better? Which clients prefer which method? What does each mean for the individual consultant in terms career development? All that can be known for sure is that recruitment within Australia is the industry where you can find a home no matter your preferred working style. Recruiters are performing the same function; however, agencies work and operate so very differently.
David Levitt – Consultant