‘Our biggest strength at Oyster is our people’
‘I fell into it’ may have been the response years ago, when asking successful recruitment consultants why they chose to work in recruitment, however with little barriers to entry and uncapped earning potential, it is certainly on the radar as being a job of choice for more and more people every year.
With over 39,000 agencies in the UK alone, the choice for anyone looking to move into the industry is vast, but what makes them stay with a company and change their job into a career? The core excitement of the recruitment world revolves around the simplicity of placing the best-matched professionals into the right business, however, it is the individuals' integrity, dedication, understanding, and reputation that will set them apart from the fierce competition.
Divisional Manager Jaspreet Bhogal joined us 7 years ago from Hays. Having worked her way up at Oyster over the years, she now leads a team of 12, all of whom are becoming thought leaders in their specific remits and aspiring to have a career as successful as her own.
Jas clearly demonstrates her capability of excellence with a recent nomination for a prestigious Investors In People award; ‘The Investors In People Manager Of The Year Award’. Jas has had a great career so far, and it is certainly one to be very proud of. Here she answers 7 questions for her 7 years at Oyster, and she explains how recruitment is a career of choice and how it has made such a difference in her life.
1.How did you end up in recruitment?
Like many, in the last few months at university, I was faced with the fear of entering the ‘real world’. I knew I wanted to earn money straight away and with that, I started contacting graduate agencies.
Unfortunately, I was placed in a role that was completely wrong and I hated it! However, the silver lining was I started thinking about all the things I disliked about my recruiter and kept coming to the same conclusion – ‘I could do what you do, but better’… and so I did!
2. How did you come to work for Oyster Partnership?
Before joining Oyster I was working for a large international agency; I’d been there for 2 years and was getting itchy feet! I received an email on LinkedIn from a director at Oyster – and the rest is history!
3. Before you joined the world of recruitment what were your ideas about it and have any of these thoughts proved differently?
I honestly had no idea about what recruitment was! My first impressions came when I told family and friends I had a new job. Most of their opinions were ‘Oh it’s a bit cutthroat’, ‘Isn’t that like HR?’ They couldn’t have been more wrong. I’m sure there are some ‘cutthroat’ organisations/ individuals out there but I’ve been fortunate enough to be surrounded by colleagues (past and present) who have supported me through good times and bad. I cannot say enough about the comradely that recruiters have – we’re all in it together! Working for such a great business like Oyster Partnership has changed any negative perception I heard initially – they really do things differently for all the right reasons.
4. What has been your biggest achievement working at Oyster?
My biggest achievement has to be my team. Whilst I took to recruitment relatively easily, management was a different story! However, years later I’m so proud of my team and what we’ve achieved; we’re breaking stereotypes daily and the future looks brighter than ever for all of us!
5. Tell us the reasons why Oyster Partnership has enabled you to have such a long-term career?
As I joined Oyster in its infancy I’ve been able to grow with the company, there’s a career path in place and milestones that I need to achieve to get to each next level. If I have an idea, I’m able to go to Sasza (MD) and run it past him, and we can make it a reality! I honestly can’t see myself working anywhere else so I’ll be around for the long term.
6. Would you say recruitment is a career of choice for those looking for a change?
100% recruitment offers so much, there are very few careers out there, where regardless of your educational background, employment history, age, or gender, you can make something for yourself.
I know there is still a stereotype around the industry but I think like with most things in life, bad experiences ring louder than good ones. For every bad recruiter, there are so many more working hard to find someone in their next role or for an employer, their next new member of staff, and we do this with such pride.
7. In comparison to most jobs what really stands out about OP?
In my opinion, our biggest strength at Oyster is our people – we’re all so different yet we all have a common drive to succeed – making for an amazing work environment.
We offer more than just your standard recruitment incentives (although the holidays, lunches etc. are the most fun!) Each employee is given two paid days a year to work for a charity of our choice, so I’ve personally worked alongside one of my clients offering interview advice to vulnerable people in need.
It is also a bonus that each employee has a personal goal plan and we then figure out what they need to achieve at work to help them reach these objectives. There’s ‘suggestion time’ once a quarter where employees can bring along ideas for the company and if approved by the MD these are then implemented, some examples include; Sunshine Day, fruit in the office, suit loan scheme etc. The list really does go on!