Embarking on a week of work experience at Bain and Gray was a chance to learn and understand the world of recruitment and the intricate process of matching exceptional candidates with remarkable job opportunities.
When I arrived on Monday morning, I was greeted by a lovely team who made me feel welcome from the get go. The genuine and friendly environment made a lasting impression for the week. A quick coffee run was made, which is essential on a Monday morning, followed by a delicious company breakfast which the employees enjoy every Monday.
After meeting Emily Bain and Claire Gray, the lovely founders, I sat in on a team meeting, which gave me an interesting insight into how each consultant manages filling specific job roles. I noticed the sincere thought that goes into trying to match the right person with the right role. It was obvious that each consultant had made the effort to really understand each candidate they were trying to place. The team embraced a culture of encouragement and support, celebrating each other's successes and offering assistance when needed. I learnt how to navigate the company's database, being able to assist them with some work.
On Tuesday I delved into the world of marketing with Liza, Marketing Manager. I was challenged to research and understand the Gen-Z mindset when entering the workforce. As a Gen-Z myself, it was really interesting to compare my own priorities when it comes to finding a job, with the general statistics. It it apparent that most of Gen-Z are searching for meaningful work with a sense of community in the workplace. In today's working world, growing technology and mental health awareness prioritises many decisions when it comes to choosing the right job. In a ever changing workplace, more individuals have recognised the importance of being adaptable and open.
Wednesday brought an insight into office management with Livvy, Office Manager. I quickly learnt that there is a huge responsibility with keeping any office running smoothly which Livvy achieves with style. In the afternoon, I explored Soho for a marketing project with Liza. We searched for different locations for potential marketing material. I even had the opportunity to help model in some of the photographs which I enjoyed immensely.
On Thursday, I spent the morning with the temp team. Hetty and Alice guided me through the process of placing candidates in temporary positions and maintaining meaningful relationships with their clients. I got the chance to sit in on a candidate meeting with Alice, which highlighted her amazing skills of ensuring candidate care. It is evident that a lot of time and effort is put into the candidates to match them with the perfect role. Hetty showed me different roles that she needed to fill currently and took me through the database to find potential candidates, following up with a look of their CV. I was able to observe some of the calls with candidates which taught me the importance of phone etiquette which both Hetty and Alice practice perfectly.
I put some OMBS skills into practice by minuting a meeting about different charity options for the company. I finished the day with a lovely chat with Claire discussing career options in the future which really motivated me to get started in my job search after my graduation.
My week at Bain and Gray allowed me to appreciate the immense effort and dedication that goes into sourcing exceptional talent and connecting them with the right job opportunities. Meanwhile the various other roles such as management, marketing, and finance proved to be just as vital to keep the company a content and smooth running environment. The experience highlighted the importance of building relationships, honing communication skills, and maintaining a keen eye for identifying the perfect match. The world of recruitment has left an big impression on me, and I am inspired to explore this dynamic field further in the future. A massive thank you to everyone in the office especially to Jessie for inviting me for the week!
