My Career in Recruitment... Donna Rowlands

We love finding our about our members and their careers, and we've been lucky enough for Donna Rowlands from Recruit Right to provide some insight into her life as a recruiter and what keeps her motivated. Keep reading to find out more!

Hi Donna, thanks for agreeing to share your recruitment story. Can you tell me what your current role is and how long you have been working in this position? My current role is Business Development Consultant, focusing on industrial and temporary recruitment, and I'm working with Recruit Right in the North West of England. I’ve been with Recruit Right for almost 5 years, after many more years in the industry… I have been working in recruitment since I was 20 years old, and whilst I won’t tell you my age, I’ve been at this for quite a while!

What motivated your decision to join the recruitment industry? I got into recruitment through a relative, as my cousin used to be in the recruitment industry. They suggested that I would be suited for the challenge, so I applied to be a Trainee Consultant… and the rest is history!

What is the best part of your job? Working in recruitment is a very rewarding experience and there are quite a few things about my job that I love. The top three would have to be getting the word out about amazing recruitment agencies such as Recruit Right and defying the bad image agencies tend to have, the excitement and rush of winning tenders for contracts with large or well-known companies that really challenge you to perform, and providing job seekers with advice/support and opportunities for work.

A lot of positives! Are there any downsides? It is a huge disappointment when contracts come to an end, especially unexpectedly, and I really dislike having to release hard-working and loyal candidates from their contracts. We all know the contractor game and understand that it happens, but it unfortunately doesn’t change the fact that it’s the worst part of the job!

Can you tell us about your most memorable experience as a recruiter When I was 21 - only one year into working within the recruitment industry - I won North West Temporary Consultant of the Year. Not only was this such a confidence boost but it also came with a cash prize (safe to say I spent it on a holiday)!

You've been in recruitment for some time, how do you keep motivated? I have a strong passion to succeed personally and professionally. Job satisfaction, money and personal growth are all factors that really drive me to achieve my goals and to continue setting more and more targets for myself.

Can you tell us about your career aspiration I’ve set myself the goal of running my own successful team of consultants by 2020. Beyond this, I would love to be successful within a higher management role.

If you could change one thing about recruitment, what would it be? I’m sure many temporary recruitment consultants would agree – candidate commitment. It is a real disappointment when a candidate lets you down, especially when they do not inform you personally or with enough time to find a replacement. It can really ruin your day.

What advice do you have for those starting out in recruitment? I have 3 pieces of advice for anyone who wants to give recruitment a go: 1) SMILE 2) Learn to sell & close deals 3) Don’t take all the bad times personally

I can guess the answer to this, but would you recommend recruitment to others? I would definitely recommend recruitment to others. When you find the right company to work for, you become a family of consultants all supporting each other and sharing the ups and downs of recruitment together!

Looking to get into recruitment? If you're considering a career in recruitment take a look at why you should follow your curiosity and join the best industry in the world by visiting our recruitment career web pages.