It’s been three months since I first joined Cpl. Looking back on my first thirty days I can’t believe how much I’ve changed and how much I’ve learned. When I joined Cpl I had no recruitment experience, but I did have a science degree and a hope that someone would take me seriously about my passion to be a recruitment consultant. Turns out, passion is all I needed.
Starting a new job is never easy. ‘Newbie’ is a hard label to wear especially when you’re sitting in the canteen alone or when the printer jams and you’re wondering whether to flee the scene or ask for help. It’s been a few months now and I’ve gained a new approach and new mentality. Research says it takes 30 days to form a new habit and change your life. It’s all that I needed to learn a few things about motivation, failure and stress.
Don’t worry about what you can’t control
During the first 30 days my goal was to observe, learn and fill in any gaps through training. However, I quickly found myself focusing on the new –new coffee machines, new procedures, new everything. It’s so easy to get swallowed up in the nitty gritty and lose sight of the bigger picture. You worry about pleasing everyone, saying ‘yes’ to everything and end up missing opportunities. Now I’m more concerned with accomplishing my personal goals and I worry less about what I can’t control.
A job with purpose is the best motivation
As a recruiter you get to change people’s lives by helping them to land their dream job. Being able to do this again and again, week on week – it’s why I look forward to coming to work every day.
I’m driven and passionate when it comes to my clients and candidates. Guiding candidates and advising them on what is really right for their careers gives me great job satisfaction. Knowing that I’ve made a difference really helps when my day doesn’t go to plan.
Don’t fear failure
The prospect of failure is less daunting to me now. In recruitment, you quickly learn to focus on the wins. When I hit a wall I know that things eventually will work out. If you dwell on that one bad day you could stand in the way of a great week or month.
But sometimes it’s hard to motivate yourself and I’m grateful for my team and the friendships I’ve made with my candidates. When you make that phone call and say the words ‘you’ve got the job’, everything is worthwhile. Changing jobs is one of the biggest life decisions a person has to make and I get to play a role in that.
I do things so differently now looking back. My mindset and how I approach the job have changed completely. The only thing that hasn’t changed is my passion. That’s what got me the job, and that’s what has seen me through since.
I’m excited for what the next 30 days have to bring.