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Matthew Moan: My first placement as a recruiter

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As often seems to be the way, recruitment found me. I was just back from travelling and looking for a new job as a recent graduate. At the time I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do or if I was even still considered a grad. I studied Business in DCU and specialised in Economics, so I really didn’t know what direction to take after graduating in 2017.

I was applying for a lot of different positions in various industries, attending interviews, getting offers and turning them down, as they just weren’t what I wanted after college. I interviewed for insurance, marketing, customer service and banking roles and got offers from them all but they just didn’t feel right.

Next thing I knew, an internal recruiter from Cpl rang me and invited me in for a chat. I met some of the team and got a breakdown of what recruitment was.

Initially I was hesitant, but after coming in a second and a third time I knew I wanted to give it a go. The way it was described was fast paced, hardcore and energetic. I was hooked. I wanted to see if I could be one of the top billers.

Working as a recruiter at Cpl

As with all jobs it takes a few days to get used to all the new systems and internal programs, but it didn’t take long to get a good taste for recruitment.

I loved the hustle and bustle of the floor and the energy of everyone on the phone doing their own thing, unscripted and free flowing. It was totally different to my time working in customer service during college.

I had a great team, and still have. Starting off everyone was so helpful and genuinely wanted to help in any way they could. I was off on my own in no time, making calls, working my own jobs and taking on responsibility with clients.

The first major milestone and rush I had was getting my first interview from a CV I sourced myself and submitted on my own (they didn’t get the job). It just made me want to work harder and get that rush again. I had more interviews, followed by a second-round interview and then things were getting serious.

I was only working in recruitment about 4 weeks and I was on the verge of making my first placement in record time. After the interview I rang the candidate and she didn’t seem overly confident, so I was a bit disheartened.

The next day I followed up with the client and the interviewee was totally wrong! She got the job and I was ecstatic. I couldn’t wait to get off the phone and tell everyone. Next was obviously to close the deal and make the offer, it was an easy sell and she accepted, she was almost as happy as me! I could hardly talk on the phone, my voice was wobbling and I couldn’t contain my excitement.

And that’s how it started.

From my first placement all you want is to make the next one, to recreate that buzz and excitement. The first one is always going to be the best, you will never forget your first, but every single placement after that has almost been as good!

Cpl specialise in all types of recruitment from science and insurance, to office support and property. I specialise in finance, more specifically temp and contract accountants. This covers part qualified accountants, accounts payable, accounts receivable and beyond. Choosing a specialisation means you know your market and you can build relationships with your clients and candidates. This adds a personal touch to the job and makes it a lot easier.

Recruitment may not be for everyone, it can be tough and there are a lot of setbacks. You need to be resilient and very driven to succeed, but when you do and find your niche I believe it is the most rewarding job you can have.

Interested in a move to recruitment? Get in touch

Looking for a role in accountancy or finance? Contact Matthew