A new perspective

Days after happily flinging away their A-level texts, five female students took a bold step into the offices of one of the UK’s largest recruitment consultancies. To these girls on their first day, the recruitment world was no different from ‘the City’. For them, it meant ‘corporations’, ‘men in suits’ and ‘big buildings’. But while all their friends have been enjoying their summer holidays and planning their university accommodation, the group of five 18-year-olds have been given an introduction to the world of recruitment. The recruitment industry has long had to endure the ‘male, pale and stale’ tag. Michael Page has had these five teenagers working in its central London offices for the past eight weeks to combat the lack of fresh talent coming into recruitment. However, the scheme for the students has not been the standard work experience of filing, doing the sandwich round and idly reading newspapers. The girls, all from inner-city schools, can now vet a candidate’s CV, weigh up the relative ‘speeds’ of temporary and permanent placements, copy-proof an advertisement for a client, and talk a little about the world of finance. But, without realising it themselves, they’ve also brought a bit of perspective to the Michael Page offices, and given consultants food for thought regarding their objectives in the industry. The girls – Oiyee Chiu, Emily Wynne and Rachelle Tipler from Greycoat Hospital Secondary School, Victoria, Titilope Adeyanju from Crossways Academy, Brockley and Julia Shields from Thomas Tallis, Blackheath – were given the opportunity after Moorgate-based charity The Brokerage Citylink visited their schools. Not just a job centre After an assembly presentation from the charity, those who showed interest were then interviewed for the posts. The successful participants were then invited to have a 12-week paid stint at Michael Page over the summer. The exercise has provided a few interesting warnings to Michael Page and the general standing of the recruitment sector for the next generation of potential consultants. It’s clear that more effort is needed to bring newcomers into the industry. Apart from the well-known high-street agencies, these youths had precious little knowledge of the sector, either in its benefits to the economy, and for them as candidates when they graduate. “There needs to be more brand awareness,” says Julia Shields. “I thought a recruitment agency was like a job centre.” Shields has been working in the marketing department during her time with Michael Page. She has been encouraged enough by the time with the company to consider the sector after she graduates. “I would work in marketing. My time here has opened my eyes to that world. Before I came here, I thought that an advertisement in a newspaper took a few seconds to make,” she says. “But now I’ve gone through the whole proofing process and liaising with clients and consultants and I’ve found it very interesting.” Claire Wightman, account executive in Michael Page’s internal marketing department, has been supervising Shields, and has been pleasantly surprised about the ideas and concepts offered by someone with no experience in the industry. “Some of her ideas, I wouldn’t have expected from somebody so young… Twelve weeks is not an enormous amount of time, but she’s taken to it very well.” Wightman feels Shields’ enthusiasm has rubbed off on other staff. “It has been a good experience for everyone here,” she says. “Sometimes in our industry, we don’t think about what we are doing. The experience of having someone new and young in here has made the other staff here think a bit more about what they are trying to achieve.” Naturally, not all of the students are convinced that they could actually do the job. Paul Holloway, manager of the HR division for the retail and leisure sectors, has been supervising Rachelle Tipler. He predicts a bright future for the teenager in the industry, despite her initial reservations. Recently, Holloway invited her to make an informal judgment on a candidate, and welcomed her response. “Over the last two weeks, we have had Rachelle sitting in on interviews,” he explains. “I asked her whether she would make a hire on the strength of the interview. She said she wouldn’t have done, and gave very valid reasons.” Holloway plans to bring Tipler along to client meetings, and was unconcerned about the potential problems this may cause in business dealings. “We have got some very good clients we have known for years, and we see this as a very positive exercise,” he says. Holloway hopes this scheme will encourage young people to look at a recruitment as a long-term career. “Prior to recruitment I trained as a teacher, so I suppose I have an insight in developing young people, and to have someone new and fresh in the office provides a very important balance and is good for team morale. “Having Rachelle here has helped the consultants to understand their own position on the team. It always helps to teach someone younger than yourself.” Tipler, however doesn’t see herself joining the industry. “I don’t think I have the motivation to do the job,” she says. However, she values her experience of the business world: It has taught me that you have to be realistic as well. You can’t over-expand what is on your CV.” Michael Page managing consultant Sapna Sharma has helped to oversee the scheme. She arranged a breakfast meeting for the teenagers on their first day and has acted as a mentor for them during their time with the company. “They are so forthcoming. It’s not like they don’t come forward and suggest things,” she says. “We also believe that if the scheme helps to increase their confidence, that’s something we have achieved in itself.” Full of potential The Brokerage Citylink helped to place the girls in their roles. In all, it has registered 500 children this year, and 65 ‘alumni’ from previous placements. Lisa MacLaren, business development manager for the charity, has previous experience in recruitment, having worked for Hays for five years and at Michael Page for a year and a half. She thinks that because Michael Page has chosen to pay the candidates, the teenagers bring a fresh attitude to their roles that two weeks of unpaid work experience could not provide. “I think Michael Page see it as a way of young people being aware of what recruitment consultants do, and also the services it can offer them as candidates,” she says. “The most important thing is to make these young people aware of the opportunities in the City.” As the students approached the halfway point in the stint, they gave a mixed response to the prospect of a job in recruitment. “I would not say ‘no’ to a job in recruitment. It has been interesting to learn about it,” says Wynne. Chiu says: “I’m not sure I’ve got the urge to sell. I’d be more interested perhaps in a researching role, or helping the consultants with their jobs.” Adeyanju adds: “I would not rule it out. I would love to be a consultant. I like working under pressure, but I wouldn’t be a finance consultant. I could perhaps recruit for the healthcare sector.” By having these teenagers learning the business, Michael Page is engaging in a learning curve as steep as that encountered by its young students. Apart from the standard university milk round, not enough companies are taking the benefits of the industry to students, and if an agency can take the initiative to at least spread the word, it can only reap the benefits in years to come. The five students have expressed an interest in returning to Michael Page as ‘alumni’. As Recruiter went to press, the consultancy was in the process of formalising details to have the girls return next summer. Sharma hopes the Michael Page scheme will at least encourage discussion about the industry, in an arena where the recruitment world is arguably failing to make its mark. “We were not expecting them all to say: ‘Yes, we want a career in recruitment!’ she says. “It would be great if they did, but it was more about raising awareness to their peers.” And for that, Michael Page should be congratulated

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