Christian Walliker — Moving into Management Consulting Recruitment

1. Christian Walliker — Moving into Management  Consulting Recruitment  As someone who has recently changed career, it is always interesting to reflect  on your personal journey, and how you have ended up where you are. I would  consider my route to be somewhat unconventional, having come into a role in  recruitment after working as deputy manager at a sports centre, but after looking  at it more closely and especially the skills I obtained, it was more logical than one  might think.    I graduated from the University of Southampton with a History degree, and like  many fellow students, I did not have a clear idea of what type of career I wanted  to pursue. I was however desperate to start my working life regardless, and after  working at Rocks Lane Multi Sports Centre on and off since about the age of 14, I 

2. felt it would not hurt to ask if there was any work available. Initially I started on a  part-time basis, but after a few months, a full-time role opened up and was  offered to me, and I duly accepted. It was in this role where I developed a lot of  the skills which I require for my current occupation, and for life in general.  Responsibilities I had included: growing the football programme, answering the  phone to customers, and organising tournaments. Between these roles, I gained  more expertise in: problem solving, meeting deadlines, remaining calm under  pressure, developing an articulate phone manner, my computer skills, using a  database, and in general communicating with people from a variety of  backgrounds. These are all skills essential to my current role, and therefore I am  grateful to Rocks Lane for giving me the opportunity to harness these skills. The  flexibility of the job also allowed me to undertake some travelling, including trips  to Vietnam and Brazil, which were unforgettable experiences.   

3. Within my current role as a headhunter, great communication is arguably the  most important skill required to do the job efficiently. This involves messaging  candidates and clients, speaking to them on the phone, and in person. With  talking to candidates, this comes in the form of effectively relaying the job  description to them, passing on more details if they are interested, gaining  relevant information from them, arranging times they can speak with the client,  and being in touch throughout the entire interview process. We are here to help  candidates as much as we possibly can, and this is only possible by being in  constant contact, and by helping them with any issues they may have. There is  also communication with clients, such as receiving information about the roles  they are looking to fill, and information back and forth on when they can interview  candidates, and how they would like to proceed with them. Of course, by having  deadlines to meet from both candidates and clients for when they can speak with  one another, our communication in between them both and how we relay it back  is vital for a smooth and positive process. This was a vital part of my role at  Rocks Lane by dealing with customers and more senior members of staff, and  one that I have taken into recruitment. 

4.   Rocks Lane was never intended to be a role for the long term, but in the two years  I was there, it helped me immensely. Again, the recruitment industry was not a  move I planned much in advance. It was an opportunity that presented itself, and  I was very excited to accept the challenge. The idea of moving out of my comfort  zone and challenging myself is what I always drive towards, and I have now  found the perfect environment to keep pushing myself and improve my skills  even further.  The point I really wanted to convey is that it is normal to not have your whole life  planned out, especially straight after finishing university, but what is important is  to not just sit and wait for the perfect job to just present itself. It may take some  time, but you must keep challenging yourself, and to harness your skills in any  working environment, as you will then be much more prepared for when the right  opportunity does come along.