Lewis Dainty: Hired and promoted in just three months

When Lewis Dainty joined Sellick Partnership he had no experience in recruitment and instead came on board armed with a degree in geology and petroleum engineering as well as a background in teaching.

Despite having very little industry knowledge, just two and a half months after joining the company he was promoted from Resourcing Consultant to Recruitment Consultant.

Here, Lewis outlines what secured him his promotion as well as the things he loves about his role and what his future looks like here at Sellick Partnership.

Before joining the company

After finishing university, Lewis completed his PGCE which enabled him to start working at a school where he was covering subjects including Geography and Religious Studies. However, with some doubt that a full-time job teaching would become available, Lewis was in limbo and questioned his next steps.

Despite teaching being a hugely rewarding feeling for many, Lewis felt isolated in the classroom and, although he was grateful to support young people take their next steps in life, he didn’t feel the role itself was for him and made the decision to move away from the industry.

Starting at Sellick Partnership

After applying and going through the interview process, Lewis secured a job as a Resourcing Consultant with Sellick Partnership, working within the public legal sector.

This role involves speaking to legal candidates to find out whether they are available for work, before preparing CVs that Recruitment Consultants will send to their clients. Resourcing Consultants are also be responsible for the co-ordination and management of job advertisements, as well as registering candidates on our internal customer relationship management (CRM) database.

The role is challenging and fast-paced, therefore those interested in working in recruitment must possess excellent organisational skills as you will often start out by supporting a number of Recruitment Consultants with multiple vacancies.

With a clear career progression path outlined Lewis spoke about his future goals, saying: “When it came to the next steps in my career, the focal point was always progression. Although the commission is a huge benefit to anyone, it’s less about the finances and more about the long-term ambitions.

“Eventually, my aim is to become a member of the management team at Sellick Partnership. The pathway to progression was something that attracted me to the company. There are gaps for managerial roles to be created and filled which offers people the opportunity to grow.”

“For someone coming on to a graduate scheme as a Resourcing Consultant, it would be perfect. You get a lot of experience here as well as getting a feel for what an office role is. I also love how the more effort you put in, the more you get out.”

The positive aspects of the role

Despite having flexible working options for all staff at Sellick Partnership, Lewis enjoys and chooses to be in the office full-time and appreciates the variation and pace of his job, meaning that he never finds himself clock watching.

He explained: “I love how quickly the days go because you're busy all the time. There's always something new and I thrive off the variation.

“I don't think I will ever learn or have even got close to learning how many varied situations you can be put in. You can be structured in your approach to recruitment and follow all the processes but there are those little things that can come into your day and completely throw you off. It's not dull and it's not mundane.”

Giving an example of a recent situation that tested him, Lewis went on: “I battled recently to find three candidates who all do the same thing within a niche area of the legal profession. I sent their CVs to the client and the only three they looked at were those. They went on to interview each of the candidates and the first one they spoke to was offered the job.

“You're changing people's lives, you don't really see it until you've offered them the role and they’ve accepted."

Offering another example, Lewis remembered: “A candidate that I spoke to following an unplanned phone call is now going to work for really large organisation. He is getting his life back on track after having a baby and a couple of years out.

“They are just some of the reasons I enjoy working in recruitment. It gives you that buzz, every time you place a candidate with a client. It's great, it's rewarding. I know I'm doing the right things. It's a really nice feeling and they are really thankful and grateful.”

If you are considering a career move, or would like to take advantage of the ever-changing world of recruitment, get in touch today or visit our Careers page which provides details of all our available roles.

Alternatively, you can contact our Head of Talent Acquisition & Wellbeing here!