An interview with Pure Recruitment Consultant, Jamie Durham
Jamie joined Pure in July 2018 as a Graduate Trainee Recruitment Consultant. Prior to this, he spent 3 years studying Economics at the University of East Anglia, achieving a 2:1 in his studies.
What did you do before joining Pure?
Before joining Pure, I studied Economics at the University of East Anglia for 3 years and graduated with a 2:1
How did you find out about Pure?
My first exposure to Pure was through my mum! She was placed by Pure in her two most recent roles and was very complimentary about the quality of service she had received, and once I knew recruitment was the path, I wanted my career to follow, I knew Pure was the perfect company for me.
How did you find out about the Graduate Training Program?
I first found out about the Graduate Training Program through emailing our COO, Gill. When seeking my first role out of university, I’d noticed on the careers section of the Pure website that Gill was the person to contact regarding working for Pure. I sent an initial email along with my CV, and it was just before the graduate Scheme went live that year, so she emailed me over some further information, which only enhanced my desire to work for the business, as the level of support it detailed really fitted with my own personal values.
Why did you choose a recruitment company to do your graduate training? And what was your decision based on?
Originally as a fresh-faced third-year university student, I was unsure about the path I wanted to go down. However, it was towards the start of my third year that I received an email from a different company asking me if I’d considered a career in recruitment, which at the time I’d thought about but it never had gone any further than that. That particular company wanted someone to start immediately, which I was unable to do, but it gave me the motivation to explore the opportunity further, as they’d mentioned the skillset, I had described on my CV would be well suited, as I had experience within a customer-facing environment. This lit the fire under me to tailor my job search towards recruitment more exclusively, but I wanted to make sure the recruitment company I ended up working for would allow me to get the necessary development and training that I knew I needed. This added to the fantastic company culture Pure has, lead me to make my decision on where I wanted to work.
What was the interview and selection process like? What types of activities did you complete?
My interview process consisted of 2 stages. The first was an initial interview with our COO, Gill, which consisted of a variety of questions, from what I knew about Pure and recruitment, my studies and previous working experience, and some competency-based questions. The second interview was with one of the Cambridge Office Directors, Caroline, where initially we reviewed some of my previous answers from the first interview and then she pressed further into my motivations for wanting to go into recruitment, and how I would fit into the team within the office. All my activities were individual given the timescales, but I was open to doing any group-based exercises that might have been required.
When did you join the Program and how long did it last for?
I joined the Program on Tuesday 10th July, along with 2 other graduates in other offices. Everything on the first day was really welcoming and warm, and it was nice to be able to join with people at similar levels to myself. This lasted 12 weeks, with an initial 4 weeks after which including further support and on-the-job training. At the end of this, I had to present my Business Plan, which summed up the skills I’d learnt during the training, my strengths and weaknesses, and how I would plan to develop the desk I would be working on within the business.
When you joined, what did your training consist of?
The training I received during my 12-week program was fantastic. It consisted of various elements, including a detailed induction to the business on day one, a number of focused workshops relating to both the systems we would be required to use, as well as the skills we need in order to be a successful recruitment consultant. This ranged from CV Screening, Business Development Calls, Client meetings and more. I also received a Graduate Training Program workbook, which including continuing additional support documents, as well as exercises to complete to ensure I understood each module correctly.
What role are you undertaking now at Pure and what does it involve?
3 years into my role, I am currently a recruitment consultant working within the Cambridge office, specializing in permanent finance roles up to the £35k mark. It involves all the aspects I learnt within my training, from CV screening and meeting candidates to Business Development calls and client meetings (both virtually and face to face).
What do you like most about working at Pure?
There are a number of reasons I love working for Pure. The quality focus is something that resonates strongly with my own personal values, and the team are all very welcoming and friendly. For me, being able to give someone the call to tell them they’ve found their dream role is something I never got old of and is probably the thing I love most about my role.
What advice would you give to anyone thinking about joining the Pure Graduate Training Program?
I would highly recommend them to apply for it- It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made and never looked back. It’s a very busy and sometimes challenging role but very rewarding if you’re willing to put the hard work in!
