In January of this year, I began an internship at The Bachrach Group (TBG) and entered a world which, previously, I had barely known existed. Though staffing is a thriving industry, it is one which operates largely behind the scenes, with recruiters constantly making deals and placing exceptionally qualified candidates, often without spectacle. Staffers are the unsung heroes of the corporate world, using networking and connections to help client companies find prospective employees, and in turn finding fantastic opportunities for job-seekers, ultimately helping both client and candidate. I admittedly did not know much about the staffing industry when I began this internship. I remember sitting in on a meeting with my team during my first week and being absolutely fascinated (and slightly confused!) by the recruiting jargon that I heard around the conference room. Immediately, I told myself that if I was going to learn anything during this internship, I had to become a sponge and listen, observe, and analyze the staffers around me. I realized quickly that in a fast-paced environment like the staffing industry, one can easily become out of the loop, and if I wanted to stay on top of things, I needed to take initiative. Being passive will get you nowhere here; I took initiative and made myself both valuable and visible.
During that very first week of interning at TBG I was suddenly thrust into the world of staffing. At TBG, there are many divisions which focus on hiring for different industries and roles. Specifically, I have been working with the Corporate Services division, which focuses on staffing for HR roles, administrative assistants, executive assistants, and other miscellaneous support roles. Though our roles are mainly within the financial industry, we sometimes place candidates within the legal, marketing, and real estate industries as well.
I gradually inherited more responsibilities at TBG. When I first started, my teammates would task me with solely sourcing candidates based on specific job descriptions. Initially, I would conduct searches through LinkedIn Recruiter (a candidate-sourcing service offered to those within the staffing industry) and send relevant candidates to my team. Eventually, I was ready and eager to take on more work. By being assertive and proactive, sourcing candidates turned into contacting them, which turned into phone screening, which turned into in-person screening. As quickly as possible, I tried to prove myself to be a valuable member of the team, and attempted to bring in as many stellar candidates as possible. During my first month at TBG, two of the candidates I sourced were eventually placed by members of my team, truly validating my efforts.
In staffing, senior recruiters are fantastic mentors, and there is so much to be learned from their daily interactions with clients and candidates. By actively observing every member of my team and treating every moment as an opportunity for learning and growth, I have developed a keen eye for detecting great candidates. Some of the most gratifying and memorable moments from my internship have stemmed from meetings with stellar candidates; one meeting, back in March, was especially notable. Though my skills in sourcing and communication have been developing, perhaps one of the most significant lessons I have learned is how to deal with rejection. Deals don’t always work out, and sometimes month-long efforts fall through; however, it is important not to dwell on these failures, and instead focus on maintaining relationships with clients and candidates when deals don’t go the way we would necessarily want. I witnessed this first-hand at TBG, but gladly I was able to learn how to handle these difficult situations from my teammates.
My internship at TBG has really helped me to sharpen my communication skills. Though I already came in with fairly advanced research skills as a history student, I have always been an introvert, and communication has never been my greatest strength. However, chatting over the phone and in-person with candidates and collaborating with my team has really forced me further out of my shell, and has helped me to shed the nervousness I used to associate with confrontation.
Who knows what the future hold for this staffing intern. Whatever may happen, I hope to continue helping candidates and clients find their perfect match, and I look forward to seeing how my career in staffing may blossom.
By Zoe F – Intern, Corporate Services
