Specialising In 180 Recruitment: Q&A With Connor Smal

Connor Smal recently celebrated his 3 year work anniversary at VIQU IT. With over 4 years of experience in recruitment, I sat down with Connor to learn about his motivations behind moving to the UK to further his recruitment career and what a 180 recruitment job looks like in our Key Accounts team.

What were you doing before recruitment?

Connor: After studying Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at university, I first joined the wine industry as a sommelier. I was in that role for about 2 years, and I really enjoyed my time there learning more about wine and gaining some sales skills and experience. But whilst it was a really interesting role, I wanted something specifically in the sales sector that would challenge me more.

What initially attracted you to recruitment?

Connor: I always wanted to go into a dedicated sales-based role and my time in the wine industry cemented that. Recruitment, in particular, attracted me because of the earning potential. Being able to talk to people and connect with them, find out what they wanted in their next role and secure a great opportunity for them interested me greatly.

So, I joined a local recruitment agency where I lived in Cape Town, South Africa. I was in that recruitment role for just over a year and a half and was really enjoying it before I was approached by VIQU IT about a role in the UK.

What made you want to come to the UK to join VIQU IT?

Connor: Melinda Queck (VIQU IT’s Head of Talent) actually headhunted me! She got in contact with me about whether I would be interested in one of their 180 recruitment job openings at VIQU IT in the UK. I wasn’t convinced about whether I wanted to make such a big move. I had a few more conversations with Mike McEvoy (Key Accounts Director) who would become my future manager and Matt Collingwood (Managing Director). They talked with me about what the recruitment market was like in the UK, as well as what opportunities I could have at VIQU IT and it all sounded really exciting. My family were considering moving to the UK as well, so the stars aligned quite well.

After lots of consideration, I decided that I should go for it. Moving to the UK and joining VIQU IT was an opportunity to develop more in my career, have an adventure and experience working in a new country. Additionally, as part of my own research, VIQU IT seemed like a great company to work for, so it felt like a no brainer!

What is your job role now?

Connor: I am now a Senior Delivery Consultant in our Key Accounts team, after being promoted in 2023, which is a 180 recruitment job. That means I work mainly with candidates, where I focus on filling our contract roles with skilled professionals as quickly as possible.

My main day-to-day tasks include:

• Working with our account managers to discuss the roles they need to resource for and what the main requirements are
• Contacting relevant contractors that we already have on our CRM system and have worked with previously to see if they are available and interested
• Creating, reviewing and posting job adverts
• Reviewing applications and vetting suitable candidates
• Keeping communication consistent with our account managers about candidate situations, whether there is a high applicant volume or particular challenges in sourcing particular skillsets and presenting a shortlist of candidates
• Managing the recruitment process, from vetting candidates and organising interviews, through to providing feedback and supporting contract negotiations
• Contacting the contractors before and after onboarding to ensure a smooth transition and to address any potential issues
• Communicating with clients directly when our account managers are busy onsite

What is your favourite part of working in a 180 recruitment job?

Connor: I think my favourite part of my 180 recruitment job is the feeling of satisfaction I get when I find the right person for a role. Contract recruitment often has a fast turnaround, so I always feel particularly proud when I am able to secure a candidate for a client quickly –  I feel like it’s evidence that I know what I am doing, and that I am good at my job.

What have been your career highlights so far?

Connor: I had a great year last year. I reached my targets for both H1 and H2, securing 65 placements in total, which was a big deal for me and has definitely been a career highlight.

Also, another highlight is being able to see how much I have progressed and improved in my career so far. I have become a much better recruiter since I started all of those years ago, and I am very proud of my journey to date.

What are you looking forward to next in your career?

Connor: I’d really like to step into a role with more client-based responsibilities, such as an account manager position. I want to start building more relationships with clients and growing that side of my skillset. I am looking forward to a new challenge. I have already had some experience dealing with clients when our account managers are busy on site visits and I’d like to do more of it.

Any tips for anyone wanting to get into recruitment?

Connor: My main tips for anyone considering pursuing 180 recruitment jobs are:

• To keep persevering

Initially, it is going to be hard. I won’t try to sugarcoat it. It can be tricky to get a hang of the natural ups and downs of recruitment. However, find a way to always pick yourself up afterwards, no matter if it’s been a bad day, week or month. Don’t beat yourself up about it as recruitment is tough and you just need to keep going to have success.

• Understand what is motivating you to succeed

Knowing what your motivation is to work hard will help you get through the trickier days. Goals such as career progression or earning money to give yourself and your loved ones a certain lifestyle, can help push you through and motivate you when you feel stressed at work.

If you are interested in reading more about our team’s experiences working in recruitment, we have more Q&A style blogs here. If you’d like to join our team, click here to visit our Join Us page and learn more about VIQU IT’s employee benefits and latest opportunities.