Kasia started on the GTS in 2010 and is currently working as the Ethiopiaid Manager for Reed Foundation in London. Kasia graduated from the University of St. Andrews with a degree in Psychology in 2008.
Why did you apply to the Reed GTS?
I completed two degrees and an internship and still was not sure what career path I wanted to pursue. I knew that I wanted to grow and develop in some way with a good company. Reed’s GTS was a great opportunity for me because it enabled me to try different things within a variety of roles. This allowed me to make an informed decision about my future. I like knowing that there are long-term opportunities in Reed and that there is a potential to relocate if I wish to.
This form of a GTS is very unique. I believe most of the companies expect you to commit to a specific course right from the start e.g. marketing, even if you have not done anything like that before and you can’t really know how it works. With Reed you get a chance to make informed decisions and commit to something you like and are good at.
What was your first GTS placement and what did it involve?
My first placement was very interesting. I began in Victoria Hospitality as the compliance coordinator. Victoria is a very busy branch with more than 300 temporary staff on their books and a high turnover. I was responsible for recruiting, interviewing, screening and occasionally placing the candidates. I carried out security checks for different government bodies including Met Police or the House of Commons. I was responsible for internal and external audits. I was working closely with consultants in the branch helping them to find suitable candidates for their bookings. The biggest challenge was the fact that the role had to be built from scratch, as I had no predecessor. This led to me being very busy, but I much prefer it that way. My confidence was built up and I have never been more organised or better at prioritising.
What is your current GTS placement and why did you move into that role?
Currently I am the UK Manager for Ethiopiaid, which is a charity under the Reed Foundation. What attracted me to this role was an extremely high degree of independence, broad spectrum of responsibilities and a chance to learn something very different to what I did previously. It is amazing to be able to learn how to run a charity on your own, which, in many respects is similar to any other business. As in the majority of businesses, the measure of your success is the money you make, but in this case you give it to the people who are in desperate need and that makes the job extremely rewarding.
What have you enjoyed the most about the GTS and what has been the biggest challenge?
I enjoy exploring different career paths and the support offered by both my managers and my mentor. It is great to work with people who appreciate your contribution to the projects and take genuine interest in your career progress.
The biggest challenge so far was establishing the confidence to put my ideas forward and push for the things I believed in. The fact that I do different things in every role means being taken out of the comfort zone, which can be challenging at times.
What advice would you give candidates applying to the GTS?
Don’t be put off if you dread the question “what career do you want to pursue?” Be honest, open and willing to learn. Reed will appreciate that, give you chances to choose what you want to do and support you through it.
Finally, how would your summarise working for Reed?
Hard work, good fun and great friends. Definitely enjoying it!
Neil Woodley
Neil started on the GTS in 2010 and is currently working as the GTS Manager for Reed Executive in London. Neil graduated from Heriot-Watt University with a degree in Economics in 2006.
Why did you apply to the Reed GTS?
Reed seemed to be one of a very few number of companies with a Graduate Scheme that offered not only a clearly defined structure but also the flexibility to join different areas of the business. It was clear after some initial research on Reed, this was a company where hard work is rewarded not only financially but also through career progression. I was encouraged to see that a number of the Senior Director’s had started out on the Graduate Scheme which gave me something real to aim for. I had also been in touch with someone that worked in recruitment and I felt that the fast paced and challenging nature matched up to what I was looking for in a career.
What was your first GTS placement and what did it involve?
My first placement was in the Edinburgh Accountancy office. I joined as a Consultant specialising in permanent recruitment and had the responsibility of managing my own desk for a large area in Edinburgh and the surrounding towns. I wanted to make a positive impact in a short amount of time as I knew I would only be in this placement for 12 months. I built a lot of relationships with new clients and was able to secure repeat business with many of them. I had a great time interacting with clients by going to meet with them and finding out more about their company’s. I also got a buzz from meeting candidates and then being able to get them jobs they actually wanted to be in!
What is your current GTS placement and why did you move into that role?
I have since moved into my second placement with the job title of GTS Manager. I am now responsible for the overall running of our very own Graduate Scheme. This means I get to deal with the recruitment side, i.e. researching and implementing new attraction methods, arranging interviews and ensuring the process runs smoothly, as well as the management side, i.e. assisting with placement transitions, dealing with all enquiries, etc. The role is hugely varied, requiring me to respond quickly to situations and think on my feet. I get to meet a lot of senior people in the business so it’s also great from a networking point of view. It also involved me moving to London which was something I never saw myself doing several years ago.
What have you enjoyed the most about the GTS and what has been the biggest challenge?
I think the mentoring scheme is a great idea and something I’ve found really beneficial. I get the opportunity to interact with the CEO of the company and discuss topics that are directly related to my own career. I’ve used it as an opportunity to learn from someone that is hugely experienced and able to offer guidance on my own career.
I would say that the biggest challenges have often come from ones I have set myself. My attitude as soon as I joined the scheme was that I wanted to do everything that I could to be successful in my role. I had a chat with my manager and we set some targets that seemed particularly daunting at the time. However, after a lot of hard work and outstanding support from colleagues I was not only able to meet the targets but also exceed them, which in turn led to me reaching Senior Consultant status within 9 months of joining – probably my greatest achievement to date.
What advice would you give candidates applying to the GTS?
Be flexible, enthusiastic, resilient and work hard. Remain flexible and open minded when considering opportunities or being given advice from fellow Co-members. When you come into work feeling enthusiastic about the day ahead, then you are going to achieve so much more and ultimately enjoy what you’re doing. I’ve faced numerous challenges since joining the scheme and when things don’t go your way, it’s important to bounce back quickly.
Finally, how would your summarise working for Reed?
It’s a fast paced industry with a new challenge every day that keeps me on my toes. The opportunities to progress and evolve are there for the taking which makes for an exciting place to work.
Lucy Clifford
Lucy started on the GTS in 2008 and is currently working as a Group Legal Assistant for our Legal Team in London. Lucy graduated from Edinburgh University with a degree in Law in 2008.
Why did you apply to the Reed GTS?
I wanted the opportunity to study for a professional qualification whilst gaining invaluable work experience. The main struggle upon graduating and looking for employment is the prerequisite for work experience for a lot of employment positions, which is why a graduate training scheme was ideal for me. Additionally I wanted to move to London, and Reed allowed this for first year placements in branch.
What was your first GTS placement and what did it involve?
My first placement on the GTS was as a Personal Advisor for Reed in Partnership, which involved providing specialist support to incapacity-related benefit claimants assisting them in overcoming barriers to employment. I worked on the West London Pathways to Work contract with the Department of Work and Pensions.
The role required a broad range of skills, predominantly organisational and those vital to performing in an outcome-based environment; judgement, flexibility, innovation, professionalism, resilience and the ability to build rapport.
I won a best performer award for my region in my last month in the role, and was also part of the team that won the Reed in Partnership National Business Development day in March 2009. This focussed on selling recruitment services to prospective employers and seeking out vacancies suitable for our caseload.
I loved working towards branch targets as part of a team, as well as those set for me individually. I made some great friends and still meet up with my old team regularly. This kind of targeted working environment can be testing at times, but starting out on such a steep learning curve and being able to demonstrate successes in my previous position quantitatively definitely benefitted me when applying for my 2nd and 3rd year placements.
What is your current GTS placement and why did you move into that role?
I am currently working as a Group Legal Assistant for the in-house legal team here at Reed. I did law at university and upon graduating was unsure if this was the route I truly wanted to pursue. The Reed GTS provided me with the opportunity to experience work in different areas of a large private sector business and to obtain legal experience without tying myself into a training contract and more exams!
The responsibility I have been entrusted with in this role allows me to comprehensively understand and, to some extent, experience what life would be like as a solicitor. My role primarily revolves around commercial litigation, with some ad hoc research into employment or contract law for the solicitors that work here.
What have you enjoyed the most about the GTS and what has been the biggest challenge?
I have taken enjoyment and crucial life experience from all of my placements to date, and made some great friends along the way. My favourite period on the GTS would have to be when I worked as an Executive Assistant to the COO of the International Division for my second year placement. The exposure I got to life at Director level, and to members of the Senior Management team at head office was invaluable. Speaking to people from all over the world on a daily basis provided a real insight into the way different countries and cultures operate.
Moving to London and adjusting to a long commute took a few months to settle into, especially as my first role as a Personal Advisor was very a fast-paced and target driven one. Another challenging aspect to that role was that assisting candidates, who were all benefit claimants, in seeking employment in a recession could seem impossible at times!
What advice would you give candidates applying to the GTS?
Be yourself, I think being honest at all stages of the recruitment process gets you much further in the long run. If you can't detail experiences described on your application form in person then you'll soon be caught out.
Prepare well before interview; you can predict certain questions that will crop up. If you haven’t put in the effort to prepare for these then it doesn't make you look like a very committed potential employee.
Finally, how would your summarise working for Reed?
The Reed GTS provides a fantastic opportunity to gain a variety of work experience across the Reed group of companies. If you are prepared to work hard and be proactive about creating responsibility for yourself then the options are endless!