Thinking of joining a Graduate Training Programme? Not made your mind up yet? Before you do, let Ellie Steinfeldt take you through her experience of the Pure Graduate Training Programme.

1. What did you do before coming to Pure?   
I studied for my BSc in Psychology at Oxford Brookes University for the three years before I started at Pure. I also did some temporary Administration work through Pure in my summer holidays.

2. How did you find out about the Pure Graduate Training Programme?
I received an email from Pure asking if I, or anyone I knew, would be interested in applying for the Graduate Training Programme.

3. Why did you choose a recruitment company to do your Graduate training? And what was your decision based on?
I didn’t actually know what I wanted to do after University and then when I heard about the Graduate Training opportunity at Pure I thought it sounded great. I was more drawn to Pure as a company as opposed to the fact the Graduate Programme was in Recruitment, then as I looked into it a bit more I realised a lot of my qualities and what I look for in a job matched a role in Recruitment. It is really important to me to work in a company that has strong values, a great working environment and a lovely team, so I was attracted to Pure after temping through them previously and having met some of the Norwich team.

4. What was the interview and selection process like?  What types of activities did you complete?
I found the interview process surprising enjoyable. First I had a phone call with Gill Buchanan, Director, to go through a bit about myself and my experience. The next stage was a psychometric test to complete and then there was an Assessment Day where I completed a number of group tasks with five other candidates and had a face-to-face interview with Abby Dillion, Learning and Development Manager, which included going through the results of my Psychometric test.  

5. When did you join the Programme and how long did it last?
I joined the Programme on Monday 15^th June 2015. It is difficult to say exactly how long it lasted as there hasn’t really been a point where the support and guidance from my Manager and the company in general has stopped; it has been a lot of on-the-job training. From starting, I had 12 weeks of intensive training where I learnt all about the company, how we work and the system we use; at the end of this I presented what I’d learnt so far to Gill and Abby and where I wanted to go with my recruitment desk. I then had another four weeks of less structured training which took me to my 16 Week Review Business Plan where I had to present to Gill and Caroline what I planned to do to develop my desk and myself as a Recruitment Consultant. When I reached 6 months at Pure that was when I officially became a fee earner so I had the full responsibility of a desk. However, as I mentioned above, the training and support has been on-going, for example, last week I had negotiation training with a few other team members here.  

6. What role are you undertaking now at Pure?
I am now a Recruitment Consultant specialising in HR roles (both temporary and permanent) including In-House Recruitment and Learning and Development/Training positions. 

7. When you joined, what did your training consist of? For example, induction, workshop training, workbooks and materials you were given etc.
I received an induction into the business and our values, system training, training on all aspects of the role including interviewing, CV screening, client meetings, negotiation and the initiatives we run. I also received a Graduate Training Programme workbook/folder which had summary pages for all of the things I covered and questions for me to answer on various things we covered in the training to check I understood everything (I went through my answers weekly with Abby).  I was also given template sheets and step-by-step guides to support me when I was ‘on the job’.

8. What support have you been provided during your first year?
I have been provided all of the support and guidance I have needed/wanted. I haven’t once felt I don’t have someone to ask any questions I might have or someone to bounce ideas off. When I first started I had weekly meetings with Abby or Gill and then also Caroline (my Manager) just to make sure I was comfortable and happy with everything and to go through anything I needed more guidance on. As time went on I had meetings slightly less frequently (every couple of weeks or so), just because they weren’t necessary as frequently. Even now I have catch ups with Caroline whenever I need to. We also have team meetings most days to go through where we are all at with everything and to check if any of us need any help on anything and a whole office meeting once a week.

9. What do you like most about working at Pure? 
I love the whole company ethos and the values that we all work by; I love being part of a company that adds value to the industry we are in and shows forward-thinking and initiative in how we work. I really enjoy my job; it’s busy, fast-paced and exciting, and I get to meet and talk to a huge range of people every day which is great. I also find it hugely rewarding helping candidates in their job search and clients in their search for the right candidate. Another main thing for me is that I love the people I work with; I’ve never once come across someone unhelpful or unfriendly at Pure and I am proud to be part of a company that employs people like that.

10. If you could go back in time and talk to yourself on the day you started at Pure, what two pieces of advice would you give yourself? 
That I will eventually get the hang of everything so not to worry and I will also remember all of the names of candidates and clients I work with, it just takes time to train your memory!

11. What was the most surprising thing you've experienced at Pure? 
Everyone is genuinely as nice as they first seem, and the company really does work by its values in everything it does.

12. If you weren’t working in recruitment what would you like to do?
I think I would like to do Counselling/Therapy for soldiers suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder); I love Psychology and find it so interesting. I would love doing something where I can help and give something back to the people who give so much to our country.   

13. What advice would you give to anyone thinking about joining the Pure Graduate Training Programme?
I would tell them to absolutely go for it; Pure is a wonderful company to work for and a wonderful team to be part of. It’s a very busy and sometimes stressful job, so you have to be prepared to work-hard and put in the effort, but I promise it’s worth it!

For more information about joining the Pure Graduate Training Programme, please contact Gill Buchanan on gill.buchanan@prs.uk.com.