Tech Recruiter Life: Victoria Mangan On Working As A Graduate Recruitment Consultant

Finishing school or graduating from University can be a nerve-wracking time. Knowing what to do next after education can feel like a huge decision – where will you get career progression, a decent salary, and an interesting challenge? For Victoria Mangan, Senior Researcher in our Java team (the largest of its kind in the UK!) the answer was tech recruitment. We sat to discuss why she chose this career route with many options in front of her after graduating, and how her perception has shifted about what recruitment life is really like.

What did you study at University, and what appealed to you about working in recruitment?

I studied Sports Management at St Mary’s University in Twickenham, London, which I really enjoyed! I thought I would go into the sports industry, however, due to COVID, every option I was looking at just wasn’t an option anymore.

I had heard that a lot of sporty people go into recruitment due to the alignment in values and attributes between a recruiter and sportsperson so when our internal recruiter Laura Trimmer reached out, I was interested to hear more. After finding out more about Understanding Recruitment, I knew it would be a great fit for me and what I wanted for my career.

Did you have any previous expectations about a career in recruitment, and were they right or proved wrong?

I had some bad stories if I’m honest – for instance, that it is totally cutthroat and that people in the job are sometimes dishonest, and my parents weren’t 100% sure it was the right move. A year on though, it actually couldn’t be more of the opposite! I have received so much support from my team and the wider company, everyone gets on and wants the best for each other. There’s not a single person in the company I wouldn’t feel comfortable asking for help and who doesn’t celebrate your wins.

“There’s also such a buzz that comes from helping software engineers to get their dream role or that massive pay rise, and the fact you are literally changing their lives.”

What do you enjoy about working here as a young person?

I love the career progression path here. I really like having responsibility and being autonomous which is exactly what you get.

You are responsible for yourself and although there is so much support, off your own hard work you are able to achieve wonderful things in such a short period of time at UR. There’s also such a buzz that comes from helping software engineers to get their dream role or that massive pay rise, and the fact you are literally changing their lives.

What do you enjoy socially working at Understanding Recruitment?

I really enjoy working with such passionate people. Every single person here is so motivated and loves what they are doing that you can’t help but feel that energy too!

What excites you about being part of the Java and wider tech industry right now?

The tech industry is moving at such a rapid pace at the moment. There are so many changes happening every day with new languages gaining more traction and salaries increasing drastically. It is really exciting coming into work every day and not knowing what to expect with things just ramping up week by week. We are so busy all the time now and I love it!

What’s a standout memory or highlight from your time at the company so far?

I just had a really great week recently! I put my biggest amount ever on the board in a week which is something that when I first joined thought would be impossible. Other than that, getting promoted after five months of joining. It really felt like all my hard work and growth were recognised and I was really happy to move to the next level of my career!

“I was initially surprised by how much I enjoyed hearing about it [recruitment] and even more surprised by how well it suits me, so it’s definitely worth exploring.”

What’s your advice to a graduate considering a career in recruitment?

I think my advice is to just have a chat with someone who is in recruitment. Recruitment can be challenging and tough some days but it is extremely rewarding in all senses!

If you have a chat with Emma or Laura here then they can give you a real honest insight into what recruitment is like and what you can expect. I was initially surprised by how much I enjoyed hearing about it and even more surprised by how well it suits me, so it’s definitely worth exploring.

What are you most excited about looking to the future working at Understanding Recruitment?

I am super excited by the direction that UR is going in. We are growing so much and there’s so much opportunity within the company for new things such as the recent launch of Understanding Solutions, I’m looking forward to seeing what is next for our team and can’t wait to see my role within it!

A big thank you to Victoria for sharing her graduate recruiter experience of Tech Recruiter Life, and keep an eye out for the next edition on our blog in a few months’ time!

Are you a recent or soon-to-be graduate thinking about your next step? We’d love to talk to you!