I was initially attracted to this company as I liked the idea of working in a smaller, more intimate company for my entry into recruitment. I really enjoyed my interviews with both Sohan and Liz and was excited to be mentored by two people who have so much experience in the field.
I think feeling quite overwhelmed was probably a big part of the first week. I would probably say the most daunting aspect when you start a recruitment role is learning the industry you are recruiting for and getting my head round the technical aspects of Planning was definitely one of the biggest initial challenges for me.
I think before I started everyone had been drilling into my head that recruitment was really difficult, really disappointing and you had to have really thick skin to survive the industry. I’m not saying that they were wrong, that is an aspect of it at times, but I think what surprised me was that I felt like I was doing well at it and was introduced to the highs a lot sooner than I was introduced to the lows.
I think from my interview to my start date it was only around three weeks in between – so pretty quick! The company when I started was quite different to how it is now, even though it has only been nine months. It was just Sohan getting everything set up on his own, whereas now we have much more internal support. My onboarding process was great with just him so with our future recruits it will be even smoother.
I would say Sam, my Rec2Rec was actually a great point of contact in my build up to starting, he gave me an insight into how a recruiter should be. My mum was a great help and gave me lots of support with making this big life change. I remember during my first month on my train journey into work I used to read Kris Jenner’s autobiography every morning to get into the business-savvy mindset, I think it worked a bit!
I think the first month was quite smooth once I began to wrap my head around the Planning industry. I’d probably say the bigger challenges came around month two or three. Working long hours, commuting and trying to balance everything else did start to catch up. It’s important to take care of yourself and make time for rest.
I think the team dynamic and company culture is probably Stonehouse’s biggest asset. Recruitment as an industry can have a reputation for being toxic but our company is truly so far away from that. Everyone in the team is genuinely a joy to work with and I’m always excited to see them again whenever I’ve had time off.
100%. I wouldn’t have enjoyed the journey this far so much or had anywhere near as much success without Jake and Sohan. They have both taught me so much whilst also teaching me that I’m not trying to be them, I am developing my own style of recruiting and there is value in that.
I think probably the biggest surprise was the amount of output compared to manpower. We are such a small team, yet the work we are generating is pretty insane!
I feel quite unrecognisable now to when I first started the job, I feel so much more confident and knowledgeable. Recruitment is just like anything else, it all about repetitions and consistency.
A big skill I have improved on, although I still feel I have a way to go, is growing to be more assertive. I am quite a people pleaser by nature, so this is something I struggle with. Although I’m still not where I want to be, I definitely feel an improvement.
I have definitely received a lot of feedback, mostly positive which is always nice to hear and lots of constructive help as well. The way I learn best is by putting things into practise and learning from my mistakes. It’s always helpful to assess what went well and what could be better every time I’m doing something new.
I think the biggest challenge for me has been how much I have had to rewire and retrain the way I’d usually approach conversations with people. My brain worries so much about not sounding polite but sometimes you need to get over that and get the job done.
There was a moment last month that was quite challenging, as I had two candidates pull out of jobs on consecutive days. It was a low point mentally, but by the next day I had some up with new solutions for both positions. I was really proud of how quickly I’d turned things around – it was definitely a rollercoaster.
Not really – I think I’ve learned everything at the right time. Liz gave me some great advice before I started, which was mostly focused around how important it is to take care of yourself when starting this career. Getting enough sleep, eating well, drinking water and forming good habits will make all the difference. That’s the biggest thing I think anyone should know before they start.
2026 is going to be a really big year for both myself and Stonehouse. I want to be promoted to Senior Consultant and hit my sales targets for each quarter. I’m excited to see how far we can take it this year!
I see myself growing as the company grows – I’d love to be in a position like Sohan or Liz one day, training others and helping to build my own team. I need about ten years more experience first though!
Don’t throw the towel in too early… you really have an opportunity here to build an incredible career for yourself and even if it seems hard at first, it is really important you stick it out.
I think it’s made me see that the sky is the limit in terms of growth. Anything is possible with the right attitude and the right people around you.
Rewarding, tiring, exciting!
To get in touch with Lily Robertson:
Telephone: 0204 524 5226
Email: lily.r@stonehouserg.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-robertson-64b505150/
