When I started my career in recruitment in 2013, I was bright eyed and bushy tailed, coming off of a 6 month working holiday and stepping into the corporate world with a hunger to succeed.
In my first week I was lucky enough to be taken on a team trip which involved a limousine, champagne and a plush meal at a restaurant I would never have even thought I would get into previously. For me this was like Hollywood, considering a few months prior I was picking apples out of a tree and living in cinderblock accommodation on a farm in rural Victoria!
In the first month I went through a vigorous training program and was sent to Sydney on an induction. There was also plenty to do socially there as well and I wouldn’t be lying if I said there weren’t a few blurry mornings in those first 4 weeks.
I spent that first month thinking I had made it!
Then I was given the keys to my desk, an ear piece, a list of people to call and a list of stringent KPIs to meet. Reality Check!
Reality Kicked in
The next 12 months were a battle. I didn’t realise how much work went into the role and also how much effort you had to make in order to achieve even an average result at the beginning of a career in a fairly mature market.
Questions I asked myself daily included: How Do I build a network? How will I make my next placement? Will I make a next placement? How the hell am I going to hit my numbers by 4pm on a Friday? Will I be a success?
The socialising didn’t stop, I had plenty of time for mid-week drinks and less time focussing on myself outside of work. Things such as sport, fitness and general health were a secondary thought. I started to feel the pressure building!
This feeling isn’t too uncommon in this type of industry, the wolf is always behind you and you couple that with not looking after yourself and you have a recipe for disaster. I could feel myself slipping that way.
I needed to find balance.
I made a few simple changes before my second year. I committed to myself that I would focus and find healthy outlets such as the gym or soccer or touch rugby. Things that allowed me to either energise myself or help me to break down a particularly challenging day.
In finding balance, I achieved success
Low and behold in those next 12 months I went from strength to strength. My network grew, my activity was high, my billings were up and I went home with a sense of achievement. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed the social side of things but I made a point of trying to balance it out.
As our Mental Welfare ambassador at Miller Leith, I have started a couple of initiatives to encourage wellbeing including a monthly Mental Health walk. I think it is something which every business should have a focus on. It could be a walk, a talk or something else that helps your staff ease some pressure. Sport was just my own outlet to help me find some balance.
On March 25th, I will be taking part in a 15 km walk, together with the Miller Leith and Love Me Love You family! We are walking to raise awareness for and to beat the stigma attached to Mental Health. We want to empower the younger generations to be able to talk about any and all issues which may affect them, as well as preventing them from using any other avenues to take their struggles out on!
#LoveMeLoveYourMate #Mateship #MarchWithMe
