You’re told to be unique and to be an individual, you are constantly reminded not to follow your friends and to be able to make your own decisions.  So how come they tell you this but then reiterate that university is the one for you, the place where you meet people and the place where you make memories the same way everyone else did. They continually tell you to be yourself and to make the most of your life however dictate the “correct order” in which you should live your life. Go to primary, go to secondary, go to university and then get a job, get a partner, get married and then have a child. We are continuously told that we are meant to follow this order. However, I wanted to create my own story.

I didn’t want to venture to university, instead I wanted to be able to start earning money and to start a career. This was different to all the people that I knew, they all wanted to go straight into university and be able to come away with a degree, then hopefully find a job. Instead I started my job search and I focused on finding an apprenticeship where I could progress but also, I knew that I was going to have to a drop my wage expectations. That was something I was willing to do for the right opportunity.

Whilst in sixth form, I also did part time work at McDonalds where I worked in the evenings after school and weekends. This meant that I was able to earn money whilst I was studying. It was also an opportunity for me to develop my skills and abilities, as well as gain experience. Even though I enjoyed my time at McDonalds, I knew that I would need to find a job where I was able to progress. I worked at McDonalds for nearly 2 years and I was a very hard worker. I made sure no matter what I did, I did it with as much energy and enthusiasm as possible.

So…when looking into finding a new job I didn’t have any real expectations, I just knew that I wanted to find something that I would enjoy. I always wanted to go into childcare however, after doing work experience, I knew that it wasn’t the path that I wanted to take, so I started thinking about office work. Office work isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but for me I liked the idea of working in an office environment and using computers but still being able to have a chat with people over the phone. I have always enjoyed getting to know people and I’m quite inquisitive, so when I came across the role ‘Apprentice Resourcer’ for MET Recruitment, I knew that it would be something that I would enjoy.

I was fortunate enough to walk into MET and be given the chance of an interview. The timing was great as MET was growing and the Wolverhampton branch was still quite new and looking to recruit an Apprentice. When I came in for my second stage interview, I was given the option to work my way around the office and find out what each consultant does within their job role, as well as what they like / dislike and what they felt challenged them. The Commercial Director Nella had said the job was mine if I wanted it. I was overwhelmed and ecstatic to be given this opportunity. I then had the option to choose whether I wanted to join the Commercial or the Industrial team.  I did eventually choose the commercial team, as I knew this would keep me busy and help me to understand the industry in a lot more detail.

After the induction day, I was able to understand a lot more about what MET do, what their values are and what everyone’s place in the business is. This then allowed me to see behind the scenes the full process and the work that goes into finding people their dream job. I was also able to learn about each consultants’ journey and how they made it to where they are today.

I’ve now been with MET for the last 3 months and I’m starting to settle into the role and the business well. I have worked closely with my amazing mentor Stella and have learned a great deal whilst doing the job and shadowing the team. I couldn’t be happier working for MET, it is everything I wanted and more with a fantastic company who value their employees and give them the freedom to express themselves through their work. Looking back I’m so happy I took the leap to apply for the role and I haven’t looked back since!