Caitlyn's Story

Caitlyn joined us soon after graduating from Portsmouth University, after first working with another recruitment agency. A part of our rail team, she has progressed from an Associate Consultant to a Consultant and has had a very successful first 18 months with the company.

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Did you know what career you wanted to embark on when you finished university?

I had no idea! I think, like most students, I really didn't have a clue what I was going to do. So I ended just working at a bar full time while I worked out what I was going to do with my life.

How did you come across Carrington West during your job search?

It wasn't actually my first recruitment role. I worked for another recruitment company and then was made redundant. So I came to Carrington West with my tail between my legs and asked if they would would consider me again, because I'd interviewed previously and ultimately decided to explore a different option, and they did!

What made you choose Carrington West in the end?

So I actually explored my options a lot before making my mind up - there's lots of agencies in the area, and I didn't just want to jump straight into the next thing, as my previous experience with a recruitment company hadn't been the best. I really wanted to make sure the next step was the right one.

I met my team on the third interview with Carrington West and totally fell in love with them. I like the office and the location is great - as soon as I walked through the doors and saw everyone smiling and laughing, I just knew it was going to be a great place to work. It was like I'd come in as a photographer and everybody was pretending to be having a great time in front of the camera; but that's just what it's like all the time! Of course there are challenging moments, and recruitment isn't easy, but having such a great culture and team around you makes it so much easier.

What's been your biggest challenge in your time working here?

I'd say that the market I'm in, in particular, when I joined in August 2023, we were coming up to April 2024, when the next rail funding cycle was going to happen; essentially, billions of pounds entering the sector all at once and loads of new projects starting. Then there were lots of delays and funding issues, so it became difficult to keep patient and stay hungry. Although it was one of the biggest challenges at the time, in retrospect, it was actually a massive strength. It gave me loads of time to master the art, to really understand my sector!

I'd spent all that time waiting for the funding cycle, and once things got busier, I was totally ready to throw myself into it - which was great. In terms of challenges of working at Carrington West, I can't think of a single one.

How do you keep up with what's happening in your sector?

It's entirely based on, what I learn from my clients, and what I learn from my team. It's such a people-focused role, which is great for me. I did my degree in International Relations, which is very wordy and cool - very much centered around debates and opinions. So I've got no problem chatting with my clients and asking them their thoughts on industry news, and then they end up ranting to me for 20 minutes! But that's how I learn. My team are all such experts, and LinkedIn helps too.

How does work life differ from university life?

Literally night and day - in a good way. I think the structure of a full-time job was scary to me as a university student, but now I could never imagine living how I did when I was at uni - being lazy, skipping lectures and living off super noodles!

Now I'm here, I go to the gym four times a week, I meal prep, I do all these things I never would have dreamed of doing. And some of it's part and parcel of being an adult, but there's such a big ethos of health and wellbeing at Carrington West. You can go to the fridge and see 80 protein yoghurts and know that the people here really do care about themselves, and there's so many ways to get active here if you want to! I think recruitment can be tough, and it's great to have an outlet, and prioritising your fitness is a brilliant way to get yourself into a positive headspace - my friends here have really helped me to see the importance of that.

What advice would you give someone making the transition from university to work life?

It sounds silly to say - but it's really not hard! I remember that full time work was just the worst possible thing I could imagine, while laying around watching TV and doing nothing. The advice I'd give to my former self is that it's not scary - you have to leave uni eventually, and I'm so glad to work at Carrington West. Some friends have had four or five jobs since leaving uni, because they've been unlucky with where they've joined. I've been very fortunate to work here; I always worried that the social aspect of uni would never translate over to a job, but you just need to find the right place. I'm friends with everyone here - there's nobody I don't like! When I'm in the kitchen and someone comes in, whether it's sales, pay & bill, HR, compliance, I know it's somebody I can have a laugh with. You can still be social while working 40 hours a week, it's just less alcohol-based!

Can you tell us about your experience with Carrington West's Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (ED&I) Team?

Absolutely. It was really important to me that I became part of something like that - with my degree as well, I've always cared a lot about social justice and making a positive impact at work, and that's something that's really encouraged here. It's really helped myself and the others who are part of it to find our voices through the work we've been doing.

I think it's really important for us to take half an hour each month to sit down, and brainstorm what we can do to help everyone feel more included. At the moment, we've got Ramadan coming up so that's a big focus for us. I also had the privilege to give the LGBTQ+ training last year, all about the history of Pride Month and why it's important. At the time, I'd been with the business less than a year, and it was really fun; I definitely plan on doing something similar again this year. I plan on being with the ED&I Team the whole time I'm at Carrington West, which I hope will be a long time!

ABOVE: Caitlyn and others at our 2024 High Performers' Private Dining Event.