Diary of an Intern – by Alex Foyle

I began my psychology degree at the University of Hull in 2012 as I have known from a young age that I wanted to work with people. My initial aspirations lay in clinical psychology and while I am still a huge advocate for mental health, I know now that this is not the right career for me.
Reflecting on my time at university, as cliché as it sounds, it was an utterly life-changing experience! My final year was difficult, but I learned to cope well under pressure. Juggling a part-time job, chairing the committee for one of our largest sports teams while ensuring I attained my first class degree was demanding, yet surprisingly enjoyable. Regardless of my accomplishments, graduation was fast-approaching and I was still uncertain about the next step I was going to take in life.
The careers talks at Hull University led me to believe that progressing further into psychology was just about the extent of my future options. I began applying to do my Masters in Health Psychology and was offered a full scholarship at Aston University. Aston is notorious for its high levels of graduate employment, with an incredible careers service to match. Before any formal teaching, my first lecture was highly careers-focused and I walked away feeling inspired.
I realised that my previous experience in managing and developing a sports team, as well as my first class degree, was valuable in applying for HR graduate schemes. I understood, however, that I lacked any real work experience required to make a strong application. After extensive research, I stumbled across SimkissGuy Recruitment at a temporary careers fair. I simply hoped to gain some relevant work experience in a business setting. To my surprise, shortly after registering as a candidate, I was offered the opportunity of an internship alongside my studies, working as part of the SimkissGuy team.
I was incredibly grateful for the opportunity and jumped at the chance to get involved. Recruitment was an industry that I didn’t know much about and I was really looking forward to learning more. It’s been a few weeks since my first day and the whole team at SimkissGuy have been so welcoming. I already feel like I’ve fully integrated myself as a key member of the team, taking on a range of projects and getting to grips with how an independent recruitment consultancy runs internally.
I can’t wait to see what the future holds!
Alex Foyle