We sat down with Milly, a criminology student entering her second year at Oxford Brookes University, to hear how she navigated the professional environment and applied the skills she gained from her studies.

Hello, Milly! What interested you about taking a work experience position at Aldrich & Co?

I felt I had to get as much experience as possible before leaving university and entering the ‘big wide world’! Before coming to Aldrich & Co, I hadn’t had experience working in an office. I wanted to be proactive about gaining that experience, as well as improve my confidence when interacting with people, especially high-profile clients.

⁠I really valued the variety in the day. Some times, I was needed to talk to candidates and clients, while at other times I worked independently. I also loved working with the team. Everyone has a specific role, but they all come together in support whenever someone needs extra assistance. Ultimately, we were taught to always reach for the same goal: Ensuring clients and candidates are satisfied and happy!

That’s absolutely our goal! What did you take away from the week?

⁠I was surprised by how much care goes into sourcing and serving every single client and candidate. At first, I thought recruitment meant reading CVs, but this week taught me that so much more goes into it. I learned how Aldrich & Co assists candidates across their job search, starting with CV reviews and interview prep. The consultancy develops and fosters relationships with multiple companies to deepen trust in their commitment. This takes time and care, and the team was constantly busy.

I also enjoyed putting my detective skills to work. ⁠Sometimes, when I wanted to investigate candidates on LinkedIn, it took me a while to find the right profile, especially if they had a popular name. I overcame this by finding key information on their CV, such as where they went to university, and then I included that in the search. This trick managed to solve my issue 99% of the time!

We really valued your support. Recruitment consultants all have their own methods to finding the right candidate, there is no single ‘correct’ approach. What did you learn about your own approach to the role?

I found I really enjoy the social side of recruitment. A recruitment consultant absolutely has to be a people person. But it’s not enough to be outgoing, they also have to take a genuine interest in people’s working lives. Making notes from meetings and researching candidates outside the interview room gave me a deep understanding into what drives people. It also helped me figure out how to match them with the perfect role.

We felt that you were especially skilled at identifying the right candidates. Can you explain how candidates can give themselves the best chance of being seen?

⁠⁠It is impossible to assess a candidate’s fit solely from their CV. That being said, the way a candidate presents their CV is crucial; it is usually our first introduction to the person. I was surprised how many people take themselves out of the running by not paying enough attention to detail or by describing their skills, job profiles and achievements poorly. Candidates should make full use of those two pages to make the recruiter want to see more from them.

The next step is just as crucial for candidates: How they present themselves in person. Previous experience does play a role in a candidate’s chances of being selected, but character and personality may be as important. Candidates should attribute equal importance to each of these ‘touchpoints’ with their recruitment consultant. The CV, the first meeting, the prep interview—candidates should act as if each one is another chance to sell themselves to a potential employer.

What words of wisdom do you have for your peers who might be looking to take their first steps into the world of work?

⁠Get as much experience as you can, as early as you can, and in as many different work environments as possible. This means starting at secondary school if possible! Even if you aren’t 100% sure about what you want to do, it’s important to get started somewhere. Don’t worry about not knowing. I still don’t know what I want to do, and I have just finished my first year of university!

*

If you are interested in joining us in 2026 for a week of work experience in London, let us know! We are always looking for dedicated and motivated students to join our team and learn the process.