“It’s the one job I don’t get ‘icky’ about” – Case Study: Working for Havas

Caitlin is working as a Receptionist for Havas. We met with Caitlin to find out how she found the recruitment process, how she is getting on now, what it’s like working for a company like Havas and what she hopes to do in the future. 

Caitlin began by explaining that “this job was unexpected”. After graduating from the Technological University of Dublin, where she studied Tourism Marketing, Caitlin began the job search. As we know, securing a job after university can be a challenge, but the pandemic has made it particularly difficult in recent years. Caitlin told us that she was struggling to find a marketing job, so she decided to begin applying for some more general office jobs such as receptionist roles. 

At first, Caitlin didn’t know much about Havas. She said “When I joined, I got the feel of the people at reception, the people upstairs (in the office), and the general work ethic, which made me realise it’s a company I do really want to work for.”

Caitlin found the job and applied through our Indeed advertisement. She was quickly put in touch with Jody, Recruitment Account Manager, who looked after her throughout the recruitment process. Caitlin gave her thanks to Jody: “Jody was really good through the process. She kept checking up on me after each stage and keeping me up-to-date. Because of Jody it was a really smooth and easy process compared to other experiences I’ve had.” Caitlin told us that the best thing about the process was that she was given the option for a trial shift, as it gave her a real insight into what the job would be like, as well as giving her colleagues at Havas a chance to meet her. This also made Caitlin feel much more at ease about moving from Ireland to London as she already knew some familiar faces.

“We really try to focus on the support and care that we can provide for our candidates. Job searching can be an intimidating process, especially in Caitlin’s case relocating from neighbouring Ireland to the UK during the pandemic. I wanted to make the recruitment process as seamless as I could for her. Working with Havas also made this process straightforward as we were able to build a good working relationship, and develop an understanding of how one another works, and what Havas were looking for. I’m confident that we found that in Caitlin and the other candidates we placed at Havas” – Jody Gordon, Recruitment Account Manager at KX Recruit.

We were curious to know what being a Receptionist at Havas entailed day-to-day. Caitlin told us that it was dependable on which shift you were on each day. She explained “For example, an opening shift is 7.45am – 3.45pm so if you are working the opening shift then the responsibilities are mainly about getting everything ready for the day and welcoming people in. If you are put on the closing shift then it would be about seeing people out the building and closing up.” She told us that the main responsibilities besides opening and closing are handling meeting rooms and dealing with general enquiries at the front desk. Caitlin highlighted that each day is different: “Different companies and different clients means there’s always different requests. You don’t know what people are going to ask next.”

We asked Caitlin what her favourite thing about the job was and she responded “It’s the one job I don’t get ‘icky’ about.. I don’t have that feeling on a Sunday where I’m wishing I didn’t have to work on Monday.” She continued “The people here are what make it so enjoyable – I love the good vibes.” She described the team as “one big family” and explained “Laura is like my big sister and Andrea is like the cool Aunt”. Another favourite part of the job Caitlin was excited to tell us about was that she gets the opportunity to meet and make connections with lots of interesting people in the industry, as well as meeting celebrities such as Made In Chelsea’s Miles Nazaire and Little Mix’s Jade Thirlwall. 

On the contrary, we also asked Caitlin if there have been any challenges during her time at Havas so far. She said “My start was really busy. I’d usually get more time to be trained but I joined at a really busy time for the business. The first few days were intense trying to learn everything – as with any job – but also I think it’s best to be thrown in the deep end and just do it.”

Lastly, we asked Caitlin if there’s anything she would like to add: “Massive thanks to Jody for helping me in the process of getting the job and always checking in, and of course a huge thanks to Andrea and Laura for everything! They’ve never made me feel like any question I’ve asked is stupid.”

Caitlin highlighted how many marketing opportunities there are for her at Havas. She said “I see how successful Havas is and I enjoy working here. Now I know how ideal the company is for me, I want to work here, it’s so successful. I want to stay in this company and work my way up.” We wish Caitlin all the best for her future at Havas and will be keeping in touch to see how her career progresses. 

If you’re currently searching for a job and hope to work for a successful company like Havas, we have plenty of vacancies that could provide similar opportunities. Please visit our jobs page to view all our vacancies and apply now.