Pros
I worked as a recruiter with Adecco on both coasts of the US and had markedly different experiences. East coast: I had incredible team with amazing chemistry. I still think of those colleagues often. Hires in that region were made carefully and as a result we had a great group. My Branch Manager and VP were pretty much the dream team and they valued and listened to our input as people. It was a "work hard/play hard" dynamic which made the tough aspects of the job bearable and often worth it. West coast: Unfortunately aside from having a handful of great colleagues, there weren't many positives. There was a pervasive and wide-spread jadedness in my region. Upper management often posted up behind closed doors and felt inaccessible. -Generous vacation time and decent benefits. -Looking back, the job was a great entry-level opportunity out of college. I developed a thick skin, learned how to have difficult conversations and got good at recruiting! -You don't need a college education to be eligible for hire as a full-time employee in recruitment or sales.
Cons
Temps and clients alike could get VERY nasty both over the phone and in person which took its toll before long. Depending on what type of placements you're doing, it could easily feel like a thankless job. In spite of having had some great teammates, the organization was (at times astoundingly) cheap. Mandatory Webex meetings deliberately scheduled during lunch time, quarterly nights where recruiters were obligated to stay until 7:30/8 to call associates and generate leads. -Going to warehouses at odd hours (sometimes even 6am or midnight) to check in associates who sometimes don't even show up themselves and then you will have gone for nothing. -It is a VERY sales-driven culture. Your branch is like a small business and for each person you place you are generating revenue. In the end this mattered to the business above all else unfortunately. - Once you're in the staffing industry, it can actually be pretty tough to get out.