PageGroup Reviews

Pros

Michael Page offers great training and development, it can take your career in a number of different directions and to a number of different locations. The Dublin office is small and unique in that you can focus on billing and making bonus! You also have the creative license to take on temp and perm and choose your industries within your discipline across the Island of Ireland. We have great craic as a team and celebrate success with breakfast clubs, dinners/drinks and loads of internal incentives to ensure the sales environment is motivating and rewarding.

Cons

Recruitment is not for everyone - we are a sales company so you do have to have a sales mentality. Page Group will support where necessary, around training and development but if you are not motivated or energised by making money and business development then the job is not for you.

Pros

Atmosphere; Team; Management; Ability to learn and progress; I've worked for other agencies during my 8 years in recruitment and while it's not all perfect, it's pretty good. MP Ireland is a different animal from their other offices; they carry a huge brand from a global perspective but we're very much a boutique agency in Ireland. The office is small in numbers but loud in presence and they compete at the highest level. There's no micro-management from the senior figures and there are no egos to compete with. The hours are the hours - the expectation is that you do what it takes to achieve what the company asks of you; if you're not asking more of yourself then is recruitment / sales in any office really where you should be? The management team are hugely flexible and accommodating as long as the work is being put in.

Cons

The bonus scheme is exactly that - it's a performance related bonus with a threshold in place and it's paid quarterly but not guaranteed. Management will always make sure you're looked after but you get out what you put in. If you've worked at other agencies that operate on a traditional monthly commission scheme and you've been able to calculate your own earnings then you may find it a real challenge to see the benefit in moving to a quarterly bonus. The basic salary should reflect the market - if candidates salaries are increasing because the cost of living is increasing, then an employee of MP shouldn't have to wait for promotion to have a base salary increase - I do not believe this to be unique to MP, more a trait that's indicative to the recruitment world.

Advice to Management

Recognise that not everyone can be pleased and not everyone can be pleasing. Fight for Ireland to be its own entity rather than being governed by UK budget

Pros

Michael Page Ireland has a strong experienced team. The existing team highlights the meritocratic culture and opportunities to grow within. Great training for anyone seeking a long term career in sales. Office has central location, which is great for building a network with clients and candidates

Cons

Long work days but there is more flexibility when hitting targets. Bonuses are not guaranteed

Advice to Management

Management should revisit the team's structure, territories and how leads are distributed. Slightly old school approach to recruiting and management should organize more networking events. Overall it was a positive experience and a very social office.

Pros

The PG Dublin office is growing and there are lots of opportunities for you to take control of your own destiny. There is also lots of experience in the room and everyone shares similar goals. Anyone capable of managing their own time while getting results is given great autonomy and flexibility. The training is recognised as some of the best in the industry and you get lots of exposure to the wider business outside of Ireland. The organic culture means that you can progress based on revenue targets regardless of your age/hours worked etc. Depending on an individuals preference there are opportunities to manage people or become a senior individual revenue contributor and focus on your personal ambitions (bonuses, responsibility etc). As a multinational business, there are many examples of successful recruiters joining other PG offices around the world. At least a third of the current team have international recruitment experience.

Cons

Similar to other businesses within the industry, the team work long hours. However, the model is focused on results/output and there are plenty of employees who manage their time effectively to ensure a healthy balance of work and family time.

Advice to Management

My advice to management would be to ensure that the business continues to move with the times. Recruitment has an old school feel to it as an industry and PG management must ensure the company stays with the times! Overall, you must be capable of getting results but PG Dublin is a great place to work if you want autonomy, career progression and a social environment.

Pros

Hard to think of many. You will get good training which is a bonus, and will learn about recruitment in a sales environment.

Cons

This is an awful place to work. You get no commission, just a bonus if you hit a certain target and even that's not guaranteed either. It's kind of like being in prison, you are told if you take a lunch break you don't care about your career you have to put up with being constantly threatened with your job. You can barely even leave your desk. Management is really poor and you will be micromanaged beyond belief. Overall it's just dreadful. Avoid!

Pros

If your good, there is fantastic career advancement opportunities They are still growing and promote organic growth from within Fantastic training and life experience, you are essentially running your own desk which you are wholly responsible for No commission, quarterly bonuses

Cons

Expectation is very high. Stressful, long working hours. Bonus can be calculated questionably at times. Fully responsible for your own market

Advice to Management

Work out the bonus scheme in a more clear cut way. Provide some flexibility to employees who deserve it

Pros

They have a great training program

Cons

“What have you done for me lately”

Pros

Great foundations and some great leaders still in the business. The best training in the industry.

Cons

Lost its focus for its people, management too stretched to support fully and bonus are as described - poor.

Advice to Management

Look after and develop all employees, not just management's favorites.