“We Strongly Believe That Everybody Should Be Given the Opportunity to Work in an Environment Where They See People Like Them and Can Feel Comfortable Bringing Their Whole Self to Work”: Abbie Streak on Graduate Recruitment
Careers
myGwork spoke to Abbie Streek, Early Careers Recruiter, Marsh McLennan to learn more about their graduate opportunities and what they look for in an application.
Hi Abbie – thanks for chatting with us! So to start with, what are looking for when your recruiting graduates?
The most important thing we look for when recruiting graduates is an interest in the company and the role they are applying for and the motivation to learn. We do not expect people to join the company knowing everything they need for the job as that can be taught.
And how important are diversity and inclusion when you're recruiting?
Employing a diverse cohort of graduates is extremely important to us as a company. We know there are huge benefits in having a group of individuals who think differently and can bring new ideas to the table. We also strongly believe that everybody should be given the opportunity to work in an environment where they see people like them and can feel comfortable bringing their whole self to work.
How do you ensure you receive diverse graduate candidates?
We encourage diverse applications to our programmes by showcasing Marsh McLennan as an inclusive employer. We do this through running various events targeting diverse groups, working with university societies and promoting the colleague resource groups we have within the company.
Does your organisation have an LGBTQ+ network?
Yes, our company have an LGBTQ+ Colleague Resource group which is highly supported by senior leaders. We feel this is extremely important as it provides people with a safe space to talk about their experiences, express how they think the company can improve but also allow for colleagues who identify as LGBTQ+ and Allies to come together and spend time socially.
For new hires, is their involvement in the LGBTQ+ network of their university important to you?
No this would not be important to us when hiring a graduate. It is great if a student is part of their university LGBTQ+ network however we also appreciate that not everybody is at that stage in their journey yet.
Do you introduce your new LGBTQ+ graduates to your HR team and LGBTQ+ employees resource group?
Yes, we introduce all new employees to our colleague resource groups as there is a huge variety and lots to get involved with. If a new employee has informed us of their sexual orientation, then we will definitely put them in direct contact with our LGBQ+ resource group.
