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The Recruitment sector is focused on finding the right employees for organisations. It is currently valued at over £32 billion in the UK. Recruiters can either work within an organisation (‘in-house') or as a Consultant in a Recruitment Consultancy/Agency. Larger organisations may have dedicated Recruitment teams, while many smaller businesses will fold Recruitment responsibilities into a Generalist Human Resources team. You might also work for a Recruitment Process Outsourcer (RPO) - these are businesses which manage the whole recruitment process for a specific client - or an Executive Search firm, which is a Consultancy that focuses on very senior-level hires for their clients.

As a Recruitment Consultant, you will often specialise on a specific client-sector and/or profession - for instance, you might focus on recruiting accountants for clients in the Media sector, or IT professionals for banks. Typically, as a Consultant you will work with a number of client businesses and may have to balance a variety of different job roles (‘briefs'). In-house recruiters might recruit a wide variety of roles across a business, or might be attached to specific departments or geographies.

A Consultant role is quite sales-oriented: you will nearly always be working to a variety of personal and team revenue targets for defined periods (weekly, quarterly and annually being most typical). It is heavily commission-focused, so basic salaries are relatively low, but you will have the opportunity to earn significant sums of commission. Recruitment can be stressful and may require you to work long-hours, however it can be both lucrative and also very rewarding when you find the perfect person for the right job (and vice-versa!)

Recruitment Consultancies come in a range of different sizes - there are larger global firms which cover a range of types of role, and also boutique consultancies which may specialise on only one type of role. Larger firms will have a more structured training programme and might hire multiple graduates at the same time, while boutique firms will allow you more hands-on responsibility from an earlier date.

Consultants will usually be responsible for managing the whole client relationship from initial contact to sourcing, briefing and presenting candidates to the client, managing interview feedback and negotiating salaries and contracts. You will nearly always be responsible for ongoing management of the client relationship - the closer the relationship you develop with your clients, the greater your chances of success.

N Written by Navdeep

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Skills & interests required for a career in Recruitment

As a Recruitment Consultant, you will need to be comfortable with and enjoy Sales and Account Management: this will involve cold calling new clients, meeting with hiring managers and HR professionals at your client organisations. Presentation and the ability to speak to your clients and candidates concisely and professionally are extremely important aspects of a career in Recruitment. You will also need to be comfortable speaking to candidates and interviewing them to assess their suitability for the role you are trying to fill. You will need to be comfortable giving people bad news should their job applications be unsuccessful. Above all, Recruitment is a connections-driven industry, so you will want to make the best impression you possibly can with everyone you are in contact with (either as a client or as a candidate).

In an in-house Recruitment position, you will often be working with specific hiring managers in different business units (for instance in the Operations team). It is essential that you are able to get to grips with hiring managers' priorities and to understand their hiring requirements. Occasionally you will be hiring senior-level professionals, which can require that you secure the trust of senior team members through your professionalism. Depending on the specific organisation you work for, you may also have responsibility for a budget.

Graduate schemes & other typical career progression routes in Recruitment

A graduate Recruitment Consultant will start in a Trainee role, often as a Researcher/Resourcer responsible for finding candidates for more senior Consultants. Typically within a year you will be given client-facing responsibilities and will start to develop your own client relationships. After 4-5 years you will typically achieve promotion to a Senior Consultant position, usually with team management responsibilities. Senior Managers may focus more on team management and leading large client relationships.

Many Recruitment Consultants will move into in-house roles once they have had a few years' experience.

Tips for getting into the field

Speak to your Careers Adviser to discuss your interest in the recruitment sector. You may be able to secure some work experience in the industry before considering whether to apply for a full-time position.

How much can graduates earn in Recruitment?

Starting salaries for Trainees will typically be in the £16,000 to £25,000 per annum range, however when you factor in commissions your take-home pay during your first couple of years might be £5,000 to £10,000 higher per annum (this will depend on your personal performance, and is not guaranteed!) Once promoted to a Senior Consultant, you will likely be earning c. £30,000, with c. £10-15,000 in commission. Senior Leaders might expect £45,000 to £60,000 per annum plus commission.

What qualifications do I need for a career in Recruitment?

Typically recruitment consultancies hire graduates, although there are not any specific degrees which they will specify. There are opportunities for non-graduates to secure Trainee positions, although usually consultancies will look for some prior experience in Sales.

Recruitment industry bodies

The Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC)

Institute of Recruitment Professionals (IRP)

Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)

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