We are hiring Recruitment Consultants
The recruitment industry is constantly expanding, with companies across virtually all sectors relying on recruitment agencies to find talented workers to fill key roles.
The people who do most of the legwork involved in the recruitment process are called recruitment consultants If you think a career in recruitment could be right for you, read on to learn more about this job, how much it pays, and what the road to becoming a successful recruitment consultant looks like.
The people who do most of the legwork involved in the recruitment process are called recruitment consultants If you think a career in recruitment could be right for you, read on to learn more about this job, how much it pays, and what the road to becoming a successful recruitment consultant looks like.
What does a recruitment consultant do?
A recruitment consultant matches job seekers to job vacancies (including temporary and permanent positions). This usually involves working closely with the client company in order to understand the requirements of the role they’re looking to fill – this enables the recruitment consultant to screen candidates carefully and identify people who have the right skills for the job.
Recruitment agencies often specialise in a particular sector, such as IT or finance, so the types of organisation you’ll deal with as a recruitment consultant will depend on what kind of agency you work for. Here at Hyper Recruitment Solutions, for example, our speciality is life science recruitment, so our consultants are used to working with biotechs and pharmaceutical companies.
Recruitment agencies often specialise in a particular sector, such as IT or finance, so the types of organisation you’ll deal with as a recruitment consultant will depend on what kind of agency you work for. Here at Hyper Recruitment Solutions, for example, our speciality is life science recruitment, so our consultants are used to working with biotechs and pharmaceutical companies.
Recruitment consultant salary info
How much do recruitment consultants make? Obviously, the answer depends on who your employer is, what they expect of you, and how much experience you’re bringing to the job. That being said, here are some figures that should give you a rough idea of a recruitment consultant’s typical salary:
How to become a recruitment consultant
There are all sorts of different ways to become a professional recruitment consultant. Some consultants start applying for recruitment consultant jobs after completing an undergraduate degree in marketing or human resources, while others skip university and undertake an apprenticeship instead. Some even begin by securing a menial job at a recruitment agency, then working their way up to the position of recruitment consultant with the help of some on-the-job training.
Recruitment consultant skills
If you want to succeed as a recruitment consultant, the following skills will come in handy:
- Strong communication skills
- Good organisation
- Attention to detail
- A good understanding of business, recruitment and human resources
- Marketing / promotional skills
- A talent for selling and negotiating
- Solving problems creatively
- The ability to hit targets and meet deadlines
- Patience and sensitivity
- Strong writing / administrative skills
Good IT skills are also crucial – as with most things nowadays, a large part of the modern recruitment process is conducted online, and you will be using a computer for most of your day-to-day tasks.
Recruitment consultant qualifications
Strictly speaking, there are no specific qualifications needed to be a recruitment consultant. However, the following qualifications will look good on your CV and may give you a competitive advantage when you’re applying for jobs in the recruitment sector:
An undergraduate degree – especially if it’s in a relevant subject like Human Resource Management
Alternatively, if you wish to work for a specialist recruitment agency, a degree that’s related to their specific area of expertise may be more valuable (e.g. a science degree if you’re interested in working for a scientific recruitment agency like HRS)
A certification earned by completing a vocational course that’s related to recruitment or HR
An apprenticeship as a recruitment resourcer or recruitment consultant
Recruitment consultant career path
A job in recruitment offers many exciting opportunities for career progression. Once you have proved your abilities and built a good working relationship with key clients, you will be able to seek promotion and rise through the ranks of the recruitment company that promotes you.
After starting out as a recruitment consultant or associate recruitment consultant, you can become a senior consultant or, if you have the right skills, a recruitment manager.
Once you’re experienced, you might even decide to part ways with your employer and set up a recruitment agency of your very own. Alternatively, many people find that working in the recruitment industry is a great springboard for a career in business development.
After starting out as a recruitment consultant or associate recruitment consultant, you can become a senior consultant or, if you have the right skills, a recruitment manager.
Once you’re experienced, you might even decide to part ways with your employer and set up a recruitment agency of your very own. Alternatively, many people find that working in the recruitment industry is a great springboard for a career in business development.
The UK recruitment industry employs approximately 119,000 workers
Source: Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC)
The recruitment industry directly contributes more than £40 billion per year to the UK economy.
Source: Recruiter
Every 21 seconds, someone finds a permanent role through a recruitment agency.
Source: Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC)
Each year, more than 100,000 young people find their first job with the help of a recruitment agency.
Source: Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC)
The future of recruitment
The recruitment industry plays a crucial role in many different parts of modern society. Finance, construction, healthcare…companies in all of these sectors (and many more besides) rely on recruitment agencies to find fresh new talent and fill key roles at short notice.
Like many other industries, recruitment was significantly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. But most recruitment agencies were able to adopt remote working where necessary in order to continue helping UK businesses with their hiring needs.
And a good thing, too: because of the COVID-19 crisis, British employers are now dealing with the worst labour shortage this country has seen since the turn of the millennium. This shortage is being felt in a wide variety of different sectors, including:
Like many other industries, recruitment was significantly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. But most recruitment agencies were able to adopt remote working where necessary in order to continue helping UK businesses with their hiring needs.
And a good thing, too: because of the COVID-19 crisis, British employers are now dealing with the worst labour shortage this country has seen since the turn of the millennium. This shortage is being felt in a wide variety of different sectors, including:
- Construction
- Engineering
- Finance
- Hospitality
- IT
- Manufacturing
- Transport
Recruitment companies have an important role to play in the UK’s post-pandemic recovery. Talented workers will be needed in all sorts of different areas, so the country really is counting on the efforts of highly motivated recruitment consultants to match those workers with the employers who need them most.
