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How to become a Recruitment Consultant

Recruitment Consultant

Career progression and salary expectations for a Recruitment Consultant

1

Trainee Recruitment Consultant

| Up to £18,000
2

Recruitment Consultant

| Up to £30,000
3

Recruitment Manager

| Up to £40,000

The role of a Recruitment Consultant

Want to help people find their perfect position? You should be a Recruitment Consultant…

Recruitment Consultants help match candidates to job vacancies, working directly with companies to find the right people for their role.They could work in a variety of different sectors, and handle recruitment for businesses of all sizes – meaning jobseekers with a range of different qualifications and experience rely on their expertise.

And, aside from simply sourcing staff to put forward, they also help guide the candidate through the interview process. So whether it’s improving elements of someone’s CV, giving them advice on interview questions, or negotiating potential salaries, it’s all in a day’s work for a good Rec-Con.

Typical duties for a Recruitment Consultant could include:

  • Calling companies to acquire new business
  • Posting job ads and using CV searching to find relevant candidates
  • Conducting interviews, and putting people forward for the role
  • Liaising with clients and organising further interviews
  • Providing feedback on CVs and interview technique
  • Informing candidates whether they’ve been successful
  • Negotiating contracts and agency fees
To become a Recruitment Consultant, you’ll need excellent negotiation skills, and must be able to communicate confidently and professionally with both candidates and clients alike.It can be an extremely lucrative position, especially if you’re someone who works best with set goals and targets to achieve. However, sales skills are also an absolute necessity. If you can’t sell the role to the candidate, or candidate to the role, you won’t get far in this profession.

And you should never underestimate the importance of understanding the process. Those with terrible interview technique need not apply…

Other key skills for a Recruitment Consultant could include:

  • Confidence
  • Positivity
  • Tenacity
  • Determination
  • Excellent time management skills
  • The ability to work to strict deadlines
"I’m not going to lie, I never really set out to become a Rec-Con. It was really just something I kind of fell into after uni. As soon as I started out though, I knew it was the right role for me. Basically, I get to help connect candidates to amazing recruiters, and find them their perfect role. Some of it is coaching them on what to do and say at the interview, and improving their applications, but it’s really about finding someone who really fits the role I’m looking for. And that buzz, when you get it right, is just amazing. The commission isn’t bad either…"

Get qualified as a Recruitment Consultant

You won’t necessarily need a degree to become a Recruitment Consultant, but employers will usually espect candidates to have secondary school qualifications, such as GCSEs (or their equivalents). Prior experience in recruitment, sales, or customer service roles is advantageous, and while formal qualifications are not compulsory, taking a recruitment training course will help to enhance your credibility and commitment.

Recommended Recruitment courses

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