Recruitment Consultant

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What skills does a recruitment consultant need?

• Excellent communication and listening skills
• Sales and negotiation skills
• Interpersonal skills are needed when approaching candidates and liaising with clients
• A goal-orientated approach to work
• The ability to handle multiple priorities
• Problem-solving ability and a flexible approach to work
• The ability to meet deadlines and targets
• Ambition and the determination to succeed
• Tenacity
• An understanding of numbers and budgets is needed when negotiating agency fees
• Confidence and self-motivation
• Time management and organisational skills are needed when dealing with multiple vacancies at the same time
• Team-working skills
• Creativity and the ability to think outside the box.

How to become a recruitment consultant?

There are a number of different routes you can take to become a recruitment consultant. These include:

• Graduate training scheme
• Undergraduate placement year
• Apprenticeship

You don’t need to have a specific degree to become a recruitment consultant, but many graduate schemes require a 2.1 degree classification when applying.

Lots of undergraduate courses offer one year work placements, where you will gain essential hard and soft skills that could be beneficial for your career development. You can also gain work experience during your studies via internships or short work placements. 

Alternatively, some recruitment companies offer apprenticeship programmes.

Recommended courses:

• MSc Leadership and Human Resource Management
• MSc Psychology (Conversion)

What does a recruitment consultant do on a daily basis?

The most common daily tasks of a recruitment consultant are:

• Looking for new clients, researching companies and building contacts
• Looking for the best clients to match the skills required for each job posting using the CRM system, LinkedIn and networking
• Advertising new roles via social media, email marketing and networking events
• Reviewing applications, shortlisting candidates, preparing CVs for the clients and arranging interviews
• Helping candidates to prepare for interview, offering tips and advice
• Negotiating contracts and salaries with both clients and candidates

How much does a recruitment consultant make?

Trainee recruitment consultants earn between £15,000 and £20,000. Some roles advertise high OTE (on-target earning) salaries, including trainees. The average salary for a recruitment consultant with experience is around £22,000 to £28,000. Senior consultants can earn between £28,000 and £35,000, excluding commission and bonuses. Managers that have around 10 to 15 years of experience can earn more than £40,000, excluding commissions or bonuses. 

Useful links

For more information on jobs and what to expect from this career, please visit some of the most widely used sites for careers support.

• Prospects
• Target Jobs