Recruitment/Employment Agency Consultant

Recruitment/employment agency consultants are responsible for finding permanent and temporary work for candidates, and helping organisations to fill their job vacancies.

The role is varied, and may include:

• business development, canvassing organisations to sign up new clients
• account management, putting forward suitable job seekers
• conducting pre-interview screening of job seekers
• updating general vacancy and job-seeker skills and availability databases
• negotiating agency fees and candidates' salaries
• collecting and giving interview feedback and making job offers
• 'headhunting'; finding and approaching candidates for executive or specialist jobs
• meeting personal sales and placement targets.

Recruitment consultants tend to work between the hours of 9.00am and 6.00pm, Monday to Friday, although some may work later or on Saturday mornings to liaise with job seekers. The role, especially in business development, is split between the office and visiting clients.

Recruitment consultants may be paid a basic salary of between £18,000 and £42,000 a year, or more. Performance-related bonuses and commission may increase a salary to £100,000 for senior consultants.

A recruitment/employment agency consultant needs:

• excellent interpersonal, listening and communication skills
• good sales and negotiation skills
• confidence to take initiative
• resilience, a positive attitude and the ability to handle multiple priorities
• an interest in sales and providing high-quality customer service.

Around 95,865 people currently work in recruitment. Opportunities with national, regional and small, independent recruitment consultancies exist throughout the UK. Agencies may specialise in recruitment for particular employment sectors or permanent, temporary and freelance contracts. Some purely conduct online agency services.

Personal attributes, such as a good telephone manner and sales skills, perhaps gained from working in HR, sales or customer service, are often regarded as more important than academic ability. Some employers may ask for five GCSEs (A*-C), including English and maths. The Diploma in business, administration and finance may be relevant. Many recruitment agencies have graduate entry programmes. Most degree subjects are accepted.

Training usually combines working under supervision and undertaking a structured training programme, followed by further courses relevant to recruitment. The Recruitment and Employment Confederation offers four levels of nationally recognised courses, from Certificate level to Masters. These can all be studied by distance learning.

Career progression is based on sales results, managerial potential and experience. Trainees and juniors will typically progress to consultant, then senior or executive consultant and office or branch manager.

Further details