Careers in recruitment

Recruitment positions commonly fall into five levels

1. Recruitment resourcer
2. Recruitment consultant
3. Senior recruitment consultant
4. Recruitment manager
5. Recruitment team leader or director.

A recruitment consultant will generally enter the industry as an apprentice, trainee consultant or resourcer, working in a single office or branch with a relatively small team. From here, a consultant can progress to senior consultant and then to branch or office manager or team leader.

What does a recruiter do?

Recruiters attract candidates who are looking for a job, on behalf of their clients. They match the candidates and clients to specific criteria on a temporary, contract or permanent basis. They operate in virtually all sectors of the employment market.

The main aspects of the role include:

• attracting business from client companies using sales, business development and marketing techniques
• building relationships with clients to become a trusted recruitment advisor
• building a network of candidates - the best recruiters may have a group of people that return to them throughout their careers when they're seeking new roles.

Key personal qualities:

Confidence, negotiation and strong communication skills are important attributes for a recruitment consultant. Consultants are often motivated by problem solving, can think on their feet, and have great people skills.

What qualifications do I need to work in recruitment?

The recruitment industry generally welcomes candidates from a range of educational backgrounds. Attitude and determination are often the attributes that are most important to recruitment leaders.

Some employers have dedicated career development programmes for graduates or those wishing to progress quickly, and the REC offers a range of qualifications to help you develop your skills.