Recruitment
If you are a confident 'people person' who enjoys making friends and influencing people then perhaps a career in recruitment could be for you.
There are four different types of recruitment agencies: employment agencies, headhunters, specialist recruitment agencies, and online job and recruitment websites. Traditional recruitment agencies pitch their services to businesses and advertise permanent and temporary vacancies to attract suitable candidates. Candidates are then screened using tests and interviews and matched with specific roles.
Specialist recruitment agencies operate in much the same way except they focus on specific industries and often have industry contacts and expertise. Headhunters take a more aggressive approach to candidate search and selection and will often actively seek out suitable people for more senior or specialised roles.
Recruitment agency staff tend to work regular hours between 9am-5pm Monday to Friday but the recent economic downturn has hit the industry hard and consultants may work longer hours to generate business and keep clients happy. Commission-related pay means that a skilled consultant has the opportunity to earn a good living.
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The starting rate for trainee consultants is £16,000, while the basic salary for recruitment consultants is £26,000. Commission-related pay means consultants have the opportunity to double their pay and headhunters can earn up to £70,000 per year. Recruitment managers earn an average of £36,598 per year.
Graduates with a good degree in any discipline will be considered for a recruitment role, though specialist recruitment and headhunting agencies may prefer subjects related to their specific industry. A specialist publishing recruitment agency may prefer arts graduates, for instance, while a city headhunting firm might favour graduates in finance or business-related subjects. Gaining work experience in the sector is a good way of improving your skills and chances of securing a job.
Exception communication and interpersonal skills are needed to be successful in this sphere, along with good persuasion skills and diplomacy. Strong administration, IT and organisational skills will also be useful and a dynamic personality with the ability to cope well under pressure will stand you in good stead.
