Features: A recruitment career

Written by Luke Berté, Editor, Graduate Prospects, December 2012

As thousands of people continue to use agencies in their search for work, a wealth of entry level positions are being advertised and the recruitment sector is thriving

Recruitment is fast becoming the Hollywood of the nine-to-five world. With uncapped commission, company cars and holidays, lunch clubs and generous starting salaries, more graduates are considering this modern and attractive industry.

It's pure A-list opulence if you're willing to graft and carve out a career.

While many of the reputable recruitment companies do expect prospective candidates to have a degree, nearly all of them will take on graduates with little or no recruitment experience, preferring instead to train and mentor each new starter from the bottom up.

Possessing certain character traits is more vital in this sector. With recruitment being a sales driven industry, hitting targets is fundamental to the job.

As such, ambitious, hard-working, motivated and money-driven individuals will succeed in this line of work. If you can flaunt these skills, the earnings promise to be huge.

 

The world of recruitment

A recruitment consultant liaises with candidates with the aim of finding them temporary and/or permanent positions within client companies. Many recruitment agencies specialise in certain sectors and cater for niche industries.

They spend their time in and out of the office, conducting interviews and meetings, headhunting, networking and ultimately matching candidates and clients.

David Brown studied sports journalism at the University of Brighton before becoming a graduate trainee consultant with recruitment company Harvard Brown.
 
'I expected recruitment to be hard work, long hours and challenging, which it is, but the rewards and perks of the job keep me highly motivated.

'My role requires me to canvass for new business opportunities, calling decision makers within various businesses and persuading them to use me for any hiring requirements, current or future,' said David.

Companies like Harvard Brown offer glittering graduate schemes, ongoing training with personal mentors, competitive commission structures and rapid career progression.

The entrepreneurial nature of the industry means that candidates who perform exceptionally well can go from being a trainee consultant to a team leader within a year. 

'I have rapidly developed my softer sales skills, my ability to communicate confidently and build rapport with clients. However, there is still a lot to learn and I'm learning new skills every day, developing and progressing as a consultant. Your achievements and performance are tangible, which lets you track your progress clearly and develop quickly,' added David.

With many of the major companies having offices in Bristol, London and Manchester, and more appearing in the exotic climes of Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore, now might be the time for you to think about a career in recruitment.

If you'd like to find out more then contact Harvard Brown

Case study

Neil Woodley is a graduate training scheme manager at specialist recruitment consultant, Reed.

The role of a recruitment consultant is both challenging and rewarding. You will be responsible for winning new business and/or managing existing client relationships.

The key is to understand both your client's recruitment needs and your candidate's job aspirations - you will then consistently secure the right person for the right job. 

In terms of your specific qualifications, there is no preference given to a particular degree subject. However, a relevant degree will help if you decide to enter a recruitment specialism, for example, a mathematics degree would be beneficial to recruitment consultants in actuarial recruitment.

Typical graduate starting salaries range from £17,000 to £20,000, as well as financial rewards such as bonuses.

A number of senior managers within Reed have come through a three-year graduate training scheme, which has been designed to develop talented managers and leaders.

To work in recruitment you need to work to tight deadlines and respond quickly to clients' needs. Having the drive and self-motivation to achieve success within a sales-orientated environment, you will also need to be ambitious, imaginative and have the ability to build strong business relationships with both clients and candidates.