Why Choose a Career in Recruitment?

By Mike Minnis, Training Manager, STR

Why Recruitment?

The everyday responsibility of a recruitment consultant can include canvassing for new business, liaising with existing clients and searching for and interviewing candidates for suitable vacancies. The need to establish and match the requirements of both the client companies and the aspirations of job candidates gives rise to an interesting and varied role where no two days are ever the same.

However, recruitment as a career option is often overlooked by graduates. Yet the industry has many benefits including a dynamic, fast-paced working environment, varied day-to-day responsibility and excellent remuneration so graduates should be considering the many opportunities in this growing sector carefully.

Recruitment is Sales

What many people don't realise is that recruitment itself is actually a career in sales. Recruiters need to sell candidates' skills to client companies and they must attract new customers selling the attributes of their recruitment consultancy through new business development.

As with most sales roles remuneration is paid through a basic salary plus commission. Typically, recruitment consultancies charge clients around 20 percent of the final salary of a successfully placed candidate and as a result, commission structures for staff can be particularly generous. It is not unusual for graduates to be earning up to £40,000 per year within two years as results are rewarded regardless of the level of experience an employee may have.

Although some can excel quickly, the first year is usually a learning curve and spent building up accounts and business pipelines. This effort is recognised when individuals come into their own, usually in year two and after this initial learning period.

Skills Required

To be successful in a sales environment a specific set of skills are required and anyone considering entering the industry should assess their own aptitude honestly. A high level of self motivation combined with confidence (rather than arrogance) along with great verbal, listening and written communications skills are needed as well as a strong work ethic. Adaptability, tenacity and resilience are also key, as is a creative approach to problem solving.

The Importance of Training

The other necessary element to succeed in both a sales and recruitment environment is training. It is important to choose an employer that invests in staff and provides a proper grounding in sales techniques. Many large, established recruitment consultancies offer this benefit. At STR for example, we run a full time, six week training induction programme for staff that are new to the industry. Once complete, it means new employees have a far higher success rate in their new role and quick wins lead to a more motivated and productive attitude. Similarly, ongoing training ensures additional skills are acquired as employees' careers progress.

The recruitment industry is growing rapidly and this expansion brings many opportunities for bright and talented individuals. If you are interested in further advice on a career in recruitment contact STR on 0870 600 9899 or visit www.strgroup.co.uk

For more information about STR, visit its Milkround Company Profile.