To become a Recruitment Consultant for some seems easy and others near impossible, so with this blog I hope to help you uncover some of the secrets in becoming a new recruitment consultants, plus a few tips to help you excel and make more money and get promoted.
Over recent years becoming a recruitment consultant has become more difficult in some way’s, although the opportunities out there are more prolific, there seems to be more hoops to get through but at the end of the day the essence is still the same.
I have probably interviewed hundreds candidates looking to get into recruitment, but in most cases it is for the wrong reasons. The reason is that you probably do not realise that to be a Recruitment Consultant you actually need to be a Sales Executive and not that likeable person on the other side of the desk who spends their day interviewing candidates.
And at this point I have probably put a few of you off from joining the recruitment profession, please don’t panic as some of these large recruitment consultancies have many a varied role which may suit your personality more than others. If you want to be a recruitment consultant though you really do need to have a sales mentality, a passion and a desire to succeed because at the end of the day this is a VERY COMPETITIVE MARKET.
The key to getting you first opportunity is to have an understanding of what a Recruitment Consultancy is looking for, so here is a list of some of their ideal attributes:
- Good communication skills (Clear diction)
- Hard working (Keen to put in overtime make calls from home if necessary)
- Sales ability (Should be able to close the sale i.e. ask for the job)
- Time Management (You will be pulled in all directions)
- Good written Skills (Writing adds, resumes etc. although I have got away with it for many years!)
- Smart Appearance
- Able to deal with rejection
- When it is tough have the strength to keep focused
- Good Rapport skills
- A personality
- Be able to think outside the box, there is always more than one way to skin a cat!
Generally if you have just come out of University or a non sales role you will not have had much experience which is what most consultancies look for so with my next instalment I will try help you get past this hurdle. In fact most of what I will be telling you will help you get any job that you apply for.
Some good points made – I feel that communication is the key to being a good recrutier, as is been likeable. Clients and candidates alike always have other options, but in order to achieve loyalty they need to buy into you.
I also believe that knowing your sector is very important too – you don’t have to be able to do the job you are recruiting for, but you should know it inside out!
Recrutinig within different sector changes the job massively too in my opinion. I used to recruit for IT / Telecoms but now recrut for the Training / FE Sectors – is it different or what!
Hi Steven,
Having spent 13 years in the London R2R market, I appreciate your views on the negativity surrounding the sector and your concerns about allowing them to join the jobsite. However, there are some good recruitment to recruitment consultancies out there and I think it is important to acknowledge this. I’m not writing this in an attempt to change anyone’s view on the recruitment to recruitment sector. I for one think it’s reputation is pretty dismal and this is often backed up when I hear of some of the horror stories via candidates. However, a good R2R agency is worth its weight in gold. They are often exposed to positions that may be confidential or are simply not advertised. Market knowledge is invaluable and most importantly we are able to give candidates intelligent advice when attending interviews as more than often we have been working with these clients for many years.
If you are considering using a recruitment to recruitment agency I suggest you ensure that your CV isn’t sent to any recruitment firm without your written consent. Find out which clients they work with and question their current successes with these clients. Expect a face to face meeting as culture fit is as key to a successful placement as experience. Question any R2R company (unless it’s impossible due to location) that is only happy to telephone interview you. A really good agency will NOT push you into making a decision or using cheap sales tactics to put you off other companies – a good consultancy should be able to give you good advice on your career without you feeling that they are just pushing for a quick fee.
Steven, it you would be great if you were to consider allowing R2R agencies to also post positions. At least then this would give people the choice.
Michelle Rees
Managing Director
Rees Recruitment