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Job description: Recruitment Manager
As recruitment manager, you'll be responsible for the recruiting activity of your organisation.
The exact nature of your role will depend to an extent on the size and nature of the organisation you work for. However, your duties are likely to include at least some of the following categories:
- Management support - you will provide professional support and advice on recruitment to line and departmental managers, and advise managers on best practice recruitment and selection.
- Advertising - you'll prepare job descriptions and personnel specifications, write job advertisements and decide how and where jobs will be advertised, design application forms and prepare other recruitment material such as brochures. You may also work on more creative solutions to recruitment, especially if it is proving problematic.
- Selection - you will screen application forms, shortlist applicants, devise and implement selection processes, conduct interviews, psychometric tests and personality questionnaires and various group activities.
- Training - you'll train staff in interviewing techniques, help to relocate staff to new departments and jobs due to restructuring.
- Redundancy - you may assist in the implementation of redundancy programmes, including voluntary redundancy and early retirement schemes.
In addition, you should make time to keep up to date with current employment legislation, and ensure your line managers are briefed on any changes where appropriate.
You will work with line managers within your own organisation to recruit staff, as well as external agencies such as job centres and recruitment agencies.
Hours and Environment
You would usually work from 9 to 5, Monday to Friday, although you may need to work later in the evening or weekends at times when interviewing.
The work is mainly office-based, but you may visit other branches if it's a large company.
Skills and Interests
To be a recruitment manager you should have:
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Sound commercial understanding
- The ability to work on your own initiative
- Outstanding organisational skills
- The ability to work under pressure
- The ability to work with personnel from all levels
- Numerical and budgeting skills
- IT skills
- Knowledge of UK employment legislation.
- An interest in people career development.
- Tact, and the ability to deal with difficult situations.
Entry
There are no formal entry requirements for recruitment. However, at this level previous managerial experience, especially in recruitment, plus a degree and Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) qualifications are all important advantages.
Relevant commercial experience, for example with a recruitment consultancy or in other branches of HR would also be good. It is possible to start at officer level and work your way up the company structure
Training
Training is typically a combination of on-the-job and more formal training.
The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) offers recruitment training courses and nationally recognised industry qualifications, including the:
- Certificate in Recruitment Practice (CertRP), which includes modules on recruitment processes, essential legislation, client development and candidate management
- Diploma in Recruitment Practice (DipRP), a specialist distance-learning qualification suitable for anyone involved in finding, assessing and selecting staff.
Once qualified, you'll be eligible to apply for full membership of the REC and use the letters CertRP or DipRP after your name.
The REC also supports higher-level programmes, including the Degree in Recruitment Practice, offered through Middlesex University Business School, and the Certificate in Company Direction, offered through the Institute of Directors. See the REC website for details.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) also supports an NVQ/SVQ at Level 3 in Recruitment.
Opportunities
You'll find opportunities with organisations throughout the UK.
You could also look at consultancies, with national, regional or small, independent consultancies located nationwide.
You can specialise in particular sectors, for example creative industries, law, accountancy, secretarial work or nursing.
You could try approaching agencies directly too, as they're often looking for new people.
You may also move into more general HR management, either within your organisation or by changing employer.
You also have the option to become self-employed and open your own consultancy.
Annual Income
These figures are for guidance only.
- Experienced recruitment managers can earn between £30,960 and £50,000 a year or more.
- Some companies also provide a car, mobile telephone and laptop computer.
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