Totaljobs.com > Career Advice > Careers in... > Careers in Recruitment Sales > Commercial Recruitment Consultant job description
Job description: Commercial Recruitment Consultant
As a Commercial Recruitment Consultant you would help job-seekers find the right permanent or temporary job for them and find employers the right people to work for them.
Match making would be your main priority. You'd have to make sure both the job seeker and employer is totally satisfied with the placement. You'd be speaking a lot with employers and individuals, understanding what they are looking for and then finding it for them.
Interviewing and testing would be a common part of your day to day routine. You'd have to assess people's skills and advise them on training. On top of this you'd be taking feedback from employers and keep records, screening candidates, finding new clients and building good relations with existing ones.
You could work for various kinds of employment agency that deals with a wide range of office based and commercial jobs. You'd be dealing with permanent or temporary work at all levels for many industry sectors.
Hours/Environment
From Monday to Friday, you'd be working from nine in the morning until six.
You work would be mainly desk-based. Once experienced, as a Commercial Recruitment Consultant you work could involve travel to visit employers and so a driving licence would be useful.
Skills and interests
To be a good Commercial Recruitment Consultant, you must:
- have good communication skills
- be able to gain people's confidence and put them at ease
- be persuasive, persistent and patient
- be of smart appearance
- be able to cope with pressure
- be flexible and adaptable
- have a mature personality
- have good organisational and administrative skills
Entry
Academic qualifications won't be necessary to become a Commercial Recruitment Consultant, but having GCSEs/S grades would give you an advantage. More and more employers that deal with executive placements are now taking on graduates.
Experience would be a great advantage to you, as this is how many people enter the role. This can include work in personnel, sales or office work. And there is no upper age limit for entry.
Usually, you'd start as a Trainee Consultant and become a Commercial Recruitment Consultant within a few months of joining an agency.
Training
If you join a large agency it is likely to run in-house training programmes lasting up to 12 weeks. These programmes will include on-the-job training and courses run by the agencies' own staff. Other agencies could send you on external courses run by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC).
The REC offers two awards, available through distance learning:
- The Foundation Award in Recruitment Practice. This would be appropriate in your first two years in the industry, or if you wish to refresh basic knowledge and skills. If you want to embark on a career in recruitment or set up your own agency, you could also take the Award.
- The Certificate in Recruitment Practice. With at least one years' experience, this would be useful for you, or if you have less experience, but have studied for A levels/H grades, a degree or equivalent.
The REC also offers a range of professional development short courses covering subjects such as sales, interview techniques, employment law, finance and management.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development offers the Certificate in Recruitment and Selection, available through distance learning, plus a range of professional development short courses in interviewing techniques, employment law and psychometric testing.
NVQ/SVQ Level 3 is available in Recruitment Consultancy.
Opportunities
There are thousands of recruitment agencies in the United Kingdom. Most deal with office workers, but if your interests or expertise lie in a specific area, there are many specialist agencies also. If you work in a general agency, it is possible to transfer your skills over into a specialist placement.
With experience, larger companies with a defined promotion structure may offer opportunities to move into business development or management. Alternatively, you could choose to set up your own agency.
Annual income
As a Commercial Recruitment Consultant your basic salary would range between £15,000 and £18,000 a year, plus commission. Once experienced, your salary would increase to between £20,000 and £40,000, depending on the organisation, plus commission.
Jobs in Recruitment sales
Other Careers in Recruitment Sales
