Looking for career opportunities in Human Resources? Why not consider a career as a Recruitment Consultant!
The Job
A Recruitment Consultant acts as the link between prospective candidates and employers. He/she builds relationships with client companies to gain a better understanding of their recruitment needs and requirements. With the client’s requirements, he sources the right candidates then matches them to temporary or permanent positions with these client companies.
The Recruitment Consultant attracts candidates by drafting a job advert for use in different media, as well as by networking, headhunting, and through referrals. He/she screens the candidates, conducts a background check on them, and interviews them before handing them over to the clients.
He also provides advice to both clients and candidates on salary levels, training requirements, and career opportunities.
Working Hours and Salary
Long working hours are common with this job role and may include evenings. The work is office-based, but time is also spent outside the office, meeting with clients and interviewing candidates.
Self-employment or freelance work is possible, but generally only for consultants who have expert knowledge of a specific sector.
Salaries for Recruitment Consultants vary across sectors and locations but typically include a basic salary plus a performance-related bonus or commission. This can either be an individual, team, or branch bonus.
Some vacancies will advertise high OTE (on-target earnings) salaries even for trainees. The promise of an initial high salary very much depends on your sales performance.
Other benefits may include training, cars, mobile phones, laptops, pension schemes, and end-of-year rewards for the top billing consultant or department.
Entry Requirements/Qualification
Entry into this career is generally open to graduates regardless of the degree subject. You can also start this career with an HND or a diploma. Having any relevant experience, skill or ability is a plus.
Postgraduate study is not essential, but continuous training and certifications are very useful.
Training and Certifications
On-the-job training is offered to Trainee Consultants for the first few months. Larger firms offer induction or skills training for new staff members entering as Trainee Recruitment Consultants.
Short courses on specific aspects of the industry are either run in-house or by external training providers.
There are certain professional bodies in Nigeria and abroad that offer personal development training and short courses specific to the skills required in the industry. For example:
- Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)
- Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria
- Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC)
- Institute of Recruitment Professionals (IRP)
You can also attend these courses while you are still working in the recruitment industry.
Career Progression
Generally, Recruitment Consultants are required to start work in the industry as trainees working in a branch within a small team. On-the-job training and mentoring are usually provided in the first few months.
This role is target driven and progression largely depends on how well you achieve your targets. Development in this career often depends on the size and structure of the agency you work for and if you work for a small company, you may need to jump ships to progress.
Progression in this career is usually in the following order – from a Consultant, you climb the ladder to become a Senior Consultant or Account Manager then progress to Team Leader and other managerial positions such as Branch Manager. Progression to these senior roles will require you to get additional people management and financial skills. For large organizations with many branches, it may be possible to move into area and regional management.
You may also carve your niche in the industry, and do your own thing. This only depends on how ambitious you are!
We hope you found this career profile interesting and useful. Do you have any questions, require further guidance on planning this career, or have comments and suggestions, please feel free to contact us at recruitment@gusconsulting.com. Or you know someone, a friend, a colleague who may find this post interesting, please do share this with them.
We wish you every success in your career…..