The Benefits of Recruitment as a Career Option

When people consider career options, whether they are entering employment for the first time or are a more seasoned candidate, they don’t always immediately think of recruitment. However, this is a career path which offers a great number of benefits and here we will examine each of these in more detail.

In High Demand

Even during periods of recession there are always people looking to change roles and this makes recruitment an essential service. At the moment the recruitment market is particularly buoyant in the UK and as this guide to ‘How To Become a Recruiter’ highlights the industry is worth upwards of £30 billion and this figure is rising, increasing 10% in 2015 alone. 

Accessible to Many

Recruitment calls for a mixture of diverse skills. Sales technique; an ability to communicate with a wide variety of people; and the capacity to learn new information quickly will be essential. This means that your previous experience, or a defined degree path, is less vital than an interest in the field, a willingness to help others and an aptitude for the role.  

Some people start a career in recruitment with a background in Human Resources or from another sales field. However, it’s also possible to start at a junior level with little prior experience and gradually work your way up.

Wide-Ranging Career

Within the industry there is a range of options. Recruitment agencies are where the vast majority of recruitment consultants are employed. However, there are also in-house positions at large companies and some recruiters even work on a freelance basis or set up their own recruitment businesses.

It is also an industry where you can become highly specialist, particularly if you have knowledge of working in a particular job role. There are recruiters who specialise in medical, engineering, legal, financial and a range of other vocational fields.

Competitive Remuneration

Recruiters who have specialist knowledge can expect to earn substantially more than the average within the recruitment industry. However, even general recruiters and those who work in-house, enjoy a healthy salary structure. This is largely because they earn both a basic salary plus commission for every hire they make. In a buoyant market where there are plentiful vacancies to fill this means that most recruiters will earn far above the national average.

 

Varied Job Roles

What many people love about working in the recruitment industry is the variety. You are meeting new people every day, clients and candidates, and that means the role doesn’t get too repetitive. Furthermore, you are helping people to achieve something positive whether that’s filling a hiring manager’s vacancy or helping to land a new job for a candidate and that can be hugely rewarding from a personal perspective.

The role of recruiter is very much built around communicating and problem-solving so there is little time to get stuck in a routine. In addition, the industry is always evolving with new tools and techniques to learn, so for those who love a challenge it remains satisfying.

If you are considering moving into recruitment from a different background it’s important to analyse what skills you have and how those could be utilised in the field. You may have experience of hiring people into a role for example, even if it isn’t directly from the recruiter’s perspective, and this can provide you with a valuable insight into what your prospective clients will need. Alternatively, you may have strong sales experience and this is highly transferrable when you are selling candidates on the benefit of a role, or persuading clients that your knowledge can bring them the best pool of applicants.

If you welcome new challenges; enjoy communicating with a wide range of people and are willing to absorb a diverse range of information on a daily basis, then a role in the recruitment industry is definitely worth exploring.