What Is a Recruitment Job?
If you're thinking of moving into recruitment, it's always worth understanding what a recruitment role actually involves day to day because it's quite unlike most other careers!
A recruitment job can mean a lot of different things depending on where you work, what sector you have decided to cover and how you're set up. This article will cover everything about what a recruitment job is.
What Is a Recruitment Job? The Short Answer
A recruitment job involves connecting people who are looking for work with busiensses that are looking to hire. You are the link between the two.
You will find the right candidates, understand what employers (and potential employees!) need, and make sure the match you're bringing forward works for everyone involved.
It sounds quite simple, but it's fast-paced, relationship-driven and needs a combination of sales skills, people skills and resilience. Having genuine curiosity about industries will also help and the ones who do it well generally find being a recruiter very rewarding. Recruiters who struggle tend to underestimate just how much goes into building, maintaining and sustaining relationships on both sides over the long term.
The Different Types of Recruitment Jobs
A recruitment job is broad, so it can mean quite a few different things.
180 and 360 Recruitment
These are the most common you'll come across. A 360 recruiter handles the full process from both ends, responsible for developing client relationships, taking job briefs, sourcing the right candidates and managing the interview processes. And of course, closing the actual placement. A 180 recruiter is more specialised, so you might only work on the candidate side (that's the most common side). What that'll mean is headhunting, resourcing, qualifying candidates and a separate person then manages the client relationship. Or the reverse!
Some people prefer to be focused solely on one side and others find having the full overview and ownership of the process more satisfying.
Agency Recruiters and In-House Recruiters
Agency recruiters (like ourselves!) typically handle multiple clients across a sector. For us, that's recruitment to recruitment across all industries.
When you're in-house, you're a recruiter solely for them. You work directly for one business, managing all of its hiring needs.
Permanent and Contract Recruiters
Permanent recruiters are looking to place candidates into long-term roles, and contract recruiters manage placements for temporary or fixed-term workers. Many recruiters do either one or the other, but not a hard rule. We do both, for example!
Sector Specialisms
Most recruitment jobs tend to be sector specific. You'll see recruiters specialising in tech, marketing, development, finance, medical, legal and so on. That specialism will matter as clients and candidates want to work with someone who does understand their world and not just have someone screening them who is just relying on the job spec and can't answer any deeper questions.
What Does a Recruitment Job Actually Look Like Day to Day?
The reality of the day-to-day is that it varies, which is why a lot of recruiters love what they do. It depends on the business, the market, the area and specialism that you're working in. But there are a few things that are consistent.
Your mornings are most likely going to be spent catching up, checking in with candidates who have interviews that day or soon and responding to new applications. Or following up with clients on live roles.
Sourcing candidates also takes up a significant chunk of time! Advertising roles, searching databases, using Linkedin, and, at the more experienced end, proactive headhunting. The best recruiters aren't just waiting for the right CV to show up right infront them they're finding people who might not even be actively looking.
Arranging interviews, gathering feedback, handling offers, managing counteroffers is also very much part of the day to day. You'll also be simultanously managing expectations on both sides and that's where experienced recruiters really earn their stripes.
What Skills Do You Need the Most to Be a Recruiter?
Recruitment gets a slightly unfair reputation in some areas. Some believe it's just all about sales tactics, but it's not. Yes, there's a commercial factor. But recruiters who build solid, long term careers in the industry share a few recruiter skills in common:
They're good listeners. They ask the right questions and pay attention to the answers.
They're honest with both the client and the candidate. Even if it's not what they want to hear.
They're organised enough to manage multiple live processes.
They're resilient! Recruitment is a business where things can fall through. The most perfect candidates might change their minds, and clients go cold, so being able to reassess and move forward is important in these situations.
They know how to communicate. The ability to write job adverts that attract top candidates, present candidates to clients persuasively and accurately give constructive feedback respectfully and negotiate offers effectively, these are all examples of fantastic communication skills.
Is a Recruitment Job Right for You?
This depends on what you're looking for out of your career. If you want a structured role, with clearly defined tasks to get through everyday then recruitment might feel a bit chaotic to you. If you love the variety, enjoy working directly with people and want a role where your effort is directly reflected in results then it could be a great fit.
Career progression in recruitment can happen quickly, and earning potential can be excellent. We have seen many recruiters reach senior and even director level within just a few years (not the same in every sector, but it can happen!), and that was down to being dedicated. A lot of agencies come with uncapped commission structures, which means your ceiling mostly depends on you. That's motivating for the right personality, but it does mean accepting some variability in your monthly take-home outside of your salary.
Already in Recruitment and Thinking About a Change?
If you're working in recruitment and wondering what's out there, it might be worth speaking to one of our rec2rec specialists. We can help with wanting a step up or a change that's a better fit, changing the recruitment sector or moving from agency to in-house, or vice versa.
We work exclusively within the recruitment sector, with people at all stages of their careers. If you'd like to have a chat about your options, get in touch or submit your CV.