London Recruitment Consultants Jobs
Recruitment consultants work in a variety of sectors across London, attempting to match jobseekers with positions their clients wish to fill
Overview
Recruitment consultants work across London, attempting to match jobseekers with positions their clients wish to fill.
Essentially a meritocratic field, recruitment consultancy can be tough work, though the potential rewards on offer, the chance of working with a wide range of people and the buzz of meeting hard targets make it an attractive proposition for many.
Professional and Academic Requirements
Despite offering some potentially excellent rewards, there are no formal entry requirements for becoming a recruitment consultant, with many of the top professionals in London having started on the bottom rung on the career ladder.
That said, over recent years, a number of academic qualifications have become available that can only help candidates into the profession.
Degrees in human resources, marketing and public relations are all likely to appeal to employers, while degrees in IT, pharmaceuticals or engineering are also a good way in to more specialist recruitment positions.
Once a member of the profession, a number of options are available for candidates to further their careers, including the training courses and certificates offered by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), the Association of Professional Recruitment Consultants (APRC) and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
Personal Attributes
While formal academic qualifications may be increasingly important, most employers still look for certain personal attributes when filling new positions.
Above all, prospective HR professionals need to be outgoing, driven and comfortable taking the initiative and attempting to persuade clients into using their services.
Additionally, good communication skills, the ability to juggle deadlines and targets without missing a single one and the strength to deal with knock-backs and flat-out rejections, often on a daily basis, are all crucial for this role.
Potential Rewards
Junior and trainee recruitment consultants tend to earn a low, basic wage, particularly given the fact they are required to dress smartly at all times and to work long hours in an often-stressful job.
However, the field of recruitment is largely meritocratic, with the best consultants easily able to command multiples of starters' salaries within a few years, though at all stages of the job, this basic pay is complemented by commissions, which can often amount to around a quarter of a successful candidate's annual wage.
High-flyers, particularly those engaged in executive recruitment or medical jobs, can take home six-figure sums, though these tend to be in the minority in the capital and the sector's average wage is brought down by those working on the city's high streets.
Other perks of the job may include a company car and a mobile phone.
Possible Drawbacks
Given that recruitment consultancy is more-or-less a sales job, with members of the profession attempting to convince employers to part with money to take on new staff, the role can be demanding and often stressful.
Added to this is the fact that quiet or unsuccessful months will undoubtedly hurt a recruitment consultant financially.
Biggest Employers
Dozens of recruitment consultants operate across London and they are all constantly on the lookout for new and eager talent.
Among the biggest names on the high street side of the sector are the likes of Adecco, Office Angels, Hays, Reed, Manpower and Kelly Services.
Operating in more specialist areas are agencies such as PFJ, which deals with media candidate; Joslin Rowe, which recruits for City positions; and Veredus, which operates at the executive search end of the market.
