Recruitment consultant

You would help organisations and companies find staff with the right skills.You’d match people who are looking for a job to suitable vacancies.

You would work for a recruitment agency, which would be paid by companies and organisations when you help them get the right staff. You’d also speak to lots of individual job seekers so that you have a large number of people who you could put forward for suitable vacancies.

You would:

• Take details of vacancies from employers

• Interview and test individuals so you know what their skills are

• Match candidates to suitable jobs

• Screen and shortlist candidates for employers

• Build good relationships with employers

• Keep in touch with job seekers who use your agency

• Keep records of clients, employers and vacancies

• Negotiate your agency’s fees

• Approach companies to persuade them to use your services

• Find and approach people for executive or specialist jobs (known as head hunting)

There are different kinds of employment agencies you could work for, dealing with permanent or temporary work at all levels in many different industries.

This can be a high-pressure role, as you might need to meet targets for the number of vacancies you deal with or the number of people you get into jobs.

• Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development – learning resources

• Institute of Recruitment Professionals - Career development advice