Recruitment consultant: Job descriptions, skills and salary expectation

The tasks that a recruitment consultant typically perform, vary widely. In essence, the job is about meeting with clients and candidates and placing the right professional into the right job; how a recruitment firm goes about its business and what they look for in an applicant can also vary. 

Here is a typical recruitment consultant job description with key responsibilities and description of what a successful applicant would typically look like:

Now hiring: recruitment consultants

You will manage the recruitment process from the interview to offer stage and beyond. That includes sourcing and interviewing candidates, negotiating salary packages and presenting suitable candidates to clients. 

Your goal is to build mutually beneficial relationships with clients and candidates, and work as part of a passionate team to maximise our commercial performance.

Are you currently working long hours as an estate agent or business development executive, and looking for a role in which you can transfer your current skills, and better manage your work-life balance? 

Are you working in a different sector entirely, but want more of a people facing, target driven, and rewarding role? 

Are you in a different type of sales position but struggle to envision your long-term career, or feel as though your role is leading to a dead end? 

Recruitment could be for you.

Recruitment consultant responsibilities: 

Here are just some of the key roles and responsibilities of a recruitment consultant:

• Identifying and developing client/business relationships
• Advising on and selling the most appropriate solution for attracting candidates and maintaining a candidate database
• Assessing and responding to the needs of each particular client or assignment
• Sourcing suitable candidates and briefing them on the opportunities offered by the client
• Managing the process through the interview to offer stage and beyond
• Negotiating pay and salary rates and finalising arrangements between client and candidate
• Offering CV, interview and general career advice
• Networking to build business information that can be converted into commercial opportunities

Recruitment consultant skills and experience:

Here are Michael Page, we will consider any experience and any background for the consultants we hire, however, any potential recruitment consultant must possess:

• A strong and proven track record in sales, networking and/or client development abilities
• Excellent time management and organisational skills
• Strong commercial business acumen
• A passionate desire to succeed and build a successful career
• A winning mentality
• The ability to overcome objection and be persistent

Recruitment consultant salary and packages: 

At Michael Page, we offer our recruitment consultants a highly competitive salary and benefits package and offer the opportunity to work for a global FTSE 250, a leading brand name in the recruitment industry who are unparalleled in terms of training and development, as well as career progression. 

Here’s a basic outline of what to expect as a junior recruitment consultant: 

• Basic Salary £25,000 - £30,000, depending on experience
• Quarterly bonus, subject to performance
• Extensive rewards and incentives; monthly breakfast club, quarterly all-expenses-paid holidays and red letter events, subject to performance
• Comprehensive and ongoing training in all aspects of the job
• Unparalleled career progression opportunities - including international relocation if desired

Why you should work as a recruitment consultant at Michael Page

We asked some of our recruitment consultants what they love about working for Michael Page. Here’s what they had to say: 

If I had to pick one thing, I would say that I just love speaking to people. Whether candidates or a clients, you're meeting new people every day, with different experiences and interests. You’re also constantly learning about how different businesses work, so you have great exposure to various industries.
- Sophie Herring, Managing Consultant, Michael Page Finance 

A big motivation for me was the prospect of better work-life balance. I worked as a teacher before, and as you can imagine, this didn't offer me much flexibility, so it was important to find something that not only challenged me but also provided that balance I really wanted.I also knew that I wanted to explore a corporate environment and get my foot in the door at a big business that could offer me career development support and the opportunity to grow. That’s really what drew me to PageGroup specifically, over the more boutique recruitment companies out there.
- Chloe Tubbs, Business Manager, Page Personnel Finance

What’s next?

This is just an example of what you might expect to see on a recruitment consultant job description. If you’d like to learn more about the key skills needed to be a recruitment consultant we have a full description here. We also have a breakdown of what you can expect to earn. 

Do you think you have what it takes to work in recruitment? Apply for a role at Michael Page today. 

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