Why Choose Recruitment as a Career?
Thinking about making a career change? Read our guide to learn more about why you should choose recruitment as a career.
Table of Contents
- What do Recruitment Consultants Do?
- What Skills & Qualities Do You Need To Be A Successful Recruitment Consultant?
- 6 Reasons Why You Should Choose Recruitment as a Career
- What Do Our Consultants Say?
- Why A Career in Recruitment is a Great Option for Graduates
- Why A Career in Recruitment is a Great Option for Career Switchers
- How Do You Get into Recruitment?
What do Recruitment Consultants Do?
Put simply, a recruitment consultant acts much like a matchmaker. They provide a vital link between job seekers and employers. The aim of the game is simple – fill the role with the most suitable candidate. However, the role of a recruitment consultant is multi-faceted and encompasses a wide range of skills and activities including client management, business development, networking, marketing, negotiating and much more.
Typical Work Activities:
- Promoting job vacancies across online jobs boards, social media, candidate outreach and word of mouth.
- Guiding candidates and clients through the hiring process.
- Coaching candidates and helping them to achieve their career goals.
- Screening, interviewing and short-listing potential candidates.
- Researching and monitoring industry news, trends and developments.
- Building relationships with new clients through business development activities.
What Skills & Qualities Do You Need To Be A Successful Recruitment Consultant?
- Independent-minded self-starter
- Target & goal-oriented
- Strong communication skills
- Creativity and lateral thinking
- Resilience & a positive mindset
- Sociable & extroverted
- Time-management
- The ability to work under pressure
Why Choose Recruitment as a Career – 6 Reasons
Excellent Earning Potential
As a recruitment consultant, you will receive a commission on top of your base salary for every role that you successfully fill. Your achievements and successes are rewarded which means that the sky’s the limit in terms of potential earnings. However, if you have a bad month, you can still depend on your basic salary. This gives you the financial freedom to see the world, save for a rainy day, or invest in further education.
Every Day Is Different
If you’re the kind of person who craves variety in their career, then recruitment could be a good fit for you. As a recruitment consultant, you will find that no two days are the same. On any given day, you could be meeting candidates, attending on-site client meetings, conducting mock interviews, going to business events, or making important phone calls. What’s more, each new role will present an opportunity to learn something new and connect with a diverse range of people.
Great Development Opportunities
As a recruitment consultant, you will benefit from comprehensive training. What’s more, you will be able to learn a lot from your colleagues at your desk as they help you to build your skills. Put in the work, and you will soon find that you’re on the fast track for recognition and progression. Here at Berkley, we have many examples of top performers who have advanced into more senior leadership roles. Since joining us in 2012, Tony Tynan has progressed from Senior Engineering Consultant to Divisional Manager to his current role as Director of Operations.
Transferable Skills
As you engage with more and more clients, you will learn a lot about the dynamics of other industries. This knowledge will prove to be invaluable should you ever decide to make a career move. Working in recruitment gives you the chance to develop in-depth industry knowledge, useful skills, and a vast network of valuable contacts, As such, it is the ideal launchpad for a career in Business, Sales, HR and Talent Acquisition.
Cultivate Subject Matter Expertise
As a recruitment consultant, you will gain the opportunity to gain insights into the inner workings of businesses in your specialist sector. Over the years, you will naturally build up your subject matter expertise. This will enable you to provide specialist advice to clients that will help them to grow their business.
Make A Meaningful Impact
For many recruitment consultants, the most rewarding element of their job is the ability to make a meaningful impact. Whether it’s supporting a candidate as they secure a life-changing opportunity, or helping a client hire the perfect person to grow their business. The chance to make a real impact that helps recruiters to stay motivated and committed to excellence in their roles.
What Do Our Consultants Say?

A career in Recruitment means no two days are ever the same. You have the chance to build a business within a business and get out of it what you put in. Strong recruiters get the opportunity to build excellent relationships with Clients and Candidates and really build a brand for themselves in a fast-paced environment. If done right, the financial benefits in recruitment make the role very rewarding.

Recruitment has certainly been a fantastic career choice. What I really enjoy is that no day in recruitment is ever the same. It is a very fast-paced working environment where you have the opportunity to speak to new people every day. This certainly excites me!
There are also many invaluable skills that one can learn from recruitment, such as skills in communication, relationship management, time management and negotiation. These kind of skills are crucial in many aspects of life.
A career in recruitment also allows me to assist people in their search for a new role which is certainly very satisfying.

The reason I chose to work in recruitment is that it’s a diverse and challenging role. You get the chance to work with clients in different industries, in different parts of the world. You’ll develop your skills in communication, relationship management, time management and negotiation, which are invaluable no matter what career path you choose.

I chose a career in recruitment because it combined my passion for technology and business. On a daily basis, I get to speak to candidates and clients about technology and gain insights into some of the biggest tech companies in the world. There are so many different moving parts in recruitment and working in the industry has allowed me to become an expert in Sales, Business Development, Technology and Marketing, improving my knowledge and skills every day.
Why A Career in Recruitment is a Great Option for Graduates
Recruitment is particularly suited to graduates who are looking to get on to the first rung of the career ladder. Recruitment is open to anybody who has the right attitude and skill-set, no matter what your experience level is. The majority of skills required to excel in recruitment cannot be taught, rather, they come from within. This means that anybody with the right skills, attitude and personality can enjoy a successful career in recruitment.
Why A Career in Recruitment is a Great Option for Career Switchers
If you are looking to make a career switch, then recruitment could be a great option for you. By choosing a career in recruitment, you can apply your hard-won industry experience and expertise to support candidates and clients. This specialist knowledge will help you to make a meaningful impact while working in a rewarding environment. If you are considering making a jump to a career in recruitment, why not chat with one of our consultants today to learn more about this career path.
How Do You Get into Recruitment?
If you are interested in embarking on a career that offers many learning opportunities, clear progression and a high earning potential, then why not join the Berkley team? We are always on the lookout for the next generation of talent who will support our teams with fresh ideas and new ways of thinking. Currently, we are seeking Recruitment Consultants and Entry-Level Resourcers to join our Business & Technology, Life Science & Engineering, and Supply Chain & Procurement teams.

