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Recruitment Consultant

Also known as Recruitment Officer.

Recruitment consultants interview applicants to determine their job requirements and suitability for particular jobs, assess their training needs and help employers to find suitable staff.

Recruitment consultants in private industry may also specialise; some may work primarily with office and clerical job seekers, while others work only with professional and executive level recruitment.

It is possible to specialise by industry. For example, several consultancies recruit exclusively in the computer industry.

Consultants in private industry often work long hours to interview jobseekers who are not available during normal business hours.

TASKS

Recruitment consultants may perform the following tasks:

interview people looking for work, and record relevant personal and work details to match them with appropriate jobs
receive and record job vacancy information from employers
organise advertising, interviewing and selection processes for recruitment campaigns
conduct and analyse psychometric (personality, behavioural style, ability or aptitude) tests
interview job seekers and prepare shortlists of candidates for referral to prospective employers
check references and suitability of applicants before referring to employers
prepare resumes and correspondence for suitable applicants to forward to employers
advise job seekers regarding personal presentation at interviews and about their written applications and resumes
arrange appropriate training in job skills
assist with sales and marketing duties designed to increase the client base, including visiting employers to assess working conditions and discuss consultancy services and fees
observe jobs to obtain information about job requirements
prepare job descriptions and letters of appointment
prepare rosters and duty statements, as well as organise security passes and identification

PERSONAL REQUIREMENTS

good intuition and understanding of people's qualities
good analytical and decision-making skills
good oral and written communication skills
tactful and discrete when dealing with people

Interest Area

SPECIALISATIONS

Case Manager (Recruitment) - is an experienced recruitment consultant who provides in-depth, intensive assistance to clients who are having trouble finding work because they have been unemployed for a long time or are disadvantaged.

EDUCATION & TRAINING

You can work as a recruitment consultant without formal qualifications, but employers usually prefer you to gain your HSC/ACT Year 12. You will probably get some informal training on the job.

Entry to this occupation may be improved if you have qualifications.

You may like to consider a VOC qualification in human resources or human resources management. As subjects and prerequisites can vary between institutions, you should contact your chosen institution for further information.

You can also become a recruitment consultant by studying human resource management, behavioural science, psychology or a related field at university. To get into these courses you usually need to gain your HSC/ACT Year 12. Prerequisite subjects, or assumed knowledge, in one or more of English and mathematics are normally required. Most universities in Australia offer degrees in these areas.

Universities have different prerequisites and some have flexible entry requirements or offer external study. Contact Open Universities Australia or the universities you are interested in for more information as requirements may change.

The Recruitment and Consulting Services Association (RCSA) also offers a variety of qualifications and training courses for those wishing to enter the field. Contact the RCSA for more information.

Additional Information

With appropriate training and experience, graduates can apply for membership of the RCSA. There is a range of membership types available to those at various stages in their career.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Recruitment consultants are employed in both the public and private sectors. Positions are regularly advertised in metropolitan and national newspapers.

Some recruitment consultants also establish their own businesses.