You often hear conflicting opinions of what it’s like to pursue a career in Recruitment. Some people will tell you it’s a very stressful, ‘soul-destroying’ career, and others will tell you it’s a highly fulfilling and financially rewarding career path.
Recruiting is a career path you can pursue within a wide range of professional industries. A career in recruitment can be a fulfilling choice for individuals interested in talent acquisition, client services and career development. But before you jump head-first into a career in recruitment, it’s important to be aware of all the pros and cons to help you decide whether this career path is really the right one for you.
Working as a recruiter can be an appealing career opportunity. There are many benefits to choosing to work as a recruiter which may make it the right choice for you!
Working as a recruiter is professionally satisfying, as you get to help people find careers that are fulfilling and that allow them to achieve their goals. As a recruiter, you work to pair individuals with jobs you think they are well suited to. The most fulfilling part of the job is not the money, it’s the feeling of actually helping people. It can be satisfying to make a strong match that benefits the company while also providing a professional with a life-changing opportunity and a job they enjoy.
Recruitment is one of those jobs where you can get significantly rewarded for just doing your job. In addition to a salary, it is common for a recruiter to earn a commission when they help fill a position. A career in recruitment is not only satisfying, but you also have some sort of stability. Even when you have a bad month with no placements and no commissions, you still have your basic salary. Once you start earning commission on top of your salary, the sky is the limit in terms of potential earnings.
There are many aspects of working as a recruiter that can prepare you for starting your own business. The soft skills important to a recruiting position include attention to detail, communication, time management, and persistence. These skills are applicable for many industries and can make you a more appealing employee in a recruiting setting as well as many other fields. Many recruitment tasks require self-management, organisation and managing a portfolio of clients. All these skills could prepare you to offer your recruitment services as an independent contractor, providing an exciting entrepreneurial opportunity.
A career in recruitment often provides new challenges from week to week. It is easy to remain engaged with your work when recruiting for companies in different fields and under different conditions with each new position. If you like being challenged or prefer variety in the work that you do, recruitment may be the ideal professional opportunity for you.
Working as a recruiter can be a demanding career choice which involves substantial time commitment and focus while at work. Although some recruiters may view this as something which makes working in this field more difficult, it can be beneficial as well. For many, being challenged at work helps to maintain engagement and may result in improved performance levels.
As a recruiter, it’s easy to develop emotional attachments with candidates who are well suited to the position, or who you connect with on a personal level. This can lead to emotional situations if one of your preferred candidates does not earn the position from an employer or declines the position when they are offered the job. These disappointing situations can be countered by the corresponding satisfaction that comes with making a successful candidate placement.
When working as a recruiter, your schedule might not align with the traditional nine-to-five approach to work. Many potential candidates you hope to recruit may not be available during the workday because of their current position, so it is common for communications with prospective candidates to occur in the evening or at night. It is important to understand how to plan your schedule in order to find the right work-life balance.
Working as a recruiter can be very competitive, which may not suit everyone. A competitive environment can make working as a recruiter an unappealing option. If you find that you work best in competitive situations, then the high levels of competition in the recruiting field can serve as a motivating factor to help you perform at your best.
While earning commission can be appealing, it also means your compensation will be varied and inconsistent. Periods during which you fill a high number of positions can lead to larger paychecks, but in slower months, pay can be lower than anticipated. It is up to you to prioritize and save where you can to account for the months that aren’t as good. With a career in recruitment, it’s all getting out what you put in.
Every profession has its pros and cons, but it’s up to you on how you view them. Are you a hard worker who loves a challenge? Are you committed to growing and developing your talents? A career in recruitment offers many possibilities for progression, fantastic rewards and the job satisfaction is extremely rewarding.
Based on these pros and cons of working in recruitment, you should have a sense of whether this career path is suited to your personality, interests, and goals. If you think you would make an excellent recruiter, then get in touch with us today or browse our latest jobs here.
Resources:
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/recruiting-career-pros-and-cons
https://www.voltinternational.com/blog/2018/10/Pros-and-cons-of-recruitment?source=google.com
https://www.inspiringinterns.com/blog/2019/07/pros-cons-working-recruitment/