Working as a Recruitment Consultant

Why is it so difficult to get a job as one? I may not have the experience but I have an excellent track record in IT sales and this is an applicable skill.


I've been for many interviews in all the top companies (even met the top guys) but to not avail.


Should I pursue something else? I do love working in sales but as a foreigner, I'd need to speak cantonese to get certain jobs.


Any advice?

Funny that, nw. Why would they advertise the availability of the position of an RC if they weren't planning to hire? The interviews I went for were all based on advertised positions.

some of the firm might be advertising for the sake of advertising. The advertisement shows that their company is doing well and is hiring. And in actual facts, they are not hiring.

Many companies have a policy of advertising all available positions, even though they intend to promote from within or have already selected someone to fill the post.

Many, many companies advertise for positions available which are if fact not and it is only the sake of the Human Rsources exercises and their departments budgets

Firstly, you can send me your CV as I need to bring someone into my team. I head up a team working APAC Oil and Gas Upstream so business is booming. Here is the usual issue with people switching to the rec industry. Salaries. There is a lot of money to earn here, but it is very commission loaded. If you are looking for any more than 25k p/m base salary with no actual experience, then you will not be hired.


Secondly, people have this lovely idea that being in recruitment is easy, and any old sales person can do it. Wrong. We have a product that can lie to us, mess things up, and ultimately when the deal seems to be done, can say no. An IT system rarely does this. Reputable companies will only really hire proven people on good salaries. They will take a chance, but it is on your dime and not theirs.


Also, in today's climate, there is a plethora of IT sales people out of work or looking to get out. On the basis that IT products still need to be sold no matter what the market is doing, in hard times only the best in IT or any industry will be staying in their roles. So why would another industry want to take a chance on someone who is not that best at what they currently do, and believe they will be a top recruiter?


I know nothing about you, but if a random CV drops on my desk saying "I want to be a recruiter" this is how I view it. You need to prove why you are good. It's not up to me to believe you are, because I assume straight away you are not the best because other wise you would still be working in IT or not planning a change.


Also, decide what you want to be. A database recruiter where you call 100 companies and ask them if they have any jobs, then search your database and sling 20 crap CVs at them in a week. Or a Search consultant, commonly known as a head hunter. Search is a difficult skill to learn, but gets better results and you will ultimately be more successful. But it is a lot more hard work, and takes about 2 years to get up to a reasonable standard.


If you want to get a job in any old firm, here's what you say in the interview. "I hit the phones. I make on average 80 calls a day and clock 3 hours+ phone time." Recruitment is all about hitting the phones. The days of people swanning around town having breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, supper and evening drinks meeting is antiquated and out of touch with modern life.


May not be what you want to hear, but this is the reality (unless you are a havard MBA alumni and work for HS)

Excellent...that is exactly the honest response I wanted to hear, thank you very much indeed, pseudolos!


Whilst I know what my capabilities are, I just wish someone would have explained, the way you did, exactly what the difficulty of being part of this industry is.


I have sent you a pm.


Good day and thx to all who have responded so far!