With its fast-paced working environment and clearly-defined targets, the recruitment sector attracts thousands of candidates each year.
But with so many graduates and entry-level professionals all applying for jobs in recruitment, how do you set yourself apart from the crowd?
Recruiters are on the lookout for ambitious candidates who can demonstrate a wide-range of skills and aren't afraid to tackle challenges head on. If you're in the process of building a recruitment CV, then make sure you highlight the six key skills listed below to show them you're right for the role and ace your following interview or assessment.
1. Confidence
Confidence plays a key role in virtually every job. You have to be confident, not only in yourself, but also in your skills and your ability to carry out your role. This is especially true in recruitment since you'll be responsible for building new business relationships for your selected clients. While you'll have the support of your team behind you, you'll also be responsible for a lot of your own targets, deadlines, and overall career progression. Although this might seem intimidating to some, many candidates find taking control of their own workload like this incredibly freeing - it helps to give you a sense of true accomplishment that will only help you grow in confidence as you continue to progress in the recruitment industry.
2. Interpersonal communication
The recruitment sector is well-known for it's networking and career events. If you're looking to break into the industry, then having good interpersonal communication is the key to success. This skill isn't just about being able to talk to anyone and everyone, it's also important that you're able to connect with others on a deeper, more personal level and foster long-lasting business connections. At its core, interpersonal communication is about making people feel valued - it's an exchange of information and ideas which leaves both parties feeling appreciated and listened to.
3. Organisation
Candidates with strong organisational skills are essential to helping a recruitment agency thrive. Much of your work day will be dependent on you managing your own workload, keeping note of any upcoming deadlines, and working towards your own independent sales targets. If you're looking to secure an interview with a top recruitment agency like Spencer Ogden, then being able to show evidence of your organisational skills will help you get ahead. You can pull experience from your professional history or your time in education - anything from researching and completing your assignments, to planning your work schedule shows you're capable of having a fulfilling career in recruitment.
4. Sales negotiation
Being able to demonstrate skills in sales is highly beneficial in the recruitment sector. However, if this is your first job or if you've never worked in a sales capacity before, that doesn't mean that you don't have the ability to sell. A big part of selling products or services is negotiation - you don't always have to have the "Gift of the Gab" to be a good salesman. All you need to do is be able to accurately and concisely explain the logic and benefits of an action or decision. We're all involved in small negotiations everyday in our lives, the trick is bringing all of these small experiences together and applying it to a sales context. If you're able to do so, and talk about your negotiation skills with confidence during your interview, then you've got a great shot at a role in recruitment.
5. Problem solving
The ability to think on your feet and problem-solve is a great skill to have in recruitment. Due to its fast-paced office culture and rotational client schedule, you're almost guaranteed to never have the same day twice in recruitment, which means it's essential that you're adaptable and able to work through any issues quickly. The number of different roles available in the sector, from management, to coordination, to marketing and branding, also means that the specific set of problems you might face will change as you progress through the industry and take up new positions. To succeed in this sense, you'll need to show that you can approach an issues from multiple angles and work together with your team to overcome specific obstacles and challenges.
So, how did you match up? if you feel like you're ready to start out your career in recruitment then you can subscribe to GradTouch here and stay up-to-date with all our latest roles in the sector.