| In today's world of short, fixed term contracts and | | | | Choose your area |
| incredibly high staff turnover rates, recruitment is | | | | Choosing the area you want to headhunt or consult |
| booming. This has only been exacerbated by the | | | | for is also very important. Coming to an interview (as |
| credit crunch, job cuts and belt tightening - | | | | well as writing a cover letter) with a specific area to |
| companies are increasingly turning to recruitment | | | | consult for in mind will make you seem eager, |
| agencies as a filter to applications, desiring only the | | | | thorough and better informed. Currently, leisure is a |
| best for any positions they have to fill. | | | | good area to go for - banking and IT are always |
| In such a volatile climate, becoming a recruitment | | | | good, but there is greater uncertainty in these at the |
| consultant is highly desirable. It's a growing industry, | | | | moment. Searching for director and executive jobs in |
| with high salaries straight out of university and good | | | | the travel and financial industries ensures good |
| career opportunities. It is a hard job, involving a vast | | | | returns on effort, hard work and talent that some |
| amount of telephone work, being efficient with | | | | other areas won't reward quite as well. |
| clients and candidates and often very long hours. | | | | Be forthright |
| However, it will pay off if you are good at it. | | | | While consultancies do use agencies, they also like |
| In recruitment, it is the executive jobs that make the | | | | independent action. Be pro-active, send CVs to |
| most for consultants. We look at how to get into | | | | consultancies directly. Be pushy. Ring offices, send |
| this competitive field, giving you some hints and tips | | | | emails, find out about the company and engage them |
| about what agencies want in their candidates. | | | | on every level possible. This might seem pushy, but |
| Starter agencies | | | | it's exactly the type of action consultancies want in |
| One way of becoming a consultant is via graduate | | | | their employees, and will pay dividends later on. |
| agencies. They vet candidates and then send them | | | | Be constantly pushing and positive in interviews |
| on to the actual recruitment agencies. This gives you | | | | Most consultancies will require at least three |
| a certain foot up, as you've already been cleared by | | | | interviews. The recruitment world is a cut-throat one, |
| one round of interviews. Better still, you will have a | | | | and constant enthusiasm is necessary at every |
| confidence boost that you've passed the first hurdle, | | | | interview. Consulting for executive jobs requires that |
| and they will help you prepare in terms of technique, | | | | you be positive and forward all the time, and the |
| and some even arrange your travel. Director jobs and | | | | interviewer will be looking for that. Also, don't be put |
| executive jobs are usually the best to consult for, | | | | off very full on interviews. Most companies have the |
| delivering the highest commissions and rewards for | | | | third or fourth interview be very negative and |
| success. Always try to put yourself forward for | | | | confrontational to see how the candidate reacts. |
| executive search rather any other areas; | | | | Prepare well, be constantly confident, and power |
| headhunting, (aiming for executive level jobs) rather | | | | forward with the idea of a large commission from |
| than just consulting (in lower paid fields and therefore | | | | the executive jobs you've consulted for foremost in |
| granting lower commission). | | | | your mind. |