Top 10 Reasons To Become A Recruiter
Recruiters who make it past the 5 year mark find it to be a most rewarding career, with perks that far exceed what any other career has to offer:
- Variety of challenges. Organizations need all types of talent, so you will never lack variety in your work. One day you’re the face of the company conducting interviews at an event, the next you’re meeting with the CEO to discuss hiring for a new division. Being a recruiter is never boring.
- Improving people’s lives. The most rewarding aspect of being a Recruiter is not only being able to see how your efforts directly help build the business but at the same time also see the impact you have in an individual’s career advancement as a direct result of your effort. How great does it feel when you took someone through the whole recruiting process and get to share in their joy as they land their dream job?
- Flexibility. Many recruiters set their own hours because they speak with hiring managers during work hours, and candidates outside of work hours. Some recruiters travel extensively, others do not and instead work from home so they can be there for their family in a way not possible with typical 9-5 jobs. Such independence means your success is determined by you!
- Networking. If you’re a people person – this job is for you. You have the opportunity to meet a variety of talented individuals from all walks of life and build great relationships with them, This is a job where you make friends, not just business acquaintances. As a recruiter you will get to meet a broader variety of people, throughout more levels of the corporate hierarchy, and in more industries, than in any other job.
- Performance compensation. If competition is in your blood, and you like to get paid well for doing great work, this job is for you. Competition to fill positions is high – which means compensation is as well. Pay is based more heavily on performance than on tenure. Many recruiting jobs offer large bonus incentives or high commissions, others offer rapid promotion, career growth and frequent raises. Payscale.com reports the national average total compensation for recruiters ranges from a low of $51,303 to a high of $91,108 per year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics BLS.gov pegs the national mean annual wage for Recruiters at $61,560, ($83,870 in heavily populated areas) with the highest-compensated 10 percent making over $96,470. CBSalary.com lists a national average salary of $62,284 per year.
Human Resource Specialists account for 21% of the 10 largest occupations in the U.S., and, of those occupations, only registered nurses have a higher annual median wage at $68,910. The annual median salary for all jobs in the U.S. is $46,440. - Lifelong learning. As a recruiter you always have to stay one step ahead of the competition. Whether you’re learning how to find talent, engage and communicate, with them, or gaining deep knowledge about the business roles and industries you support, you will always be learning. Even if you don’t stay in the recruiting field, you will have picked up enough in depth business to make an MBA jealous, not to mention a huge network of contacts.
- High demand. Job openings for Recruiters have grown exponentially in the past few years, and will continue to do so as the world economy grows stronger and educational systems adapt to the new skills needed in the workplace. Combined with a low supply of experienced Recruiters, the demand for Recruiters outstrips supply, creating a very stable career opportunity for you. There are over 426,570 recruiters currently employed in the U.S. A report from Wanted Analytics shows there are 32,515 current openings for Sourcers posted by direct employers, yet there are only 13,142 graduates coming into the workforce with the skill-sets to obtain such a job. There are 19,373 jobs that need be filled by those who are experienced and already employed.
- Job Security. When you do well and recruit the right talent for an organization, it quickly becomes obvious to everyone that you’re making a difference. What you do as a successful recruiter directly impacts the bottom line, increases profits and reduces costs. The more jobs you fill, the more people who will be grateful for your efforts, leading to fewer reasons for you to be on the receiving end if and when pink-slips start circulating.
- Fun. There is a great deal of head-to-head competition in recruiting, or if you are more the creative type you can build plenty of opportunities to collaborate, experiment and get on the edge of business innovation. Either way, it is extremely entertaining.
- Freedom. This is a job you can do from anywhere as long as you produce results. Remote work, virtual opportunities, part-time, contract work and the option to work extra hours are available to you. And the best part? These opportunities increase as your results improve.