If you’re a recent graduate exploring career options, recruitment may not be the first thing that comes to mind—but it should be. If you aren’t aware of this as a career path, don’t worry! We’re willing to bet that 90% of people in recruitment didn’t plan it. If you ask anyone in the team, they’ll like say “I fell into it”.
So what is recruitment? And why do we think it’s a brilliant first job for recent graduates?
First, what it’s not. Despite the people nature, it’s not HR (human resources). Some HR roles may have an element of recruitment to them, but Recruitment as a function is about matching people to jobs, and vice versa. Think of it like a corporate matchmaker.
Unlike HR roles that focus on internal stakeholders, recruitment consulting is heavily aligned to sales, building relationships, and matching the right candidates with the right opportunities. If you’re looking for a dynamic, performance-driven role with high earning potential, recruitment could be the perfect fit.
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Recruitment is sales with a difference
At its core, recruitment is a sales job. But as a recruitment consultant, your job is to sell services, not products. You will be reaching out to clients to understand their hiring needs and pitching the best talent to them. You will also engage with candidates, helping them find the right job and offering guidance throughout the hiring process.
But there’s a big difference between recruitment and traditional sales jobs: you’re not just selling a product—you’re selling a solution to a business problem: finding the best people to join their teams.
Some argue that Recruitment is the hardest sales job out there because, unlike in traditional or tech sales, your product can’t refuse! In recruitment you are the middle person between the hiring manager and jobseeker so that means relationship-building is key. You’ll develop long-lasting partnerships with clients and candidates, becoming their go-to person for talent solutions.
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Target-driven, KPI-focused: How your performance drives your success
One of the main distinctions between recruitment and an HR role is that recruitment is target-driven. In a recruitment consultant role, you will be given clear KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and sales targets. Your performance is measured by your ability to bring in new business (business development), make placements, and build long-term client relationships. Your job security is linked directly to your performance: underperformers are placed on performance plans and, if results don’t improve, they can be exited from the role, as is common in any Sales role.
This might sound intense, but it’s also what makes the job so rewarding. As you hit your targets, you’ll see huge payoffs, including significant commission on top of your base salary and exciting incentive trips. The more you succeed, the more you earn—and the faster you progress in your career.
This role suits competitive people. If you have played college sport, trained in a musical discipline or just consider yourself stubborn when you set yourself a goal, you probably already have the transferable skills needed to thrive in a Recruitment environment.
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Incredible earning potential
One of the most attractive aspects of a recruitment career is the earning potential. Recruitment consultants can earn significant commission on top of their base salary, and this commission is directly tied to the results you achieve. In fact, at Levin, our entry-level consultants typically earn 10-50% of their base salary in commission in their first year alone. For motivated, goal-driven individuals, this makes recruitment one of the highest-earning roles for graduates.
On top of this, we offer incentive trips to top performers—meaning you can enjoy incredible rewards while building a successful career.
One of the best elements of Recruitment as a profession is how meritocratic it is. With transparent base salaries and clear commission structures, you truly have control over what your earn.
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A strong focus on learning and development
While many recruitment firms may leave entry-level hires to “figure things out,” at Levin, we believe in setting you up for success from day one. Our dedicated Learning & Development (L&D) team runs an ‘Academy’ program for entry-level recruits, where you’ll receive a mix of classroom training and on-the-job coaching to equip you with the skills to excel in the role. We guide you through every aspect of recruitment, ensuring you have the right tools and knowledge to succeed.
Our L&D program is designed to ensure you’re always growing, learning, and improving your skills, whether it’s through one-on-one coaching or classroom sessions with our in-house Training teams.
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Why recruitment is the perfect career for graduates
As a recent graduate, you may be looking for a career that offers not only financial rewards but also fast career progression, a dynamic work environment, and continuous learning opportunities. Recruitment offers all this and more:
- High Earning Potential: With commission on top of your base salary, the more you achieve, the more you earn.
- Target-Driven Success: You’ll have clear goals, which gives you a sense of purpose and drive to reach your full potential.
- Fast Career Progression: Recruitment is a performance-based industry, meaning that the harder you work, the faster you rise through the ranks. 83% of our current Sales leadership team started as a graduate and are now leading teams and offices.
- Dynamic Work Environment: Every day is different. You’ll be constantly engaging with new candidates, clients, and opportunities, making the job both challenging and exciting.
- Job Security Based on Results: With clear KPIs and goals, your success directly impacts your job security and growth.
At Levin, we’re looking for ambitious, driven graduates to join our team. If you’re ready to take on a challenging, rewarding, and financially lucrative career, recruitment could be the perfect fit for you.
Ready to start your career in recruitment? Reach out to our Talent Team to learn more about the exciting opportunities at Levin!
