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Choose a career as a recruitment consultant

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 11:19

By Riette Waite-Sage

The Recruitment Industry in South Africa affords the individual that chooses this career field as career path, with an exciting, professional and challenging career.

It is a career certainly not for the individual who sees it as: 'A cushy interviewing job' Interviewing only forms a small part of the diverse and responsible role of a recruitment consultant.

The role requires natural attributes in the areas of communication and people skills with a great amount of focus on sales responsibilities, which is often overlooked by individuals whom do not understand the dynamics of this role.

Sales, Marketing and Customer Care related tasks and activities make up a large percentage of the effective Consultants role, which in most recruitment consultancy environments is a role that is Sales Performance Based. This at times may lead to a wrong career choice for some entering the industry.

The role of the Recruitment Consultant is to:

• Help jobseekers find suitable employment.
• Help organizations find suitable staff.

The Role of a Recruitment Consultant in the Private Sector affords the individual the exposure and ability to continuously learn and develop various skills with following as guide to an educational career path:

The FET Certificate: Labour Recruitment Services has a minimum of 152 Credits as entry level qualification.

This leads the individual to any one of the following:

1. National Certificate: Commerce: Human Resource Development, Level 5.

2. National Certificate: Human Resource Management, Level 5.

3. National Diploma Commerce: Human Resource Management, Level 5.

4. Bachelor of Commerce: Human Resources, Level 6.

5. Bachelor of Commerce (Hon): Human Resource Management, Level 7.

6. Bachelor of Technology: Human Resource Development, Level 7.

Due to the specific exposure that the industry affords Consultants to experience, i.e. exposure to all types of Industry, Organizations and Career fields; it after a number of years of exposure, gives the Consultant an excellent foundation in understanding the "World of Work" and a myriad of choices in expanding and growing their career either as Generalist or Specialist, to grow into Management and/or Training in Industry and/or to be an effective entrepreneur in Industry.

Generally the Consultant should view their role as if they almost work for themselves in the Industry, and the Consultants desk becomes their own business within context of the larger organization, which means the Consultant controls their own outputs

(A Smaller business unit, within the larger business unit.)

The more effort you as Consultant put into your career, the more rewarding it will be.

There is very little time for hand holding in a busy Consultancy and the effective Consultant must be able to work independently, have empathy for people, work according to a strict ethical code and be a person of integrity.

The Consultant's day consists of a variety of activities which provides a stimulating environment for the person who does not want too much routine.

Some of these activities would include: Interviewing, Reference Checking, Telesales, Client Visits and other general marketing.

For the individual who loves working with people from all walks of life, seeking a stimulating and challenging career‘K this could be just it!

IOSD by Riette Waite-Sage is an independent training services provider to the Recruitment Industry.

Learners wishing to embark upon an occupational career within the Recruitment Industry may contact Riette on: 072 614 2063 or e-mail her at riette@iosd.co.za.