Roles Performed by an HR Recruitment Agency
This is where human resources recruitment agencies come in. As the name implies, these are recruitment agencies specializing in the staffing of human resource management positions from the entry to the executive levels. The client base of companies maintained by these HR recruitment agencies is often sufficient to land a job in any industry the HR professional chooses to be in. The trick is in knowing how to present one's education, training and work experience in the most effective manner.
Take note, however, that most HR recruitment companies will approach the professional on an individual basis instead of openly advertising the available positions. Thus, recruiters are also called headhunters, never mind the grisly connotations. However, it is possible to provide the updated curriculum vitae to the headhunters especially when you are a fresh graduate.
Possible Work and Positions
Since an HR recruitment agency maintains a wide network of clients and contacts, it is possible to choose from an equally wide variety of industries, companies and positions. Of course, it is still necessary to match your personal and professional qualifications with the requirements of the companies offering the open positions. Just to name a few of the many industries where human resource positions are available, look into service-related industries, public sector organizations, energy corporations, retail and wholesale establishments, manufacturing and marketing companies, banking and financial sector as well as pharmaceutical companies.
Of course, a professional with sufficient experience in human resources and other related fields will also find employment opportunities as a headhunter. It works both ways and the statistics prove such a fact. According to the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, more than 97,000 professionals work in various capacities in many HR recruitment agencies.
Human resources recruitment agencies offer opportunities in both general practices and specializations. Thus, even fresh graduates will have an opportunity to get hired through these agencies just as long as minimum qualifications are met. Anyways, the areas of specialization include employee relations, employment legislation, in-house recruitment and selection, performance appraisal, compensation and benefits, health and safety as well as training and development.
Pay and Benefits
As can be expected, salaries and benefits considerably vary depending on factors like location, industry and company as well as level of seniority. Needless to say, HR professionals with advanced education, longer experience and higher positions are better paid although individuals in the entry-level positions are also well-paid in comparison with other fresh graduates.
For entry-level positions, it is common to be paid $31,000 to $45,000 per year for both generalists and specialists human resource management professionals. Benefits usually include health insurance, bonuses and overtime pay although HR consultants will not be provided with said perks. Instead, the contractual pay is often higher in acknowledgement of the consultant's expertise. Recruiters often are paid higher salaries starting at $80,000 but it can also be affected by commissions.
The human resources recruitment agencies will usually provide the figures on the pay and working hours as well as the responsibilities expected of the professional being considered for hiring purposes. However, take note that the HR recruitment agencies are typically not provided with the power to hire and fire since this role is assigned to the in-house executives.
In many ways, the HR recruiter can only recommend the professional while the client is not obligated to follow through with the recommendation. But when the client and the recruiter have a stable relationship, impressing the latter is almost an assurance that the former will hire the professional - meaning, you.
As for working hours, these will also vary from one industry to the next. Most HR professionals work for a minimum of 8 hours per day although consultants may work more or less than 8 hours depending on the complexity of the project. Recruiters are known to work long hours headhunting for their clients.
Human resource management is filled with job opportunities. The important thing is to seek them out instead of waiting for them to seek you out.
