The pandemic caused many workers to take a step back and reconsider what they value most in their careers. From improved work-life balance to opportunities for career progression, there are several factors that workers now prioritise when looking for a new role.

As Director of Resource Solutions’ Recruiter Academy, Leila Hudson supports people from a diverse range of backgrounds to revitalise their careers. Our Recruiter Academy is a fast-track career-change programme, purpose-built to prepare individuals for an exciting, rewarding future as a recruiter. 

Leila explains why recruitment can be a fulfilling career option for those looking to make a career change this year, and why having the right attitude is the key to success.

What qualities does a recruiter need in order to be successful?

Recruitment is all about having the right attitude and being prepared to work hard. It helps to have emotional intelligence, self-motivation, and be client focused. 

I understand that recruitment has a reputation for being target-driven, but I think the most successful recruiters are those that don’t get fixated on targets – they just love helping people find jobs, and they focus on going above and beyond. 

Do certain professions allow for an easier transition to recruitment compared to others?

At the Recruiter Academy, we welcome individuals from any industry – including sales, retail, hospitality, events, call centres, and armed forces. Before I got into recruitment, I was teaching maths in schools to children aged 11 to 18. You just need to have a passion for helping people and delivering an excellent service.

We’re interested in those who want to learn and work hard. With recruitment, the more you put in, the more you get out. You develop a better understanding of the market and a genuine passion for finding the right people for the role. I’ve been working in recruitment for over 22 years and even now, I’d still get excited if I helped a candidate get the job that they want!

What do you believe participants will get out of the Recruiter Academy?

There’s going to be a lot to learn, right from the start, all the way through. But what we want to do is get people up and running as professional recruiters quickly. Participants will be immersed in a three-month training programme that focuses on developing the core skills needed to find and hire the right talent, including communicating, sales and client service, and project management. There will be good camaraderie, even though we will be training remotely.

Our training sessions incorporate a mix of learning methods. It’s not a matter of sitting down, listening, and taking notes – it will be interactive. Participants will learn invaluable skills, such as how to find candidates, how to interview, how to influence people, how to manage deals, and how to manage relationships.

Participants will also learn how satisfying it feels to extend an offer to somebody and have them accept. You can give someone a new job and change their life. Ultimately, that's what recruiters do.

What happens after the three-month training programme?

By the end of the initial training, participants will be fully-fledged recruiters, ready to take on a permanent role in our front office. We’ll continue to support them through this final transition, with more situational training role-plays and individual assessments.

After about six months, our class of recruiters will be ready for anything, with all sorts of opportunities ahead of them. They will be eligible to apply for their next role via our Career Path programme, which offers expert guidance to help them progress through their new career choice successfully.

Are you ready for an exciting new career? Register for our Recruiter Academy.
Already a recruiter looking for your next challenge? Browse our vacancies.