When you think of a recruitment career or company culture, what comes to mind? Maybe you have visions of some broker-like sales guy, making cold call after cold call and long, coffee-fueled nights of drawing up reports, scouring through endless CVs, and organising interviews - all to meet impossible targets and get ahead.

This idea that recruitment has a dog-eat-dog culture is a complete myth (and one of many) when it comes to recruitment careers. As a recent or soon-to-be graduate, you might be wondering what working as a recruiter is actually like and whether it's the right career path for you. So in this article, we're debunking the top 7 myths about recruitment careers. 

1. Recruiters don't support each other

There is a massive misconception that recruitment professionals are cutthroat and will do anything to "beat the competition". You may have heard tales of recruiters stealing clients, refusing to help their colleagues succeed, or purposely keeping roles to themselves when another recruiter may be more suitable. 

Don't let this myth intimidate you because it's just that: a myth. The reality could not be further from the truth. Recruitment professionals champion a collaborative, supportive, and encouraging culture because we're all in the same boat and working towards the same goals. 

For graduates especially, your colleagues will give you extra support to help you get settled in and smash your first few months in your new role, and you'll connect with others following a similar path, easily making friends for life.

2. Graduate recruitment jobs are low paying

You may be under the impression that you'll be paid a low wage as a graduate coming into the recruitment sector. And we understand why that perception is out there, with many industries using graduate programs as an excuse to pay entry level workers a minimum wage while they learn. 

However, in the recruitment industry, graduates have the opportunity to earn a decent wage from the very beginning of their careers. In fact, a recruiter typically makes an impressive 35-40k in their first year, but that's not all. Recruiters can also earn additional pay through uncapped commissions or bonuses. Pay incentives many companies don't offer (or if they do, they cap commissions).

3. Career progression is slow in recruitment

When considering a career in recruitment, you may believe that it's challenging to enter into more senior positions or that it takes a long time. The truth is that in recruitment agencies, the progression path is not only a fast one if you play your cards right, but a clear, well-defined path that makes it easy to understand what you need to do to reach a new level in your career. 

Within 6-12 months, you can find yourself in a higher level position, maybe even managing teams. Comprehensive personal development plans are customised to help you progress in your recruitment career and keep earning higher wages. Want to learn more about career progression in recruitment? Check out our other blog on career progression. 

4. Recruitment agencies aren't diverse

You're quite mistaken if you think recruiters are all white, non-disabled, heterosexual men. As recruiters, we support our clients in developing an inclusive, diverse hiring process and company culture. So it would be very hypocritical of us to help other companies champion a DE&I-first culture if we don't do the same. 

You'll find that most recruitment agencies not only follow best practices for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - they create them. We're leaders in removing barriers to diversity and bias in the search and selection process. So if you're someone who wants to be the driving force behind more equality for all - recruitment agencies are a great place to be. 

5. You need a degree to work in recruitment

Unlike many industries, recruitment professionals don't necessarily need a degree to become successful recruiters. A background in a relevant field is beneficial, but it's not essential if you want to carve out a career path in recruitment. So whether you did an HR course or basket weaving (hey, we don't judge), you still have a fighting chance to make it in recruitment. 

Almost anyone can become a recruitment expert with proper training and personal development. So what we look for is the quality of your soft skills (sales, people, emotional skills, etc.), how passionate you are about this career choice, and how willing you are to work hard. 

6. Recruiters work long hours to meet targets

Whether it comes from TV shows, film, or past experiences, we're not sure, but many people think recruiters never switch off. A common myth is they work long hours, have a poor work/life balance, and will do anything to hit their targets, even if that means missing their kid's play. This is not the case at all. 

Work/life balance, wellbeing, and flexibility are top priorities for recruitment agencies. We know that to get the best out of our recruiters, they need to feel in control of their workloads and have the time they need to live life. We also offer plenty of benefits like team days out, longer lunch hours, games rooms, on-site yoga, and more to keep stress at bay.

7. Recruitment is boring and repetitive

Do you think recruiters just make cold calls all day and spend hours typing up job descriptions? Boy, are you wrong. Recruitment professionals these days often take on two-three roles in one and enjoy a variety of tasks. Selling your services to clients is only one aspect of a recruitment job. 

You'll also learn how to market yourself and jobs online, using Social Media platforms like LinkedIn to build your brand and become almost like a counsellor, helping candidates navigate through their entire careers and clients solve tricky recruitment challenges and source their dream team. 

Want to kick off your recruitment career?

We hope this blog has demystified some of the common misconceptions about recruitment careers for you and eliminated any worries about what recruitment culture is like. Nothing is stopping you from dipping your toes into this exciting, high-paying industry, so why not get started?

If you're target-driven, a natural salesperson, confident, and eager to learn, recruitment may just be your calling! So if you're fresh out of uni or about to be and want to take advantage of career opportunities within the UK's best recruitment companies, we'd love to hear from you. 

Get in touch with us today to see what's out there and find the perfect recruitment job for you. 

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