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What is a contract recruiter/sourcer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Dr. James Lampley
The average contract recruiter/sourcer salary is $80,489. The most common degree is a bachelor's degree degree with an business major. It usually takes 4-6 years of experience to become a contract recruiter/sourcer. Contract recruiter/sourcers with a Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP) certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 8% and produce 58,800 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a contract recruiter/sourcer?

Dr. James LampleyDr. James Lampley LinkedIn profile

Professor, East Tennessee State University

Be willing to go where the jobs are. Many of our graduates are "place-bound". Their family obligations or spouses make it difficult to relocate.
ScoreContract Recruiter/SourcerUS Average
Salary
6.3

Avg. Salary $80,489

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
8.0

Growth rate 8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.64%

Asian 9.16%

Black or African American 11.26%

Hispanic or Latino 16.77%

Unknown 5.34%

White 56.83%

Gender

female 53.94%

male 46.06%

Age - 40
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 40
Stress level
8.0

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.3

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.0

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Contract recruiter/sourcer career paths

Key steps to become a contract recruiter/sourcer

  1. Explore contract recruiter/sourcer education requirements

    Most common contract recruiter/sourcer degrees

    Bachelor's

    80.4 %

    Associate

    7.9 %

    Master's

    6.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific contract recruiter/sourcer skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Applicant Tracking Systems25.20%
    ICIMS5.85%
    DOD5.76%
    Phone Screens5.12%
    Taleo4.37%
  3. Complete relevant contract recruiter/sourcer training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New contract recruiter/sourcers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a contract recruiter/sourcer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real contract recruiter/sourcer resumes.
  4. Research contract recruiter/sourcer duties and responsibilities

    • Manage the full cycle of the hiring process while ensuring adherence to OFCCP and corporate policies.
    • Manage compensation packages using payroll software.
    • Source, screen and recruit in sales, accounting, healthcare and information technology.
    • Update applicant tracking system to make sure that the candidate profiles are compliant with the OFCCP.
  5. Prepare your contract recruiter/sourcer resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your contract recruiter/sourcer resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a contract recruiter/sourcer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable contract recruiter/sourcer resume templates

    Build a professional contract recruiter/sourcer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your contract recruiter/sourcer resume.
    Contract Recruiter/Sourcer Resume
    Contract Recruiter/Sourcer Resume
    Contract Recruiter/Sourcer Resume
    Contract Recruiter/Sourcer Resume
    Contract Recruiter/Sourcer Resume
    Contract Recruiter/Sourcer Resume
    Contract Recruiter/Sourcer Resume
    Contract Recruiter/Sourcer Resume
    Contract Recruiter/Sourcer Resume
  6. Apply for contract recruiter/sourcer jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a contract recruiter/sourcer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first contract recruiter/sourcer job

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Average contract recruiter/sourcer salary

The average contract recruiter/sourcer salary in the United States is $80,489 per year or $39 per hour. Contract recruiter/sourcer salaries range between $54,000 and $117,000 per year.

Average contract recruiter/sourcer salary
$80,489 Yearly
$38.70 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do contract recruiter/sourcers rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

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Contract recruiter/sourcer reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2019
Pros

I like Bonus and helping people. Sometimes our company cover expanse for networking and meeting. More we do networking more we can earn.

Cons

too much pressure. to hire 1 executive vacancy we have to make connections with 100s of people. We work with people and people are sometimes really hard even we are doing our best. After weeks of hard work right before the placement, some firms reject them without any answers


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2019
Pros

I enjoy and I’m great in recruiting in any organization I trust and believe in.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019
Pros

Learning about the business and candidate journey

Cons

declining under or overqualified candidates


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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