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The differences between employment specialists and recruiters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an employment specialist and a recruiter. Additionally, a recruiter has an average salary of $51,374, which is higher than the $39,530 average annual salary of an employment specialist.
The top three skills for an employment specialist include customer service, rehabilitation and mental health. The most important skills for a recruiter are applicant tracking systems, customer service, and human resources.
| Employment Specialist | Recruiter | |
| Yearly salary | $39,530 | $51,374 |
| Hourly rate | $19.00 | $24.70 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 59,757 | 37,954 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
An employment specialist deals with job applicants to match their talents to a specific job that properly suits them. Employment specialists assist applicants or the unemployed by testing their skills, conducting mock interviews, and creating a proper resume. They can work separately within a company or be part of the human resources department to assist in the hiring process. Employment specialists are often tasked to handle company layoffs and act as the liaison officer between the employer and the Department of Labor.
Recruiters are responsible for filling up vacancies in the organization. They put up job postings on the company website and other recruitment websites, screen applicants, prospective schedule candidates for interviews, conduct initial interviews, and, should candidates pass the initial interview, endorse them to hiring managers. They act as guides to applicants throughout the whole application process. Upon successful screening and interviewing of applicants, recruiters then guide them through the employment process, usually endorsing them to medical exams and other pre-employment requirements needed. At times, recruiters are responsible for providing job offers to applicants. Recruiters should have a good judge of character, decision-making skills, and interpersonal skills.
Employment specialists and recruiters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Employment Specialist | Recruiter | |
| Average salary | $39,530 | $51,374 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $52,000 | Between $35,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | University of California, Berkeley | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between an employment specialist and a recruiter in terms of educational background:
| Employment Specialist | Recruiter | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between employment specialists' and recruiters' demographics:
| Employment Specialist | Recruiter | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 30.4% Female, 69.6% | Male, 40.1% Female, 59.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 7.7% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 7.8% White, 56.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |