Professional recruiter vs talent acquisition consultant

The differences between professional recruiters and talent acquisition consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a professional recruiter and a talent acquisition consultant. Additionally, a talent acquisition consultant has an average salary of $69,315, which is higher than the $54,615 average annual salary of a professional recruiter.

The top three skills for a professional recruiter include applicant tracking systems, human resources and background checks. The most important skills for a talent acquisition consultant are human resources, applicant tracking systems, and customer service.

Professional recruiter vs talent acquisition consultant overview

	Professional Recruiter	Talent Acquisition Consultant
Yearly salary	$54,615	$69,315
Hourly rate	$26.26	$33.32
Growth rate	8%	8%
Number of jobs	74,711	44,216
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 78%	Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	6	6

What does a professional recruiter do?

A professional recruiter is responsible for finding qualified candidates for a job opening and ensuring that the demands of the employer and the employee are met throughout the recruitment process. Your duties will typically include sourcing, pre-screening, and presenting qualified candidates to the recruitment manager, soliciting employee referrals, and conducting background and reference checks. Additionally, you are expected to manage and oversee the job offer process, ensure the delivery of an exceptional job candidate experience, and facilitate employee onboarding.

What does a talent acquisition consultant do?

A Talent Acquisition Consultant is responsible for sourcing and recruiting high-quality candidates. They may work in an office setting or travel to different locations to search for new talents.

Professional recruiter vs talent acquisition consultant salary

Professional recruiters and talent acquisition consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Professional Recruiter	Talent Acquisition Consultant
Average salary	$54,615	$69,315
Salary range	Between $40,000 And $74,000	Between $48,000 And $99,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	New York, NY
Highest paying state	New York	New York
Best paying company	McKinsey & Company Inc	San Diego Gas & Electric
Best paying industry	Insurance	Finance

Differences between professional recruiter and talent acquisition consultant education

There are a few differences between a professional recruiter and a talent acquisition consultant in terms of educational background:

	Professional Recruiter	Talent Acquisition Consultant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 78%	Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Professional recruiter vs talent acquisition consultant demographics

Here are the differences between professional recruiters' and talent acquisition consultants' demographics:

	Professional Recruiter	Talent Acquisition Consultant
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 43.2% Female, 56.8%	Male, 38.5% Female, 61.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 6.9% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 7.6% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between professional recruiter and talent acquisition consultant duties and responsibilities

Professional recruiter example responsibilities.

Manage all phases of the iCIMS - iRecruiter applicant tracking system process and source/recruit qualify internal and external management candidates.
Manage records of sales activities and follow-up on requirements by utilizing office specific HRIS technology.
Utilize internal database, LinkedIn (or other social media), job boards and other networks to identify qualify candidates.
Update and verify all information in ATS.
Perform recruitment metrics data analysis and reporting for business partners and team members using recruiting system and PeopleSoft HRIS.
Research and recruit potential employees through LinkedIn

Talent acquisition consultant example responsibilities.

Manage scheduling database for healthcare aides and organize timely in-service training.
Manage the scheduling and logistics of all interviews between candidates and hiring managers including post-interview calibration/feedback with interview teams.
Maintain candidate records, status, and followed-up correspondences in TALEO system.
Maintain employer database in HRIS for 10 industrial accounts, including 3 start-up companies.
Assist with interviewing, selecting and negotiating a contract with a new RPO service provider.
Maintain relationships with local colleges and high schools to provide students with insight into healthcare careers.

Professional recruiter vs talent acquisition consultant skills

Common professional recruiter skills

Applicant Tracking Systems, 34%
Human Resources, 6%
Background Checks, 6%
Reference Checks, 4%
Recruitment Process, 3%
Work Ethic, 3%

Common talent acquisition consultant skills

Human Resources, 12%
Applicant Tracking Systems, 8%
Customer Service, 8%
Manufacturing Industry, 6%
Recruitment Strategies, 5%
EEO, 4%

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Professional Recruiter vs Talent Acquisition Consultant

Updated January 8, 2025

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