What is a recruitment manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Rachel Raymond

A recruitment manager is responsible for overseeing the recruitment process within an organization. They work to attract, screen, and hire top talent for open positions. This involves developing job descriptions, posting job ads, reviewing resumes, conducting interviews, and negotiating job offers. They collaborate with hiring managers to understand their staffing needs and develop strategies to meet those needs.They play a critical role in building a strong workforce and contributing to the success of the organization.

What general advice would you give to a recruitment manager?

Rachel Raymond

Strategic talent acquisition sr. manager, Jack Henry & Associates

Entering the workforce for 2020 graduates will be more difficult this year, given the higher unemployment numbers we see across the US. With the uncertainty of Covid-19, companies will be more conservative in increasing headcount across their organizations. Graduates need to think strategically about identifying jobs that are in industries more likely to thrive by the current economic conditions: digital services, remote learning, online gaming, healthcare, remote call centers, delivery and transit (Amazon, Postmates, Instacart), and collaboration technology (Zoom, Citrix), are just a few.

Many graduates will be competing for positions against experienced professionals willing to apply to entry-level jobs. Don't discount internships and apprenticeships as they frequently lead to full-time employment and help graduates gain additional experience for their resume. Through the selection and interview process, hiring managers will interview self-starters who are comfortable embracing a work-life integration mindset, and who can be agile and flexible with the new, remote, working environment. Onboarding and training have become increasingly difficult for many organizations, so new hires need to understand those challenges. Recent graduates have a proven record of successfully navigating new technology and working in any environment - coffee shops, trains, traveling, etc.- so be sure to highlight those traits through the interview process.

ScoreRecruitment ManagerUS Average

Salary

6.8

Avg. Salary $87,506

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.6

Growth rate 7%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.40%

Asian 5.71%

Black or African American 7.65%

Hispanic or Latino 11.14%

Unknown 5.09%

White 70.01%

Gender

female 53.03%

male 46.97%

Age - 47

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 - 47

Stress level

8.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.4

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.3

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a recruitment manager?

Pros

Opportunity to make a significant impact on the success of an organization
Ability to build and maintain relationships with a diverse range of people
Opportunity to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
Potential for high earnings and career progression
Chance to develop skills in communication, negotiation, and problem-solving

Cons

Constant need to manage multiple projects and tasks simultaneously
Difficulty in managing expectations of both clients and candidates
Challenging to balance the needs of clients with the desires of candidates
Difficulty in identifying suitable candidates for niche roles or industries
Challenge in dealing with difficult or uncooperative clients or candidates.

Key steps to become a recruitment manager

Explore recruitment manager education requirements

Most common recruitment manager degrees

Bachelor's

74.6 %

Master's

10.6 %

Associate

9.2 %

Start to develop specific recruitment manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	17.98%
Client Relationships	9.04%
Human Resources	6.27%
Business Development	5.86%
Recruitment Strategies	4.90%

Research recruitment manager duties and responsibilities

Manage the implementation of online applicant tracking system, ICIMS.
Lead RFP process for prefer staffing and background check vendors.
Manage pulling resumes off of Jobvite and screen each resume.
Manage HRIS to ensure compliance with applicant flow log, I9's, background & reference check, etc.

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