How To Become A Search Consultant: What It Is and Career Path

What is a search consultant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A search consultant is an individual who works on behalf of a staffing organization or a company to recruit new hires. These professionals try to match job-seekers with employers and help candidates decide whether they would be a good fit for a particular position. Search consultants, also known as "head hunters," typically work at filling senior or management positions for companies, and they conduct searches for candidates through a variety of job and resume networks.

Search consultants not only work for businesses but also work with colleges and universities around the country to recruit presidents, vice-presidents, and deans and typically have a solid network of contacts and resources that help in their searches for qualified candidates. These professionals usually work in an office environment during a normal work week, and some even find remote positions where they can work from home. Search consultants are typically paid by the hiring organization, and their goal is to find the best match for that organization's needs.

Many search consultants have a bachelor's degree in business or a related field; however, this is not a requirement provided the individual has comparable knowledge and skills. Search consultants can make a decent salary, up to $61,000 per year in the US, and the field is expected to grow 5% by 2028.

ScoreSearch ConsultantUS Average

Salary

4.0

Avg. Salary $51,380

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.0

Growth rate 8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.63%

Asian 8.74%

Black or African American 10.14%

Hispanic or Latino 16.50%

Unknown 5.28%

White 58.72%

Gender

female 38.80%

male 61.20%

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

Key steps to become a search consultant

Explore search consultant education requirements

Most common search consultant degrees

Bachelor's

77.9 %

Master's

10.5 %

Associate

6.7 %

Start to develop specific search consultant skills

Skills	Percentages
Client Websites	8.33%
Digital Marketing	7.97%
WordPress	5.61%
HR	5.25%
Keyword Research	5.14%

Complete relevant search consultant training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New search consultants 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 search consultant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real search consultant resumes.

Research search consultant duties and responsibilities

Manage candidate drug testing program, ensure internal I9 compliance and conduct associate personnel record audits.
Manage the hiring process through the use of Kanexa BrassRing, Peoplesoft, and other systems.
Provide SharePoint development and administration, budget and financial reporting; manage invoicing; and develop training manuals and user guides.
Focuse on HTML5/CSS3, Javascript, Wordpress, Wordpress plugin development, PPC ad campaign management, media buy campaign management.

Prepare your search consultant resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your search consultant 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 search consultant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable search consultant resume templates

Build a professional search consultant 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 search consultant resume.