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The differences between search consultants 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 a search consultant and a recruiter. Additionally, a search consultant has an average salary of $51,380, which is higher than the $51,374 average annual salary of a recruiter.
The top three skills for a search consultant include client websites, digital marketing and wordpress. The most important skills for a recruiter are applicant tracking systems, customer service, and human resources.
| Search Consultant | Recruiter | |
| Yearly salary | $51,380 | $51,374 |
| Hourly rate | $24.70 | $24.70 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 15,165 | 37,954 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A search consultant works for educational institutions such as colleges and universities to search for deans, college presidents, and vice-presidents. You will be responsible for identifying and evaluating the best potential candidates to fill an institution's job vacancies. Your duties will include looking for effective ways to organize the search process, writing the job description, and responding to applications and nominations. In addition, you are expected to organize interviews, structure the search committee, and check references. You will also guide the chair in providing leadership for the search process so that confidentiality rules are understood and adhered to.
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.
Search consultants and recruiters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Search Consultant | Recruiter | |
| Average salary | $51,380 | $51,374 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $71,000 | Between $35,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | VLink | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Technology |
There are a few differences between a search consultant and a recruiter in terms of educational background:
| Search Consultant | Recruiter | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between search consultants' and recruiters' demographics:
| Search Consultant | Recruiter | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.2% Female, 38.8% | Male, 40.1% Female, 59.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 8.7% White, 58.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | 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% |