What does a search consultant do?
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.
Search consultant responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real search consultant resumes:
- 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.
- Apply HTML and CSS knowledge by updating site content, structure and information.
- Front end/UI development; JavaScript, HTML5.
- Use Photoshop to design website appearance for web development team.
- Work with the WSJ to overhaul the URL structure of classifieds.wsj.com.
- Overhaul and optimize CMS site conversions from one CMS to another.
- Complete technical SEO & SEM audits, with improvement recommendations and implementations.
- Establish e-mail campaign for recruiting team, doubling average of LinkedIn response rates.
- Gain further experience with WordPress, Joomla, and learned Drupal content management system.
- Specialize in identifying season SEM, SEO, and media professionals across all verticals.
- Define KPI's, implement tracking for custom variables, and develop reporting dashboards.
- Create custom dashboards, reports and advance segments to provide better access to KPI's.
Search consultant skills and personality traits
We calculated that 8% of Search Consultants are proficient in Client Websites, Digital Marketing, and WordPress. They’re also known for soft skills such as Interpersonal skills, Detail oriented, and Communication skills.
We break down the percentage of Search Consultants that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Client Websites, 8%
Helped to re-optimize several large client websites in the wake of Google Panda.
- Digital Marketing, 8%
Managed +20K/month budget while leveraging expertise in SEM, SEO and other digital marketing services to meet clients' challenging objectives.
- WordPress, 6%
Created several websites in Blogger and WordPress for affiliate income and for search engine optimization purposes.
- HR, 5%
Utilized HR strategies, policies, process, employment law, contracting, and labor relations in hiring process.
- Keyword Research, 5%
Conduct in-depth usability analysis, SEO keyword research, keyword forensics and competitive analysis.
- CSS, 5%
Expanded site navigation by incorporating CSS drop-down menu functionality.
Most search consultants use their skills in "client websites," "digital marketing," and "wordpress" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential search consultant responsibilities here:
Interpersonal skills. One of the key soft skills for a search consultant to have is interpersonal skills. You can see how this relates to what search consultants do because "specialists continually interact with others and must be able to converse and connect with people from varied backgrounds." Additionally, a search consultant resume shows how search consultants use interpersonal skills: "skilled in interpersonal communication; working both with human resources department and with potential talent. "
Detail oriented. Another essential skill to perform search consultant duties is detail oriented. Search consultants responsibilities require that "specialists must pay attention to detail when evaluating applicants’ qualifications, doing background checks, maintaining records of an employee grievance, and ensuring that a workplace complies with labor standards." Search consultants also use detail oriented in their role according to a real resume snippet: "maintain departmental physician salary database and develop detailed reports to use as reference for salary negotiation consultations. "
Communication skills. search consultants are also known for communication skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to search consultant responsibilities, because "listening and speaking skills are essential for human resources specialists." A search consultant resume example shows how communication skills is used in the workplace: "achieved both through relationship building, communication, and accurate screening and matching skills. "
The three companies that hire the most search consultants are:
Choose from 10+ customizable search consultant resume templates
Build a professional search consultant resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your search consultant resume.Compare different search consultants
Search consultant vs. Employment specialist
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.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, search consultant responsibilities require skills like "screaming frog," "client websites," "digital marketing," and "wordpress." Meanwhile a typical employment specialist has skills in areas such as "customer service," "rehabilitation," "mental health," and "social work." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Employment specialists really shine in the professional industry with an average salary of $40,645. Comparatively, search consultants tend to make the most money in the hospitality industry with an average salary of $56,268.On average, employment specialists reach similar levels of education than search consultants. Employment specialists are 1.3% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.8% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Search consultant vs. Self-employed
A self-employed person works without the supervision of a specific employer. Self-employed entrepreneurs decide their business plans to increase profitability and get involved with the current market trends. They also attend business orientations to improve their skills and strategies on driving their business' growth. A self-employed person must display exceptional decision-making and organizational skills to implement strategies, provide the best customer service with the clients, address their needs, manage complaints, and respond to the customer's inquiries.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real search consultant resumes. While search consultant responsibilities can utilize skills like "screaming frog," "client websites," "digital marketing," and "wordpress," self-employeds use skills like "windows," "mowing," "customer service," and "financial statements."
In general, self-employeds achieve similar levels of education than search consultants. They're 4.9% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.8% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Search consultant vs. Human resource specialist
A human resources specialist is responsible for assisting in the recruitment and staffing process. Duties of a human resources specialist include updating the requirements and qualifications of a job post, handling employees' inquiries regarding compensation and benefits, maintaining employees' records, updating the status of new joiners, tracking performance reviews, and generating reports as business requires. A human resource specialist must be detail-oriented, as well as excellent in organizational and communication skills. Additionally, a human resource specialist must have a broad knowledge of the recruitment process and structure.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from search consultant resumes include skills like "screaming frog," "client websites," "digital marketing," and "wordpress," whereas a human resource specialist is more likely to list skills in "data entry," "oversight," "life insurance," and "human resources policies. "
Human resource specialists earn the best pay in the government industry, where they command an average salary of $67,295. Search consultants earn the highest pay from the hospitality industry, with an average salary of $56,268.Most human resource specialists achieve a similar degree level compared to search consultants. For example, they're 0.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.8% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Search consultant vs. Human resources associate
A human resources associate is responsible for supporting the human resources department's operations, updating employees' records within the organization's database, and managing the employees' inquiries and concerns by referencing the human resources policies. Human resources associates assist with staffing and recruitment processes, maintaining a timely job board, and filtering potential candidates' requirements and qualifications. They also respond to payments and benefits concerns and recommend employees' training and programs to maximize their potential, credibility, and productivity for daily operations and project management.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between search consultants and human resources associates, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a search consultant might have more use for skills like "screaming frog," "client websites," "digital marketing," and "wordpress." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of human resources associates require skills like "customer service," "hris," "i-9," and "performance management. "
The finance industry tends to pay the highest salaries for human resources associates, with average annual pay of $72,184. Comparatively, the highest search consultant annual salary comes from the hospitality industry.In general, human resources associates hold similar degree levels compared to search consultants. Human resources associates are 2.5% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.7% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of search consultant
Updated January 8, 2025











