The pathway
How you actually get there, here
How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.
- 1
Talent Sourcing Coordinator / Associate Recruiter
1-2 yearsSkills to master
- Mastering Boolean search, candidate outreach, ATS data entry, initial candidate screening, and scheduling logistics. You're learning the ropes of the top of the funnel.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistently hitting sourcing targets and delivering high-quality candidate lists.
- Excellent ATS hygiene and organisational skills.
- Proactive in learning about different roles and industries.
- Demonstrates strong initial phone screening abilities.
- 2
HR Administrator / HR Assistant (with recruitment exposure)
2-3 yearsSkills to master
- Understanding the broader HR landscape, basic employment law, and how recruitment fits into the employee lifecycle. You'll have experience with some recruitment tasks, like job posting and initial candidate communication.
You're ready to move on when
- Shows a keen interest in moving into a dedicated recruitment role.
- Has a good grasp of HR processes and compliance.
- Proactive in taking on recruitment-related tasks when available.
- Strong organisational and communication skills.
- 3
Agency Recruiter (Junior/Associate)
1-3 yearsSkills to master
- Developing strong sales and negotiation skills, building candidate pipelines quickly, and understanding client needs. You'll have experience working on multiple roles under pressure.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistently hitting placement targets in an agency setting.
- Strong desire to move to an in-house environment and focus on quality over quantity.
- Ability to adapt to an internal company culture and processes.
- Proven ability to manage client (hiring manager) relationships.