Welcome to understanding recruitment in business! As a business student entering consulting, finance, and corporate roles, you'll encounter different types of recruiters who operate very differently from each other.
Knowing which type you're dealing with changes everything about how you should approach them and what to expect during your interview process.
Engagement Message
Name one action a helpful recruiter took in your experience.
Let's start with internal recruiters. These are full-time employees who work directly for consulting firms, investment banks, or corporations that have the opening.
They're paid a salary by that company and their success is measured by filling positions quickly with quality candidates who'll thrive in their specific business environment.
Engagement Message
What's one advantage of working with a recruiter who is employed by the hiring company?
External recruiters work for executive search firms, not the hiring company. Major consulting firms and investment banks often hire these specialists to find candidates for specific roles.
They typically get paid a commission only when they successfully place someone - usually 15-25% of the new hire's first-year salary.
Engagement Message
How do you think this payment structure might affect their behavior?
The third type is staffing recruiters. They work for staffing agencies and typically focus on temporary, contract, or project-based positions in business.
They often have ongoing relationships with consulting firms and corporations, continuously placing people in various short-term analyst or associate roles.
Engagement Message
Name one type of role that staffing agencies most often fill.
Here's why these differences matter: Internal recruiters care about cultural fit and long-term success since bad hires reflect on them personally within their organization.
