Half of recruiters satisfied with their pay, study shows

Nick Elvin

Just over half (51%) of recruitment consultants and managers are satisfied with their pay and reward, according to new research published by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) in partnership with Indeed.

Meanwhile, 24% of those surveyed said they are neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, while a further 24% are dissatisfied.

The report, entitled “Planning for growth: attract and retain talent for your recruitment business”, gives an insight into the motivations, wants and needs of consultants and managers. It also reveals that 52% of all recruitment consultants and managers received a pay rise between April 2014 and April 2015, while the average pay rise for recruiters in 2014/15 was 4.9%, up from 3.7% in 2013/14.

The study also found that employees that report satisfaction with pay and benefits have on average seen 7.5 staff leave their organisation in the last year, compared to 8.6 people for those reporting dissatisfaction.

The research also revealed that men earn 6% more than women in terms of basic salary, and there is a 14% difference in overall earnings.

REC chief executive Kevin Green said: “It’s a great time to work in the recruitment industry. Many consultants and managers have seen pay raises and bonuses over the last two years. We forecast 18% industry growth over the next two years so the good times are set to continue.

“For business leaders the focus has to be on attracting and retaining talented people so they can take advantage of the opportunities available. Our research describes what motivates recruiters, and it’s clear that it’s not just about pay – they want progression and the benefits of working in a meritocratic industry, as well as the social and cultural perks. So the challenge for recruitment leaders is to make their businesses great places to work.

“We need more people to see recruitment as a career of choice. As an industry we need to educate people about what we do, why it’s important, and the kind of rewards that are on offer to hardworking recruiters.

“We also have to do more to reduce the gender pay gap. As the people advising the business community on fair recruitment, we absolutely need to practice what we preach and lead the way on gender equality.”