If you're considering a career in recruitment, you may have noticed that you can take two different routes. One being to work within agency recruitment, or the other is to work in internal (in-house) recruitment.
While both roles are technically the same on paper, the responsibilities differ and it will generally depend on how much you like the sales aspect of the job, as the role within agency recruitment is more focused on sales = more money!
In this article, we’ll break down the key differences between both agency and internal recruitment plus the pros and cons of each to help you decide whether working in agency recruitment or internal recruitment will be the best fit for you, so lets break it down.
What Is Agency Recruitment?
Someone who works within agency recruitment will work with other companies who are hiring externally, acting as the middle man between the client and candidate (exactly what we do here at Navartis). These Recruitment Consultants working within an agency supply multiple clients, helping them to fill open roles across various industries and departments. They would not recruit for roles that their own company are hiring for unlike in internal recruitment.
When working within agency recruitment, it involves a lot of business development and networking, as a big part of their job is to win new business (clients) which they then earn commission on. Their key responsibilities include...
Sourcing and screening candidates
Working with multiple client companies
Managing several job openings at once
Negotiating offers, terms of business and placements
What Is Internal (in-house) Recruitment?
When working in internal recruitment you will directly hire for the company you work for, usually within the HR or talent acquisition team. The name 'internal recruitment' really does speak for itself, as you are responsible for helping to build up the internal teams' head count. This means that their internal recruitment role involves no business development, as they don’t recruit for external clients but will just deal with their own colleagues who are hiring for their own team. Their key responsibilities include…
Liaising with internal hiring managers
Managing the full-cycle recruitment process
Building talent pipelines for long-term needs
Promoting company culture and employer brand
Agency vs. Internal Recruitment: Key Differences
The Pros Of Working Within Agency Recruitment
High earning potential (commission focused)
Exposure to a variety of industries and job types
Fast-paced environment with strong sales incentives
Opportunity to progress quickly into senior or management positions
The Pros Of Working Within Internal (in-house) Recruitment
Focus on long-term hiring strategy and culture fit
Slower paced
You hire for the company you work for (less hoops to jump through)
Opportunities to work on employer branding, onboarding, and DEI initiatives
Overall, working within agency recruitment will offer higher earning potential as you will usually earn commission on every candidate you place, usually there is also no threshold - so the earning potential is limitless! Although there may be a bonus structure in place within internal recruitment, you often find that the earning potential is lower. Also, if you enjoy business development and like the sales environment then agency recruitment might be the best option for you!
Does agency recruitment sound like the right role for you?
Great, because we're hiring! So, if you've read the above and feel confident that your skills and experience match up to those of an agency Recruitment Consultant, then we are always looking for enthusiastic and ambitious people to join our growing team. A career in agency recruitment offers the opportunity to earn a lot of money, progress quickly and develop a successful career. Browse all of our latest recruitment jobs that we are currently hiring for.
Are you wondering if you have the right qualifications to work as a Recruitment Consultant?
Whether you're looking to get into agency or internal recruitment, we have discussed in the below article what qualifications and education you would need to excel within a recruitment job!
Have you decided that working within agency recruitment is for you?
We won't lie, it's not an easy job and being resilient, hungry for growth and determined are just some of the main characteristics you'll need to become successful. We've outlined the daily tasks of being a Recruitment Consultant in the below article, so you can really get a good feel for what the job will entail
