Recruitment interview questions and answers

Whether you’re new to the industry or already have some experience in a similar role, it’s important to be familiar with some of the most commonly asked recruitment interview questions. Below, we’ll talk through some of the questions you can expect to come up in your interview and provide some example answers to help you prepare.

Why do you want to work in recruitment?

It’s a typical interview question, no matter the position, and you’ve likely been asked something along the same lines many times before. But particularly if you’re applying for your first job in recruitment, be sure to consider the reasons why you’re looking to join this competitive industry.

There are many reasons why a career in recruitment is an attractive prospect, especially for young job seekers looking to take their first steps in the world of work. These might include:

• Potential for uncapped earnings

• Vast opportunities for career progression

• Autonomy

• Chance to make a difference in people’s lives

Take the time to consider which is most important and appealing to you. And don’t be tempted to say what you think the interviewer wants to hear. They’ll be well aware of the reasons why people pick this career path, so if you’re strongly driven by financial security, for example, then say that.

Example:

‘The main reason I was attracted to a recruitment role was the financial security it can offer in return for hard work and dedication. In previous positions, I’ve often felt going the extra mile has gone unrecognised, so working in an industry where going above and beyond reaps its own benefits is a really exciting prospect.

I’m also very passionate about helping other people and have been involved in the job market since leaving university. I’m aware of just how difficult and demoralising the search for employment can be. Having the chance to work with like-minded graduates and professionals to help them reach their goals is something that will motivate me day in, day out.”

What skills do you think you need to be a successful recruitment consultant?

This question is two-fold. The interviewer will want to comprehend how well you grasp what’s involved in a job in recruitment, and whether or not you feel like you’d be a good fit in light of your understanding. Be sure to mention some key skills you think are essential to succeed in this role and try to relate these back to your own experiences.

A role in recruitment and the typical working environment which comes with that will not be the right fit for everyone. You need a certain set of skills to fulfil this role to a high level. Some of the most important include:

• Strong communicator

• Good attention to detail

• Confident phone manner

• Excellent time management

• Tenacious and resilient

Again, be sure to focus on the traits or skills that you attribute the most value to, not the ones you necessarily think the interviewer will want to hear.

Example:

‘In my opinion, the two most important things to have are good communication skills and tenacity. I’m aware that working in recruitment requires you to have different conversations with different types of people, from CEOs of large corporations to university students looking for their first job. I’m also aware that things won’t always go your way, and setbacks are unfortunately an unavoidable part of the job. This is why it’s so crucial to show a level of resilience in your day-to-day work. Ensuring you turn up to work every day with the right attitude will go a long way to helping deliver consistent results.”

What transferable skills can you bring to this role?

As a follow-up question, the interviewer will likely want to hear how your personal experiences correlate with these desirable skills. Here, you can call upon real-life examples of where and how you’ve demonstrated them.

Even if you don’t have any direct experience in recruitment, you’ll be able to call upon examples from your education. Graduate recruitment roles are very popular, and this means that new starters are often not expected to have vast experience in the industry – or in employment at all.

You may even have naturally picked up a variety of transferable skills, from either your time in education or through personal experiences, that will help you to be successful in the role. With a question like this, it can be helpful to reference the job description and requirements for the role, to see if you can draw any parallels from your personal experiences.

Example:

‘One of the skills I noticed you placed a particular level of importance on in the job description was being a competent communicator. I’ve always felt confident in my ability to communicate effectively with all different types of people. At university, presentations accounted for a large part of my degree, and I feel like those regular assignments gave me a platform to hone this particular skill.

I have also taken on work experience at several PR agencies during my studies. This exposed me to challenging situations and clients where I had to pitch reactive ideas for radio features. Whilst it was difficult initially to receive constant setbacks, getting the one or two clients who wanted to take the conversation forward was a really rewarding feeling. The tenacity needed to succeed in those situations will stand me in good stead in this role.’

 

What would a normal day in recruitment look like for you?

It’s quite possible that an interviewer will ask you about how you’d approach a typical day in the prospective role, even if you’ve never had any experience in a similar position. Not only will they want to find out about your processes and decision-making capabilities, but if you’ve never worked a day in recruitment, they’ll also want to know how you handle difficult questions under pressure.

If you do have some past examples you can draw upon, then use this question as an opportunity to show off your knowledge of the inner workings of a recruitment agency.

For a complete answer, call upon any research you’ve done into the company, and structure your answers to complement any company policies or practices you’ve come across. It’s a good chance to not only show off your passion for the industry but also for your prospective employer.

Example:

‘I know that a key part of being a successful recruitment consultant is proactivity. A large portion of my day would be spent researching, and making calls to, prospective clients to not only help generate leads but also to ensure I’m finding the right candidates for the roles.

I’m a naturally competitive person, and this is something that drives me to give my all in anything I do. I constantly strive towards personal and professional development. As such, I was excited to see that your company operates with a quarterly rewards system for high-achieving employees. Having this motivation would help me keep in mind the company’s KPIs and targets every day.

It’s also important to build strong connections and relationships in this industry, and procuring these with both my team and clients would help me to reach both my personal goals and company targets.

As we’ve mentioned, recruitment won’t be a suitable career path for everyone – it certainly requires a specific personality type. If you think it might be right for you, take on board all of our tips and advice to give yourself a head start in the interview process with these recruitment interview questions.

What does a career in recruitment look like?

Working in recruitment is an attractive career path for people who are particularly motivated by a goals-based working environment. The professional and financial rewards on offer can be a driving factor for many professionals looking to get into recruitment, with decent base salaries typically supplemented by favourable rates of commission. However, the hours can be unpredictable, and it’s not uncommon for recruitment consultants to take their work home, so it won’t be the right fit for everyone.

There are several types of recruitment which entail different duties, but fundamentally the purpose of the profession is to help marry up prospective candidates with suitable job roles. These recruitment interview questions will be a good start, but you may want to research more specific recruitment interview questions relating to the role you are interviewing for.

It’s a very competitive space, so you’ll want to do all you can to stand out from the crowd. In this guide, we’ll provide some top tips to give you the best chance of success in an interview and provide insight into what you can expect from a role in recruitment.

Start your search for a job in Recruitment.