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Recruitment consultant

Also called head hunter, employment agent, employee recruiter

Recruitment consultants provide the suitable candidates to employers according to the specific job profile requested. They perform testing and interviewing with job seekers, shortlist few candidates to present to the employers and match candidates to appropriate jobs. Recruitment consultants maintain relationships with employers to offer their services on a more long-term basis.

Will there be jobs?Yes, good prospects57 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Business and administration professionalsWhat does it pay?Above averageFrom about €2,000 (Bulgaria) to €7,100 (Luxembourg) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Business and administration professionalsWhat do I need to study?Usually a degree8 in 10 have a degree.Business and administration professionalsWill AI change it?ModeratelyLevel 4 of 6. AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.Personnel and careers professionals · ILO

What you'd do

Personnel and careers professionals · ILO
  • Advising on and performing personnel functions relating to employee recruitment, placement, training, promotion, compensation, and employee-management relations or other areas of personnel policy
  • Studying and analysing jobs performed in an establishment by various means, including interviews with workers, supervisors and management, and writing detailed position, job or occupation descriptions from information obtained
  • Preparing occupational information or working on occupational classification systems
  • Advising and working on the foregoing and other aspects of job and occupational analysis in such fields as personnel administration, workforce research and planning, training or occupational information and vocational guidance
  • Studying and advising individuals on employment opportunities, career choices and further education or training that may be desirable
Fix meetingsDevelop professional networkProfile peopleHire human resourcesInterview people+ 12 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors
  • Sitting most of the day
  • Constant contact with people, including the public
  • Good freedom to decide
  • Usually 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines most weeks
  • Some repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the US job "Human Resources Specialists"

Will there be jobs?

Yes, good prospects

Many jobs will need filling by 2035.

People working as business and administration professionals in the EU
6.65m9.73m13.35m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
2,909,000 new jobs 3,080,000 replacing leavers
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Business and administration professionals57
All jobs29
Right now
4 of 27 countries report a shortage of personnel and careers professionals, 8 a surplus.
Personnel and careers professionals · EURES

What does it pay?

Above average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €2,000 a month (Bulgaria) to €7,100 (Luxembourg), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among professionals in the EU, women earn 21% less per hour than men. Professionals · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Usually a degree

A degree in work skills is the usual route.

Highest qualification of business and administration professionals (EU, 2025)
Degree 81%Vocational 11%General secondary 6%Basic schooling 2%
Fields that teach it
Work skills · Law
Vocational route, EU
3 in 10 trainees in this field
Business and law graduates in a matching job
66% in the EU

1,314 institutions in the EU offer business and law bachelor's degrees. Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Moderately

AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.45 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 5 tasks
Studying and analysing jobs performed in an establishment by various means, including interviews with workers, supervisors and management, and writing detailed position, job or occupation descriptions from information obtained0.53
Preparing occupational information or working on occupational classification systems0.51
Studying and advising individuals on employment opportunities, career choices and further education or training that may be desirable0.43
Advising on and performing personnel functions relating to employee recruitment, placement, training, promotion, compensation, and employee-management relations or other areas of personnel policy0.39
Advising and working on the foregoing and other aspects of job and occupational analysis in such fields as personnel administration, workforce research and planning, training or occupational information and vocational guidance0.39

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for personnel and careers professionals. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).