Recruitment Consultant CV examples

This guide covers everything you need to write a CV which effectively highlights your recruitment successes, client management skills, and industry expertise. By the time you’re done, you’ll have an application that proves you’re not just great at finding top talent – you are top talent.

You know how hiring managers scan CVs at lightning speed – so why would you expect them to dig through an unstructured, rambling application? Make their lives easy with a clear CV structure (after all, one day you might be recruiting for them too).

Here’s what to include:

• Name and contact details – Keep your personal details at the top where they belong. No recruiter wants to go searching for a phone number! You can add a photo of yourself, but it’s optional.
• Profile – Open with a strong summary that showcases your expertise in candidate sourcing, client management, and sales.
• Core skills – A quick list of your key strengths, whether it’s headhunting, negotiation, or building long-term client relationships.
• Work experience – Highlight your most relevant roles in reverse chronological order, focusing on your ability to place candidates and generate revenue.
• Education – List your degrees and professional certifications in order of relevance.
• Additional info – Optionally note hobbies, Industry memberships, recruitment awards, or additional languages can help you stand out.

Recruitment is all about making a strong first impression, and your CV’s layout is no exception. If hiring managers struggle to scan it quickly, you might miss out on opportunities, so avoid preventable mistakes in your format.

Stick to these formating principles:

• Bullet points – Use them to highlight achievements clearly and concisely.
• Divide sections – Structure your CV logically for easy navigation.
• Use a clear and readable font – Keep your font professional and avoid anything overly stylised.
• No more than 2 pages – Keep it tight and to the point. If a CV shouldn’t be too long for you as a recruiter, it definitely shouldn’t be too long for your own application.

Your CV profile is your 30-second elevator pitch, not a full sales presentation. Get straight to the point – who you are, what you do, and why they should care. This section should instantly show why you’re the recruiter an agency or business needs.

Junior candidates might consider a longer personal statement, which allows more detail.

Taking these tips on board will ensure a solid profile:

• Where you’ve worked – Have you recruited in an agency setting, in-house, or within a specialised sector?
• Your top qualifications – If you’ve completed industry certifications, like those from the REC, mention them here.
• Key recruitment skills – Are you an expert in direct sourcing, employer branding, or high-volume hiring? Make it clear.
• Revenue and hiring success – Show that you don’t just fill roles – you fill them well. Mention your placement rates, client retention, or any targets you’ve smashed.
• Business development – If you’ve grown a client base, expanded into new industries, or developed recruitment strategies, highlight it here.

Think of this section as your quick-hit strengths list. If a hiring manager only had 10 seconds to skim your CV, this should tell them what you excel at.

Customise your CV skills based on the role – an internal recruiter and an agency recruiter will have different priorities.

Recruitment is all about results. Recruiters don’t just want to see that you’ve worked in recruitment; they want to see what impact you’ve had through your work experience.

List your roles in reverse chronological order, but don’t just list responsibilities – show outcomes. If you’ve hit or exceeded placement targets, grown a candidate pipeline, or brought in new clients, this is where you prove it.

• Outline – Introduce the company, its sector, and your role within the recruitment team. If you focused on a particular industry or level of hiring, mention that too.
• Responsibilities – Describe what you did daily, from candidate sourcing to account management. Use action words like “headhunted”, “negotiated”, and “secured”.
• Achievements – Highlight the measurable impact you made. Did you exceed hiring targets? Improve candidate retention? Bring in major clients? Use figures to back up your success.

Your qualifications matter, but recruitment is a results-driven field. Keep this section concise unless you’re applying for an entry-level role where education is a key factor. If relevant, highlight coursework or certifications in HR, sales, or recruitment best practices.

List qualifications in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent.