Recruiter Degree: What Degree Do You Need to Become a Recruiter?

While the traditional path to becoming a recruiter typically starts with a higher education degree, you usually don’t need one specific degree type to begin your career. Recruiters come to the profession from an array of academic and professional backgrounds, including human resources, business administration, communications, and psychology. 

When considering possibilities for a recruiter degree, it can be helpful to think in terms of the skills that will benefit you in your role. Good communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to quickly learn evolving technologies, build relationships, and negotiate effectively are all necessary competencies for prospective recruiters. You may choose to develop these skills through a degree program or work experience, industry-specific certifications, or mentorship programs. 

Learn more about degrees commonly held by recruiters and the skills relevant to the field of recruiting that these degrees foster. Explore certification options for recruiters and common paths to becoming a recruiter.

Do I need a degree to become a recruiter?

Though there is no strict requirement for becoming a recruiter, most do hold a college degree. The majority of recruiters, 69 percent, hold a bachelor’s degree, while 12 percent have an associate degree, and 9 percent have earned a master’s degree [1]. Earning a degree may be a great first step toward a career as a recruiter for a variety of reasons. 

Many recruiting positions require you to have previous work experience in fields such as human resources, sales, operations, research, administration, or administrative support. You will likely need a degree to secure one of these jobs and gain the preferred experience for a recruiter position. Because understanding the industry and job market for which you are recruiting is an essential part of the role, an educational background in the specific industry you are interested in working in may also be beneficial. 

What are the best college majors for aspiring recruiters?

You may find recruiters with a variety of degrees and backgrounds, but some majors may be more useful in helping you gain the knowledge and skills you will use as a recruiter. An analysis from Zippia of over 81,000 recruiter resumes found the following breakdown regarding degrees commonly held by recruiters [1]:

Other majors popular among recruiters include political science, sociology, and even computer science. Many of these majors, often referred to as arts and humanities majors, focus on human culture and may help you cultivate the knowledge and skills important in a career as a recruiter. 

Key skills to prioritize when choosing a recruiter degree program

The degrees recruiters hold are likely popular in the field because they prioritize people and their behaviors, which are at the heart of a recruiter’s role. As you research degree programs to set you on the path to becoming a recruiter, consider focusing on some of the following core skills and explore examples of courses and degrees that may foster the development of these skills:

• Communication: The ability to clearly and concisely articulate job requirements and to actively listen and engage with candidates and hiring managers is essential to being a recruiter. From interviews to final negotiations, you will want to communicate effectively to create a comfortable environment for candidates and leave a good impression of yourself, your client, and their company. You can expect to gain communication skills in a range of degree programs, including human resources, business, and psychology.

• Interpersonal: Leadership, flexibility, patience, empathy, and dependability are just a few examples of interpersonal skills. As a recruiter, you will benefit from having strong interpersonal skills when it comes time to connect with the variety of personalities you are likely to encounter each day. You might consider a degree in communications if you want to focus on developing your interpersonal skills.

• Digital literacy and technology aptitude: Between applicant tracking systems, social media platforms, and a host of other digital tools, you will likely use technology to find the best candidates and to make your job as a recruiter more manageable. It may be unlikely that you will choose a degree program focusing on technology if your goal is to become a recruiter, but a number of courses and certificate programs specializing in digital literacy do exist. Geared toward budding recruiters, some of these programs focus on how social media can help you attract and retain candidates.

• Negotiation: Once you match a candidate with the right job, chances are you will have to agree on pay, benefits, and other terms of employment. Providing alternatives and finding common ground are both necessary aspects of the job of a recruiter. Degree programs in negotiation and conflict management do exist, but if you are looking for programs that might offer you practice with this skill without focusing on it solely, you might consider a business degree program or a short course in effective negotiation strategies.

• Relationship management and networking: Successful recruiters foster long-term partnerships and build their network by making connections and building trust with both job seekers and clients. Although many degree programs require courses that might help you build strong relationships, degrees in communications and human resources often hone in on this skill.

• Critical evaluation: Expect to use critical thinking and analysis skills to track, measure, and even interpret recruitment data to help your clients plan and make informed hiring decisions. Degrees like psychology, sociology, business, and marketing, to name a few, tend to foster critical thinking skills.

Certification for recruiters

As an alternative route to gaining skills specific to the recruiter role, you might consider earning a certification geared toward folks looking to break into the industry. Certifications are one way you may be able to secure a recruiter position without a college degree. In addition to options for those already in the profession, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI), AIRS, the American Staffing Association (ASA), and the National Association of Personnel Services (NAPS) all offer a range of certifications relevant to those new to the field, with or without a degree.

• SHRM: SHRM offers two certification types with eligibility determined by your level of experience, among other things: SHRM-Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) and SHRM-Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). The SHRM-CP is a great option if you are just starting out or do not have a degree.

• HRCI: If you choose to earn a certification through HRCI, you will have three options based on your experience level: Associate Professional in Human Resources (aPHR), Professional in Human Resources (PHR), and Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR). The aPHR is an excellent entry point for if you are looking to gain experience.

• AIRS: AIRS offers a number of certifications focused solely on recruitment. If you are new to recruiting, AIRS recommends the Professional Recruiter Certification (PRC) or the Certified Diversity Recruiter (CDR) path as well as several stand-alone courses. However, all of its programs are open to everyone, regardless of experience.

• ASA: This organization offers one general certification and three geared toward specific industries or topics. You can become a Certified Staffing Professional (CSP), a Certified Search Consultant (CSC), a Certified Health Care Staffing Professional, or you can choose to earn the Technical Services Certified (TSC) credential. If you pass the exam, you are eligible to be certified, which makes this a good option for those looking to enter the profession on a less traditional path.

• NAPS: Certificates available through NAPS include the Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC) certificate, the Certified Temporary Staffing-Specialist (CTS) designation, and the Certified Employee Retention Specialist (CERS) certificate. Passing the certification exam is the only requirement for obtaining one of these credentials, making NAPS another good option for non-traditional job seekers. 

In addition to offering a non-traditional entry point to the field, certification for recruiters can offer many benefits to prospective recruiters. Clients and other potential employers often view a certification as commitment to the profession and a sign of professionalism. Certification can also serve to validate your skills and engender confidence in your abilities among your peers and clients.

How to become a recruiter

A traditional path to becoming a recruiter includes the following steps:

1. Earn your degree: Look for a degree that will help you build skills relevant to a role as a recruiter.

2. Gain relevant skills and experience: Seek out opportunities to build interpersonal, communication, negotiation, and other skills relevant to the field. Consider joining student organizations, volunteering, or pursuing an internship or job shadowing experience to gain experience.

3. Obtain certification: Consider a certification to gain industry-specific knowledge and jumpstart your career. Numerous options are available to job seekers with little or no experience.

4. Build your network: Connect with potential candidates and clients by building your network. Consider using social media, career fairs, or industry-sponsored events to build relationships with other professionals and possible clients and candidates. Joining a professional organization or association such as ASA or NAPS can also help you expand your network.

5. Consider a specialization: Once you secure a job as a recruiter, you may start thinking about choosing a specialization, which can help you develop expertise in one area and make you more marketable. A variety of specializations exist including industry specializations like those in tech or health care, a job-type specialization such as an executive recruiter, or an employment structure specialization such as working with staffing agencies or contractors and freelancers.

6. Participate in professional development: Stay current on industry trends and new technologies. Look for new certification opportunities and attend professional development workshops and seminars. 

Gain skills to further your career as a recruiter with Coursera

A variety of majors, such as business, human resources, psychology, or communication, can offer the skills you may want in a recruiter degree. To gain skills useful to professionals in recruiting, you might also consider the Human Resource Associate Professional Certificate from HRCI, or if you are looking to earn a degree to help you break into the recruitment industry, the University of London’s BSc Marketing may be a good option for you. Both of these opportunities are available to you on Coursera.