Graduate Consultant Executive Search

RF Rec2Rec; Bishop's Stortford; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus & commission

Uncapped earnings

Work Fridays from home

Pension contributions

25 days leave

MacBook provided

Office near Bishop's Stortford

Job summary

RF Rec2Rec is offering a Graduate Research Consultant - Executive Search role based near Bishop's Stortford. No prior experience required as full training is provided, with a base salary of £28,000–£30,000 plus quarterly bonuses.

Office-based with strong progression opportunities and exposure to high-level executives from day one. From day one you will be embedded in live search assignments for high-level roles, with learning across market mapping, candidate screening, and client updates.

Qualifications

• No specific degree required; on-the-job training provided.
• Attitude and drive matter more than formal qualifications.
• Able to juggle multiple live projects and progress timely.
• Strong communication and resilience are essential for success.

Responsibilities

• Map markets and research industries to identify top talent.
• Build target lists and pitch opportunities to senior professionals.
• Run initial candidate screening conversations and assess against live requirements.
• Manage candidates through the full process from first approach to appointment.
• Prepare candidate profiles and search updates for high-profile clients.
• Attend client and candidate meetings with senior stakeholders.
• Develop a deep specialty in Software/AI, Technology Services, and Business & Professional Services.

Skills

Self motivated

Ambitious

Commercial awareness

Academically strong

Confident on the phone

Organised

Resilient

Job description

If you are a recent Graduate and you live a commutable distance from Bishop's Stortford this is an unbelievable Entry Level career opportunity to join a fast growing Executive Search firm, already making impressive profit and competing with the best firms in London. You will have more exposure, more responsibility and more progression opportunity than many larger firms, and be trained by some of the best headhunters in the sector.

Details: Office based in Bishops's Stordford

Experience: No specific experience - all training provided on the job

Base salary: £28-30k base + quarterly bonuses

Progression: Fast progression and earning opportunity

Title: Graduate Research Consultant - Executive Search

What is Executive Search?

Ever wondered how a private equity fund finds the CEO who takes their portfolio company from £10m to £100m? Or how a Chair gets appointed to steer a business through a multi million pound scale up? That's this job.

This is a rare opening at a boutique executive search firm that partners exclusively with private equity investors, ambitious founders and leadership teams to hire the CEOs, CFOs, Board members and senior commercial leaders who define whether a business succeeds. With 35 years of combined headhunting experience between the founders and over 300 C suite appointments already completed across the UK, US and Europe, this is not a startup taking a punt on grads. It is an established, high performing team building out its next generation of talent.

Why build a career in Executive Search?

• When a company needs a CEO or CFO, they can't just post a job advert. They hire specialist search firms to map the market and approach exceptional people who aren't even looking
• Firms typically earn 30 to 35% of a candidate's first year compensation, so a single placement can generate tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds
• It is fast paced, commercially sharp, relationship driven work with genuinely serious earning potential for the right person
• You will speak to senior executives and industry leaders from day one, not fetch coffee on a rotation scheme

The Opportuntiy

From day one you will be embedded in live search assignments recruiting for high level roles across London, in some exciting industry leading clients. You'll learn how senior consultants win and deliver mandates, build relationships with C suite leaders, and gradually take on real ownership of the candidate process. Over time you will:

• Map markets and research industries, companies and leadership teams to understand where the best talent sits
• Build target lists and pitch career changing opportunities to senior professionals who aren't actively job hunting
• Run initial candidate screening conversations and assess people against live search requirementsManage candidates through the full process, from first approach to appointment
• Prepare candidate profiles and search updates for high profile clients
• Sit in on client and candidate meetings with genuinely senior stakeholders
• Build a deep specialism in a market covering Software and AI, Technology Services, and Business and Professional Services

The Ideal Candidate

No specific degree or experience required. What matters is attitude. You will be:

• Self motivated, ambitious and genuinely excited by the idea of building a serious long term career, not just landing a first job
• Academically strong with a track record of extracurricular achievement
• Commercially aware, intellectually curious and quick to connect the dots
• Confident picking up the phone to strangers, including very senior people, and holding your own
• Organised enough to juggle multiple live projects without dropping the ball
• Resilient. The learning curve is steep and the targets are real, so this suits people who thrive under pressure rather than shy away from it

What's on offer

• Base salary of £28,000 to £30,000 plus bonus and commission
• Uncapped earning potential tied directly to your effort and results
• Real project management, research, negotiation and headhunting skills that set you up for life, not just for this role
• Work from home on Fridays
• Pension contributions
• 25 days annual leave plus office shutdown between Christmas and New Year
• MacBook and full home working equipment provided
• Office based near Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire

This is for graduates who want more than a graduate scheme. If you're curious, competitive, and want a career where your work ethic is directly and visibly rewarded, this could be it.