Recruitment Consultant Interview Questions UK: 8 Real Questions and What Interviewers Want

Before your Recruitment Consultant interview, it helps to see the questions from the interviewer's side. We have picked eight from our set of 25 and added the reason each one gets asked.

Eight Recruitment Consultant interview questions, and what the interviewer is thinking

1. Talk me through your billings over the last twelve months: what you billed, your average fee and your perm and contract split.

Why they ask: Billings are the clearest evidence of a consultant's ability, and they will check your numbers against references.

2. What do you know about our business, the desk you'd be working on and the market it recruits into?

Why they ask: They want evidence you've done your homework and understand the market you'd be billing in.

3. Pick a candidate you could place and pitch them to me as if I'm a hiring manager you've never spoken to.

Why they ask: This tests your live sales ability, especially how quickly you get to value and handle the call.

4. How do you go about generating new business and building a pipeline of clients?

Why they ask: Business development drives billings, and they want to see a structured, multi-channel approach.

5. Walk me through how you structure a typical day and week on your desk.

Why they ask: They want to see self-discipline and whether your working rhythm will produce consistent results.

6. A hiring manager says, 'We don't use agencies.' How would you handle that on a call?

Why they ask: Objection handling is a core sales skill, and this is the most common objection you'll hear.

7. Tell me about your best or most complex placement and how you made it happen.

Why they ask: This shows how you manage a full process and what you contribute beyond sending CVs.

8. A client says another agency will fill the role at 12 per cent and asks you to match it, against your usual 20 per cent. What do you do?

Why they ask: Fee negotiation is a daily reality, and they want to see you protect margin while keeping the relationship.

A sample answer to question 1

Talk me through your billings over the last twelve months: what you billed, your average fee and your perm and contract split.

Over the last twelve months I billed just over £168,000 against a target of £150,000. About 70 per cent was permanent, with an average fee of around £9,500, mostly at 20 per cent on salaries between £40,000 and £60,000 in finance and accountancy. The remaining 30 per cent came from a small interim and contract book, where I had between six and nine contractors out at any time on an average margin of about £55 a day. My quarters weren't even: Q1 was slow because two big clients froze hiring, so I spent that time building relationships with mid-sized firms, which drove a strong Q3 when three of them gave me repeat roles. I'd like to grow the contract side, because it smooths out the peaks and troughs of perm billing. I'm happy for you to verify those figures with my current manager once we reach reference stage.

Common mistake to avoid: Rounding up or inflating numbers; Giving figures you can't back up at referencing

Want the rest?

Full model answers, key points and common mistakes for all 25 questions are on the Recruitment Consultant interview questions page. The first five are free, no sign-up needed.