Do you need a degree to be a trainee recruitment consultant at EQ Group?
No. No EQ Academy role requires a degree or previous recruitment experience. Applications are assessed on communication, drive and coachability.
Trainee Recruitment Consultant Jobs
Short answer
EQ Academy hires 18 to 21 year olds with no degree and no recruitment experience into paid trainee recruitment consultant roles in Manchester, on a six month programme that promotes to Consultant on hitting standard.
Most trainee recruitment jobs advertise a desk and a phone. EQ Academy is a structured six month programme run alongside founders and senior consultants across the group's brands, with a live desk from week one and a defined promotion point at the end.
You earn a guaranteed base from day one plus commission or bonuses, and you graduate into one of the operator brands in the group rather than being left on the desk you started on.
Pay bands
Guaranteed base pay across these roles runs £24k. Commission, bonus and equity are stated on each role in addition to the base.
| Role | Base | Full package |
|---|---|---|
| Academy Associate · Trainee Recruitment Consultant | £24k | £24k base + uncapped commission (OTE £40k Year 1) |
| Academy Trainee · Business Development | £24k | £24k base + meeting and revenue bonuses |
| Academy Trainee · Market Research & Intelligence | £24k | £24k base + project bonuses |
Who these roles suit
School leavers, college leavers and career changers in their first roles. No degree is required for any Academy position. What matters is written and verbal communication, energy, and willingness to work in-office through the programme.
What the programme covers
Smart tooling and automation, LinkedIn and personal brand, market intelligence, sales and business development, recruitment craft, and CRM and technology. Progress is reviewed monthly with the founder team.
Open roles
EQ Academy
Academy Associate · Trainee Recruitment Consultant
No degree. No recruitment experience. No problem. Six months to Consultant.
Manchester, UK Full-time · Associate
EQ Academy
Academy Trainee · Business Development
Learn to open doors at pace. Feed the group's growth from day one.
Manchester, UK Full-time · Associate
EQ Academy
Academy Trainee · Market Research & Intelligence
The intelligence engine behind every brand in the group.
Manchester, UK Full-time · Associate
Trainee recruitment consultant jobs: common questions
What does a trainee recruitment consultant earn at EQ Group?
Academy roles pay a £24k base from month one plus uncapped commission or bonuses depending on the track, with a Year 1 on-target of around £40k on the Academy Associate route.
How long is the EQ Academy programme?
Six months. On hitting standard you are promoted to Consultant inside one of the group's brands.
Where are trainee roles based?
Manchester, UK, in-office five days a week during the programme.
Related pay data
- Recruitment Consultant salary, All UK
- Recruitment Consultant salary, North & Midlands
- US recruitment hiring market 2026
- UK recruitment hiring market 2026
Other specialisms
EQ Group
An elite group for ambitious recruitment founders, building high-performance brands across the US and UK.
US & UK · Founder-led