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UK Recruitment Glossary

Recruiter (in-house vs agency)

Alex By Alex · 12-year UK recruiter · Updated April 2026

In recruiter context

Two species. In-house (or internal) recruiters work for the employer, salaried, fill multiple roles for the same company. Agency (or external) recruiters work for a recruitment firm, paid commission per placement, fill roles across many clients. Different incentives, different value to you. Agency recruiters move fast and know the market; in-house recruiters know their company's culture and hiring manager preferences.

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