Recruiter Accreditation Scheme (RAS)

The Recruiter Accreditation Scheme (RAS) has been developed by MRS and the Association for Qualitative Research (AQR) to raise the profile and status of recruiters, by devising a training and accreditation scheme that recognises the knowledge, skills and competence of professional recruiters.

The overall aim of the scheme is to improve the quality of qualitative recruitment by all parties throughout the qualitative recruitment supply-chain. 

The RAS is designed to recognise the range of knowledge and understanding required to:

• Understand the basic principles and concepts of research
• Understand the role of research recruitment
• Understand the different techniques used for research recruitment
• Understand the legal and ethical requirements which underpin research
• Understand the basics of project management

The RAS programme combines online training and assessment with self-directed work-based learning.  All of the RAS online training is available for use without financial charge. The materials are available here: https://ras.mrs.org.uk/

Register of accredited recruiters

Find out who is raising the standards of qualitative recruitment.

See the register

Who is it for?

Research recruiters working across a wide range of sectors who undertake research recruitment, and those who commission qualitative research and/or undertake research recruitment as part of a wider research role:

• For experienced recruiters - the accreditation will provide professional recognition and build professional status.  
• For new recruiters - the training and accreditation will provide the essential knowledge and skills to become competent as recruiters.
• For recruitment organisations – the accreditation of recruitment organisations and their staff will provide third party verification of your services and competence.
• For recruiters within field, research and/or client organisations – the accreditation will provide professional recognition of the internal recruitment function.

All about RAS

Company Partner consultation

I thought that the course was very informative, I gained a lot of useful information from completing the modules that I wasn't aware of before I started, which will really help me with my job role at Prevision Research.

After completing and passing the assessment, receiving a Merit Grade, I feel like I have increased my knowledge and have a better understanding in terms of recruitment within the Market Research Industry.

I feel very proud of myself for being the first to complete this course, having this accreditation will really help and support me in progressing my career in Market Research.

Amy Holmes

Learning outcomes and indicative content

• The Basics of Research: This element refers to the setting in which research takes place, the basics of qualitative and quantitative research and the ethical and legal principles that underpin the research recruitment process. The learning outcomes in this section inform and guide each stage of the recruitment process.
• The Tools Used in Research Recruitment: The learning outcomes in this element reflect the specific skills and understanding required to conduct effective qualitative recruitment. There are four topic areas in this section:

1. Preparation
2. Managing the recruitment process
3. Communication and interpersonal skills
4. Recruitment tools and techniques

More information on the structure and learning outcomes of RAS can be found in the RAS syllabus document.

The assessment is completed online under the guidance of MRS, as the awarding body for the accreditation.

The assessment consists of 40 multiple-choice questions covering all five RAS modules. Each question is worth one mark. In order to pass, candidates must achieve a minimum score of 20 marks.

How long will it take?

It is recommended you undertake around 40 learning hours of study of the learning materials which support RAS to prepare for the assessment.

Experienced recruiters do not need to undertake the online training. If you believe your experience and your previous training adequately cover the RAS syllabus you can register to undertake the assessment immediately. 

It is anticipated that for some of the experienced recruiters specific elements of the online training may need to be undertaken, particularly those modules which cover recent changes such as data protection and GDPR. 

Read full details about how the RAS training and assessment works and can be accessed.

Entry requirements

RAS is open to all individuals who wish to participate.

The next steps

New Recruiters

Once you have either completed the RAS training online learning programme developed by AQR and MRS or a similar third-party course you should be ready to undertake the RAS assessment

Experienced Recruiters

Find out how to access the RAS assessment.

Fees

MRS and AQR online RAS training – FREE to all – go to the RAS online training site

Individual Recruiter Fees

Recruiters who are already a Member of MRS – No charge for accreditation

Recruiters who are Non-Members of MRS:

• Option 1 - £158 - Includes the RAS assessment, accreditation, compliance regulation by MRS and access to the full suite of MRS membership benefits
• Option 2 - £79 - Includes the RAS assessment, accreditation and compliance regulation by MRS but no individual member benefits (a 50% reduction on membership fee)

The accreditation includes:

• access to the training
• access to the assessment 
• accreditation 
• MRS membership 
• Certificate of accreditation
• Logo of accreditation
  
  

Re-takes for failed assessments will cost £25 +VAT per re-assessment.

• Thereafter there is an annual accreditation fee which includes MRS membership and continued accreditation.
• The annual accreditation fee is based on the published membership fee for that year.
• The period of accreditation is for three years.  In order to maintain accreditation after  three years recruiters are required to re-take the accreditation assessment.
  
  

Corporate Recruiter Fees

For companies, there are two types of accreditation. Organisations which undertake in-house recruitment only will achieve RAS Accreditation (In-house) once 50% or more of the organisations' staff undertaking recruitment have successfully achieved accreditation.  RAS Accreditation (In-house) will also apply to those organisations that have met the 50% staff requirement and have yet to achieve the criteria for External RAS Company accreditation.

For those organisations that use the services of external freelance recruiters RAS Accreditation (External) will be given once 50% or more of all in-house staff undertaking recruitment are RAS Accredited Recruiters and at least 50% of all external recruiters  (such as independent recruiters) that are used by the organisation are RAS Accredited Recruiters.  

Corporate recruiter accreditation fees:

Recruiters who are already a Member of MRS – No charge for accreditation

• Option 1 - £158 - Includes the RAS assessment, accreditation, compliance regulation by MRS and access to the full suite of MRS membership benefits ( first 10 employees and reduced to £127 for additional staff. )
• Option 2 - £79 -  Includes the RAS assessment, accreditation and compliance regulation by MRS but no individual member benefits (a 50% reduction on membership fee)

The accreditation fee includes:

• access to the training for all recruiter staff within an organisation
• access to the assessment for all recruiter staff within an organisation
• accreditation for all recruiter staff within an organisation
• MRS membership for accredited recruiters within an organisation
• Certificate of accreditation (individuals and corporate)
• Logo of accreditation
  
  

Re-takes for failed assessments will cost £25 + VAT per re-assessment.

• Thereafter there is an annual accreditation fee which includes MRS membership and continued accreditation.
• The annual accreditation fee is based on the published membership fee for that year.
• The period of accreditation is for  three years. In order to maintain accreditation after  three years recruiters are required to re-take the accreditation assessment.

It is recognised that for those telephone units which have had their telephone operations certified to ISO 20252 (*and either have 2012 Certification or have certified to Annex B for the 2019 standard) and/or IQCS, and the training and monitoring requirements that this place upon the telephone unit, will mean there is less need for all the recruiters to undertake accreditation. 

For IQCS and/or ISO 20252* Certified Telephone Units to become accredited as an In-House RAS Accredited Company requires only the Compliance/Quality Manager responsible for training and the quality standards to be accredited as an individual Accredited Recruiter, not 50% of the recruiter staff as for non IQCS and ISO 20252* organisations.  In these instances, the individual recruiter fees would apply.  This does not prevent more staff from a Telephone Unit being individually accredited if they wish to.

Go to the Recruiter Accreditation Scheme (RAS) website

Now you can can access free training modules, and find out how to undertake the online assessment.

Go to the RAS website