Fellowship
Fellowship, with the letters FBIOR after your name, is the senior grade of membership of The British Institute of Recruiters. It is open to recruiters who have worked at a senior level in recruitment for more than five years, who lead a business or advise its leadership, and who take part in strategy and policy. The review reads your Fellowship Declaration against those criteria, takes two professional character references, and ends with a thirty-minute professional discussion about your experience and career. Fellowship includes the certification assessment, and a pass certifies you for five years.
Fellowship is the next major milestone in your professional recruitment career.
Being recognised as a Fellow of the industry’s British Institute gives a level of credibility and recognition that no words on a CV can.
Graduating to Fellowship
It’s only after five-years as a senior member of the recruitment industry that you earn the right to use ‘FBIOR’ after your name and enjoy the additional prestige that comes with it.
Accomplishing Fellowship status is a major achievement which:
- Demonstrates to employers your seniority and extensive experience. Pass the certification assessment, included in your membership, and you are also a Certified Recruiter.
- Signifies you’ve made a long-term commitment to professionalism, compliance and ethics.
Achieving Fellowship
Declaration
To achieve Fellowship status, you will be required to complete a Fellowship Declaration which explains how you meet the following criteria:
- You have operated at a senior level in recruitment for over five years'.
- You are currently operating as a leader or senior adviser to the leadership team.
- You are currently involved in strategy and policymaking.
- Provide 2 Professional Character references.
Professional discussion
You will be required to undertake a 30min Professional Discussion which will cover your experience and career.
Download the Fellowship Declaration here, complete it and email it to support@ior.org
Cost of Fellowship
Year one:
Professional discussion and review of the Fellowship Declaration, £250 plus VAT, one-off, in year one only
Fellow annual membership fee, £120 plus VAT
All prices exclude VAT
Fellowship includes the certification assessment. Pass it and you are certified for five years.
Questions about Fellowship
How do I become a Fellow of BIOR?
Download the Fellowship Declaration from this page and set out how you meet the four criteria above. Email it to support@ior.org. BIOR reviews the declaration and holds a thirty-minute professional discussion with you about your experience and career. The Apply for Fellowship button below opens the membership form for the Fellow grade.
What do the letters after a Fellow’s name mean?
FBIOR stands for Fellow of The British Institute of Recruiters. The letters show that the holder has been reviewed as a senior recruiter, with more than five years at a senior level and a current leadership or senior advisory role, and has made a long-term commitment to professional, compliant and ethical practice, and that the membership is current. Anyone can check a Fellow’s membership on BIOR’s verification page at ior.org/verify.
For more Fellowship advice or information call 0161 232 0991 or email support@ior.org
Last reviewed 5 November 2026.