You may wonder how recruitment agencies work, First, let me explain what a recruitment agency is.
I get asked this a lot from friends who have no idea what I do?
In the simplest terms, a recruitment agency is a company that matches potential employees with employers. Our main job is to try to find our clients the top talent available on the market for whatever their current requirements are, and most recruiters usually specialise in a particular sector like Finance or IT, etc.
To be successful in your job search when deciding to use a recruiter, it is important to understand how recruitment agencies operate. They were first known as employment agencies with the aim of matching employers to employees, so think of them as a partner in your search for that dream job.
Recruitment agencies will not only connect you with prospective employers but additionally, they can act as a guide, help you to refine and write a more targeted resume, endorse you to employers, and provide advice on your career path if there is not a suitable role available immediately.
After submitting your CV or applying to jobs, recruiters will contact you if there are a suitable match and a potential job opportunity. Additionally, recruiters may reach out to arrange a preliminary phone call or “face-to-face” interview (in person or via video call more often now due to COVID 19) to go through what your career aspirations and motivations are, and where you fit into an organization at your current role. Once they successfully match you to a job, they provide interview coaching to prepare you for the next stage.
You might need to spend some time connecting with a few recruiters so that you can essentially interview them and see if you can build a rapport: It is important that you know the recruiter will work tirelessly to help find you your next role. While there is no harm in connecting with more than one recruiter, be transparent and ensure they are not submitting you for the same job.
Working with a recruiter is a two-way street. You will need to build a good professional relationship with whoever you end up working with. This includes helping recruiters help you by completing basic tasks such as updating your CV or cleaning up your LinkedIn profile. You may also need to be able to broaden your criteria for the new job and by being flexible with interview dates and times.
There is often the argument, of whether it is better for you to apply directly to a role or work with a recruiter? The recruiter in most cases will have easier access to the client if the relationship is strong, and ensure your CV is always reviewed and avoid your CV been lost in translation along the way, but in some instances, it can be better to apply directly, and every recruiter I have come across is very transparent in these scenarios.
Using a recruiter is a completely free service for a job seeker, so why not avail of these tools and give yourself as many great career opportunities as possible.
Time – Time and resources are a precious component for every company, and now we have hit a Pandemic, even more so. Companies who outsource recruitment are now able to focus on the day-to-day business, looking at larger scale projects to continue business growth, and do not have to waste vital hours screening through CV’s and trying to schedule interviews. Using a recruitment agency should also shorten the time it takes to fill your open positions.
Talent – Recruiters tend to have their ears to the ground and have an extensive talent reach as Agencies have many networks and have the best chance of finding top talent so companies can rest easy knowing that the candidates on offer are ready to go. This is particularly applicable when you are chasing a niche skillset.
No Initial Cost – A recruiter will undertake all the work of sourcing, screening, and introducing candidates, and no cost is incurred unless a candidate is hired. A recruiter will provide the best possible service whilst introducing suitable candidates who are really interested in the role. The exception to this rule is if an agency is hired on a retainer where they get a percentage of the fee upfront.
Temporary Recruitment – If you need a position filled for an unspecified amount of time but are not looking to hire on a permanent basis, Recruitment agencies usually have a large selection of candidates to resource from.
Expertise – This is what we do daily, we have all the tools necessary to recruit at our fingertips, and our main goal is to find you the client’s top talent, and that never changes!
Ok, that is why you should use recruitment agencies,
Now even though I spend all my time shouting from the rooftops explaining why a company should use agencies, I will outline below the main reason companies are hesitant.
Cost – Cost would be looked at as the main disadvantage. Multinationals generally have an Internal TA team as well as a recruitment budget, and most medium-sized organisations would have set aside a recruitment budget.
SMEs and Start-ups may not have a set recruitment budget, so if they have a highly skilled position to fill, paying an agency a percentage of that salary may seem a big cost to undertake, so that’s the main reason people are hesitant to use agencies, as when using a recruitment agency, you will have to pay a fixed fee every time you make a hire.
To conclude, it’s important to you that your business is productive and runs efficiently. Partnering with a recruitment agency and understanding how recruitment agencies work, can help strengthen your business.
