Hiring is difficult for everyone concerned. The average job seeker sends their CV out in all directions, only to sit waiting for feedback. On the other side of the spectrum, Employers spend hours analysing mountains of CVs, struggling to find a good match for their position. It has been estimated that between 7 and 20% of the salary for a position can be spent trying to fill it and that this process tends to take around 30-45 days. Solving these problems is just where recruiters come in. Able to find out exactly what both employers and job seekers are looking for, recruitment agencies are in the position to hugely speed up the hiring process. So how can you really make the most of a recruitment agency? And what should you take into consideration before choosing one?
With more than 4186 recruitment agencies in the UK and nearly 1600 in France, you should give time to deciding which one is best for you. Recruiters in general fill all kinds of jobs, from nursing to administration to manual labour. For this reason, many recruitment agencies specialise in a particular sector. Some recruiters even arrange training for candidates relevant to the specific sector, enabling them to build up skills and become more marketable. The ideal in choosing an agency is to go on recommendations. Find out if people you know in your field have any experience that they can share with you. Call up an agency you are considering and have a chat with a consultant. This way you can get a feel for the agency. Ask yourself; “Do they have my best interests at heart?”, “Would they get back to me with useful feedback?” and “Do they invite two way communication?”. Check the agency’s online credentials too. Pro-active, up-to-date agencies usually update their websites regularly and have an active social media presence.
Once you have chosen your agency, what should be done to make the most of it? Well, recruitment agencies handle the job search process on behalf of their client, lining up candidates who might suit a role. Good recruiters pride themselves on really getting to know both candidate and client, making them well-equipped to make the best possible fit. For this reason, it is vital that candidates liaising with recruitment agencies do the following in order to benefit from the full potential of the relationship.
Honesty is essential. Tell your recruiting consultant as much about what you are looking for as possible; your ideal salary, sector, hours and so on. Holding information back or giving them what you feel is the right answer will only hinder their chances of finding you a great match. You build up a relationship with a recruiter, so start as you would in any other relationship; by being honest! This – like all relationships – takes two. Find out as much as possible about your recruitment agency and do a background check or get a recommendation before signing up – but more on that later!
Keep in touch. Just signing up to a recruitment agency doesn’t mean that you’ve automatically got a job. There will definitely be waiting involved, but this isn’t an opportunity for you to sit back and relax. Stay on the ball and take an active role. Check your agency’s website regularly, as offers will usually be updated there (which is definitely the case for TM International!). Call every week or so to let them know that you are still interested, but know where to draw the line between taking a keen interest and badgering your recruiter.
Be Realistic. Although any recruiter will understand your urgency, you are not their only candidate! They will have the same sort of questions coming from different candidates from all directions, so be realistic in what you expect from them. Remember that a recruitment agency is just a support to your job search. It may be a fantastic support, but be realistic and don’t forget to do your own research as well!
As long as you are realistic, choose an agency wisely and listen carefully to the advice that these experts in their field have to give, then seeking the help of a recruiter really can make a huge difference to your job search.
Good Luck!
TM International 
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/ April 9, 2012Thank you for you engaging, informative material. I believe many of the views you have mentioned in your article are sound and unique. It’s obvious you are a talented writer.