Should You Use A Recruitment Agency To Help With Your Job Search?

Eliciting the assistance of a specialist recruitment agency is a surefire way to give your job hunting efforts a serious boost. These agencies help numerous companies hire by connecting them with talented professionals - i.e. you. Whatever stage you are at in your career, working with a recruitment agency and its expert consultants can ease some of that pressure - which is vital if you are still employed elsewhere!?

But how do you make that all important decision? How can you make sure you choose the best recruitment agency that will help you find the next step in your career? There are a few things you should consider...

1. Does your job search really need the help of a recruitment agency?

Choosing to partner with a recruitment agency is a great way to help your search for work. But if you’re unsure whether it will help your situation, generally you can benefit most from that expert assistance if:?

A) You work in a field where there is a shortage of talent.

B) You have a set of niche, industry specific skills.

C) You currently work for a top employer that is known for hiring the best talent.

D) You are looking to make a progressive transition in your career.

E) You’re not sure where to look for jobs.

F) You are ambitious and willing to absorb advice.

Ultimately, the choice of whether you go with an agency or not is yours. It doesn’t cost you anything, but if you make the right decision, your career could benefit from that relationship forever!?

2. The benefits of using a (specialised) recruitment agency

To try and group them into several logical categories, there are some key benefits to using a (specialised) recruitment agency over going at it alone. This is what both specialised and generalist recruitment agencies have in common:

• Time

You could spend hours scrolling through job search sites looking for the perfect vacancy. Therefore, if your recruiter knows exactly what you’re looking for, you’ll be the first to spring to mind when something relevant appears.

• More connections

The number of people and companies recruiters can reach is unrivalled. Choosing to partner with a recruitment agency means you have access to their extensive network of industry contacts, who can then become your contacts.

• More opportunities

Similar to connections, recruiters have access to a wide range of opportunities, and some that are not advertised on job search sites. If you’re not sure where to look for jobs, this is where recruiters can truly prove their worth. When you initially get in touch with them, it’s likely they will already know which relevant jobs are available at which employer.

• A helping hand

Good recruiters will only send the best professionals to interview with their clients - who they put forward is a direct reflection of their ability to identify and match the job seeker with the hiring organisation. Due to their experience of working within an industry, they will properly prepare you for the entire process according to what they know has been successful in the past.

• For the future

Whilst everyone hopes to be successful with each application process, that isn’t how it always pans out. It can seem like a setback if you are unsuccessful, but once you’ve established that relationship with a recruiter, you will be in their mind for any future vacancies that come up.?

In addition to the above, a specialised recruitment agency offers a few more benefits:

• You can work with recruitment consultants who have knowledge of your industry
• They will be able to advise you on what the current salary and market rates are and how you can best position yourself
• They can inform you which skills are in demand and how your profile matches the current demand
• They know exactly what employers in your field are looking for

3. How to get the best out of your recruiter

There are certain times when a call from your recruiter is the last thing you want - at work, spending time with your family or out socialising. However, simply ignoring their call will not help either of you. If you don’t have time to speak with them there and then, at least pick up and quickly rearrange a better time for both parties. By doing this, you will keep yourself near the top of their list - if you’re actively looking for a new role, being in your recruiter’s good books is highly beneficial.

Once you have spoken with your recruitment consultant, they will then be the one putting you forward to the hiring manager and ultimately ‘selling’ you to your potential future employer.?

For this reason it’s important you give your recruiter a compelling account of your background and career so they can easily relay it. If you have it thoroughly thought through and fully planned out before you speak to them, there’s a good chance they will inform the relevant hiring manager straight away.

Speaking with a recruiter is just as much an opportunity for you to gather more information about the position and hiring organisation as it is for them to build up your profile. Watch our short video to get an idea of some key questions that you can ask are...

4. Are you looking for a permanent or contract job?

There’s a lot of information out there about the pros and cons of both permanent employment and working as a contractor. If you are on the fence and considering either, calling on the help of a recruiter could be very useful - they will be able to provide you with accurate information on what you can be paid as either, and whether employers are particularly favouring one type of employee over the other at that moment in time.?

5. The relationship shouldn’t end when you find a job

A great recruitment agency will keep in contact with you, giving relevant market information and tips on how you can develop your career even further. That’s not just helping you find another job, but advising you on how to improve your prospects in your current role - for example, which qualifications you could undertake, how to present yourself well in a salary negotiation and how you canimprove your interpersonal workplace skills.