Is it Worth Signing Up to a Recruitment Agency?

Signing up to an employment agency can often be worthwhile if you are looking for employment. The benefits that an employment agency can offer are twofold; you will have the advantage of saving time by avoiding the trial-and-error process, and you may save money because you won’t have to go through the stress of looking for potential jobs on your own. However, before you sign up with a recruitment agency you should carefully consider whether they are suitable for your needs. There are a few simple things to look for when considering signing up with an employment agency and or using and agency as an employer.

Recruitment Agency Websites are Important

First, you want to make sure that the agency you choose has a well-developed website that contains all the information you will need to find out if they have any open positions. It should clearly list all the services they offer, what level of experience their candidates have and whether they offer any special benefits such as paid holidays or flexible working hours. It also pays to check that the website has contact details that can easily be verified by calling them and speaking to a trained employee.

Employer Relationships

Next, you want to ensure that the employment agency you are interested in works closely with the professional companies that it represents. Because the company you are working with will be the one screening potential candidates, you want them to screen the candidates carefully and ensure that only the most desirable are invited to attend interviews. You also want the agency to have access to any information that can help the company to determine if the person applying for a position is actually suitable for the role. For example, they may want to know if you have ever suffered from any injuries or illnesses that may negatively impact your ability to work, and what type of training and other programs you have completed that relate to your particular career. This way the agency ensures that they are only inviting the most desirable of candidates to work for their clients.

How Much Does the Recruitment Agency Charge?

The next thing you want to look for in a recruitment agency is whether they offer anything for free in the form of a resume service or potential interview. If a recruitment agency only acts as a provider for employers and does not pay to work for them then this is not something that you should consider using. The reason for this is because they do not stand to gain anything directly from you; in fact, their only function is to provide employers with information on people who could be suitable for a role in their company. They will never ask you for money upfront and will not be offering any direct financial rewards. Permanent recruitment agencies typically work on a sliding scale between 12% for exclusive roles through to 21% for very difficult roles to fill that can include aptitude testing, psychometric testing and deep dives into the backgrounds of the candidates at the end of the process including police checks on the national data base. In most cases the fees are negotiate by the recruiter and hiring manager, then presented to the GM or appropriate person to sign off on.

Research Recruitment Agencies

When choosing a recruitment agency, it is important to take the time to research them thoroughly online so that you can see if they have strong track records when it comes to matching up candidates with employers. If you are looking for a specific type of job, then it is even more important to ensure that they have a good track record for locating and hiring the best candidates. There are many agencies online that claim to be able to identify the right candidates, but do they really work? This is down to the process they use when finding potential candidates. The agency may search the whole of the marketplace to find the best potential candidate and this may take a long time. This is why it is sometimes best to go with a smaller, specialist agency which has been established and continue to operate for several years.

General Employment Agencies

Remember that you do not have to work with an agency that specialises in just working with the private sectors. There are some excellent agencies that work with all different types of businesses including the consultancies, charities and the government. They will be able to search the entire marketplace for potential candidates and will have established relationships with the consultancies, charities and the government. By working with a smaller, specialist agency you may save time and effort because they have the knowledge and contacts necessary to match you with the most suitable employer. You will be able to work closely with these professionals to identify your skills and show you how they can improve your current situation and to help you get more work.