Winning the Employment Agency War
WINNING THE EMPLOYMENT AGENCY WAR
Many of the jobs you see advertised on and offline will come via recruitment agencies and recruitment consultancies. There are some excellent agencies in Edinburgh and some with a less positive reputation. To get the best from any recruitment agency you have to understand how they are motivated, how they make their money, which employers use them and why. How Do Recruitment Agencies Work?
Who Do Recruitment Agencies Work For?
Although they provide a service to the jobseeker and the employer, it is the employer who pays the agency’s fees. Therefore recruitment agencies work primarily for the employers. It's important to understand that agencies are not there to maximise your career opportunities or find you a job that’ll meet all your needs and make you happy! Some may imply they’re giving you careers advice but this is not their primary goal. All advice is likely to fit first and foremost with their commercial objectives.
So They’re Not Really Interested in Me?
Yes and no. Agencies are most interested in candidates they can place in jobs fairly easily. People who lack experience and/or skills often complain that their applications are never followed up and they hear nothing from the agencies they register with.
Bear in mind that to survive, agencies need to continually place people in well-paid jobs. The higher the salary, the bigger the fee the agency can charge. Agencies will almost inevitably give priority to people they can profitably place. The rest may or may not register on their radar.
So They Don’t Care if I End up in the ‘Right’ Job?
Again – yes and no! Sometimes you may just get thrust towards the first job on their books that suits. Then again, reputable agencies do seek to build up good long-term relationships with employers. The most savvy know they ultimately rely on repeat business for long-term survival. As a gesture of goodwill some of the best agencies will agree to refund a percentage of their fee to the employer should you fail to stay with that organisation for an agreed period of time. This acts as a disincentive to unsuitable placement.
Why Do Employers Use Recruitment Agencies?
Many organisations contract out their recruitment because they haven’t time to manage it themselves. Others may have a last-minute vacancy that needs filled quickly or may not want to put their names in the press. Some lack knowledge of particular specialist sector and will contract out to agencies who specialise. (While many agencies deal with the full range of opportunities, others focus specifically on one or two industry sectors).
Some agencies not only screen candidates and CV’s but they could well be involved in pre-selection decisions for the organisation and may even operate assessment centres.
When Should You Use A Recruitment Agency?
Obviously if an agency is advertising a job that is advertised elsewhere then if that organisation wished to employ you they would have to pay agency fees., These can be hefty (often up to 15% of the first year’s salary). Effectively you then come with a ‘price tag’ and this could be unattractive to employers. Then again, a good agency could draw your attention to jobs that otherwise might not come to your notice or you may find yourself looking for a job in one of those sectors that relies heavily on recruitment agencies.
To get the best out of recruitment agencies you have to know what you want and fully research what they offer before you register.
Top 10 Tips - Getting the Best from Recruitment Agencies
- Shop around and find out which agencies are most likely to offer what you need.
- Establish a good relationship with the consultant. They’ll remember you and work harder for you.
- Communicate clearly to the agent what it is you’re looking for and spell out what you’re prepared to accept. You’re less likely to be sent on wild goose chases!
- Respond promptly to any enquiry from an agent. They often work to tight deadlines and you may be overlooked if you fail to respond in time.
- Take time to impress the agent as you would an employer. They can choose whether to forward your CV and may be asked to feed back on you to a prospective employer.
- Ask to have a say over who sees your CV. Less reputable agents may simply flood the market. You could apply to a company independently then discover that your CV has been sent to the employer by the agent. Your application then attracts an agency fee which could be detrimental.
- Always follow up. Agencies can be slow to feed back and some rarely feed back at all. Make it clear you expect to be kept informed.
- Don’t register with too many agencies. If you do so your CV may land up on the same employer’s desk many times. You don’t want to look indiscriminate or desperate!
- Pick their brains as you would an estate agent. Good recruitment agencies know their sector well, are familiar with industry trends, salary expectations etc.
- Don’t forget that the agent works for the employer – not you!!
Have Your Say
Do YOU have any experience of dealing with recruitment agencies you'd like to share? Post your comments below.
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