Agencies

What is a Recruitment Agency?  Funnily enough, this is a very good question.  Recruitment Consultants, en masse, seem to believe that the job hunting public understand exactly what they do.  Unfortunately untrue!  Unless you are a temporary worker, and therefore in touch with your agent regularly (hopefully), you probably do not have much cause to be in contact with the aforementioned Recruitment Agencies.

Recruitment Consultants

Recruitment Consultants have been called many things, ranging from the good to the downright ugly.  In some cases the “bad” reputation (ie; just out to make a quick buck and who gives a damn about the applicant, or possibly even the client come to think of it!) is warranted.  However, there was a big shake out in the last recession, and for a long while most agencies adopted a professional attitude and did genuinely seem to want to do what is best for the applicant. However, there has been some slippage in the last couple of years (in my humble opinion).

Whether or not this latest recession will sort the wheat from the chaff…well I doubt it. As for summer 2011 the hiring market seems to be picking up quite well, and the agency market remains as cut throat as ever. Having said that, if you happen to be exactly what their client is looking for, they will do everything they can to get you that new job. Even if some of the techniques are a little “in your face”.

Good Recruitment Agencies

As an initial check on an agents reliability, it is worth finding out if they are members of REC.  That is the Recruitment and Employment Confederation – www.rec.uk.com They are the nearest thing to an industry watch dog now that recruitment has been deregulated (you no longer need a licence to practice).  All members have a code of conduct which they have agreed to abide by.  This code will ensure the professional and confidential service that you have a right to expect!

Under the code the agency will undertake to do the following;-

• Offer a personal interview with you wherever possible
• Make any interview arrangements
• Keep you informed of progress on any job applications
• Ensure your information is kept confidential
• Only present you to positions for which you are both qualified and WANT to be put forward to. It is extremely unprofessional for an agency to put your CV to a client without your permission, no matter what the situation – DO NOT PUT UP WITH IT
• Undertake to not give you any information that might be misleading

There are also undertakings given to the clients from the agencies, such as no poaching agreements, and advertising guidelines.

You can also contact the REC at the following address.

15 Wellbeck Street
London
W1G 9XT

0207 009 2100

If you have any doubts whatsoever, contact REC, they are very helpful.  They are also a good starting point if you do not know which agencies serve your market area.  They will only be too pleased to give you a list of relevant member companies that may be able to help.

Another good source of agencies is the trade press that I mentioned earlier.  Most of the larger agencies representing any market area will be present in the trade press.

What is a Recruitment Agency?

O.K., back to the original question, what is a Recruitment Agency?  Quite simply, a Recruitment Agency has a client base from which they get job vacancies by marketing their services.  They find applicants (by advertising, networking, referral and from their existing database), send them to the relevant client vacancies, arrange interviews and then finally (hopefully) arrange for you to start your new job!  Simple isn’t it?  Or is it?

Well, after many years in the business, I can tell you that the recruitment process is very simple, but the actual doing is not so easy.  So, how do you go about deciding which recruitment agencies are best suited to helping you meet your job search goals?