What are the pros and cons for candidates using recruitment agencies
Written by admin on Saturday, April 10th, 2010 in Careers Employment.
Recruitment agencies are there to help employers find staff and employees find jobs. They are used by many people because they are very useful.
The main reason to use an employment agency, from the point of view of an employee, is to access jobs not normally advertised. Staff at agencies have contact with companies regularly and so get to hear about unadvertised jobs which they then can tell you about.
To find an agency near you is very easy. Try a geographical search on the internet such as ‘recuitment agency Yeovil‘, ‘employment agencies Yeovil‘ or ‘employment agency Yeovil‘. Different companies may be listed in the results for each search or you may find the same ones appearing. If you need a specialist agency, don’t forget to use relevant wording in your search.
With recruitment costs rising, the number of employers using recruitment agencies continues to increase. This means that agencies have access to more and more jobs which you wouldn’t normally hear about.
Another advantage is that the job agency will do a lot of the work on your behalf. This doesn’t mean that you can just sit back and let them do all of it though because you actually stand a better chance of securing a job if you work hard too.
Once the agency has your CV, they can find suitable positions, sell your skills to employers and arrange job interviews. They can even help negotiate your salary if you ask them too because they sometimes receive a percentage of your salary as their fee.
Most recruitment agencies have great business relationships with their key clients. This can help you get your foot in the door with a company, especially if that company has already rejected you before.
There are a few minor disadvantages of using some employment agencies though. Some agencies can focus more on the employers needs than yours because after all it is the employer that pays them. This can mean that some agencies focus more on easy to place candidates, which unfortunately may not turn out to be you. In this case, make sure that you keep in regular contact with them so they don’t forget about you. If you feel happier with someone else then switch agencies but don’t give up entirely as an employment agency can be the best way to access jobs.