How to Find a New Job Using Recruitment Agencies

How to Find a New Job Using Recruitment Agencies

Signing up with a recruiting agency can be a great route to finding a new job. Not only can it save you time in searching for a job yourself, it also provides for confidentiality in your search. These agencies can be very helpful in getting you connected to a variety of different employers, as well as letting you know of the many otherwise unpublicized available positions.

Just like the various job search web sites, there are recruiting agencies that work with a variety of companies and career fields, and there are agencies that are more specialized. When it comes to the specialized agencies, these firms take the approach that it is important for a person that desires to remain in a certain field to only be connected to potential employers in that field.

Not only will these recruiting agencies have a wealth of knowledge about a certain field, they will also have a wealth of knowledge about the companies they represent. Some of these agencies may only represent companies within a certain geographical location.

This personalized service provides a great resource for those looking to move into any one geographical area, since all the employers listed in a specific field would be listed with the local recruiting agency. This eliminates a very long and tedious process for the potential employee-you.

No matter what your career field, always conduct your own research on the various recruiting agencies, as there are many specialized markets out there. You may find it of benefit to join a specialized recruiting agency that has already gained the respect of the surrounding community, and that the information provided by these agencies reflect their dedication to your respective field. Never simply join an agency without a thorough background check, because the right agency can do wonders for your career, but the wrong agency could hinder your search and even bring it to a standstill.

There are some dead giveaways that you should be aware of when it comes to which agencies to avoid. One easy way to weed out those that are not the real deal is to pay attention to how they advertise their services. If their ads sound as if they are promising the world and can place anyone in any job, then this is a good indication that they are all hype.

Another red flag to watch out for is a recruiting agency that asks you for money for their services. Reputable recruiting agencies do not charge job seekers a fee for their services. Instead, they get paid by the companies whenever they hire one of the agency’s job candidates. So if a recruiting agency asks you for money, get out of there!

Once you sign up with an agency, note how the recruiter interacts with you and the service he or she provides. A reputable recruiter will take the time to find out exactly what you are looking for in a new job, assess your skills and experience, and match you up with companies that have job openings that are in line with what you are looking for in a job. In other words, your needs are just as important to the recruiter as the needs of the companies that sign with them. If your recruiter does not take the time to talk with you and find out what you are looking for in a new job and just starts sending you out on job interviews, this is a clear indicator that the recruiter is not acting on your behalf. In such a situation, you can ask to switch to a new recruiter within the same agency, but if you find that you have the same experience, it may be the agency itself that is the problem, so move on.

Of course not all companies use recruiting agencies to fill their job openings. A recruiting agency is just another option available to you that will increase your chances of finding a new job. It is always beneficial to continue your own job search when working with a recruiting agency.