Making Use of Recruitment Agencies During your Job Hunting
Specialist recruitment agencies can be a handy tool in finding opportunities in your sector, with agents who are trained to help you find your ideal position.
Here are a few advantages to using recruitment agencies to find your next role:
Specialized knowledge
Recruitment agents are usually specialists in one particular subject, or are responsible for finding roles in a particular sector.
Before you contact an agency about looking for work, be sure to check their website and try and find the name of whomever it is you need to speak to regarding a position in your industry.
Speak to them about your previous experience and the skills you can bring to your next role, they will then be able to match these to their current vacancies, or know of some companies which may be looking for your ideal job title.
Opportunities tailored to your skill set
An agent will be able to match your experience to current vacancies, so be sure to let them know of your work experience and whether you have a specialized role or task.
Help and advice in preparation for interviews
Agents will usually be able to offer some advice on preparing for your interview when you secure one with them.
Many will send you an ‘interview preparation kit’ by e-mail, containing hints and tips on a successful interview and what preparation you can do to help your chances – including researching the company beforehand.
Aftercare and follow-ups
After your interview has finished your agent will usually contact you to ask how it went. This is your opportunity to tell them how you think it went, what questions were asked and if it sounds like a job you will be able to do well.
Agencies will usually be in contact with your interviewer and will contact them for feedback after your interview, which they may then pass onto you after they come back with a decision. This brings us onto our next point…
Feedback
After your interview, the agent will be in contact with your interviewer for feedback from the companies’ perspective; you will usually have a wait until after the company has finished their round of interviews, but this can vary depending on the number of applicants. Always take feedback onboard, whether it’s positive or negative, try to use it as constructive critisism and learn from it if you have to look for employment elsewhere.
Online recruitment agencies such as Blue Octopus can be useful in your job-hunt as they allow you to tailor your search to your industry of expertise. But don’t be afraid to look cross-reference with agencies in different sectors – particularly if you specialize in a sector such as IT – for you may be surprised to find a vacancy which catches your eye in an unlikely area.
This article is written by David Collins, an article writer who found employment using the recruitment company Blue Octopus. David now writes about topics such as travel, food and drink, but more recently has started writing for Blue Octopus to help others find employment like he did. All comments written above are from personal experience and written in conjuction with the company.
