Modern job searching can involve spending hours every day on job boards applying for roles and hearing no feedback on your progress. You go onto LinkedIn and apply for a great looking role that ticks all the boxes you’re looking for, but you see hundreds of others have already applied for the job. Automatic resume screening may dismiss your CV without giving you the chance to be seen by a hiring team.
So how are you to stand out from the crowd and actually have your CV put in front of a hiring manager? Go through a recruitment agency! A recruitment consultant can offer you support, advice, and most importantly put you forward for any suitable roles, giving you a big advantage to your job search. Below are the main reasons you should put your trust in a recruitment agency if you are currently on the job market.
1. Save time
Applying for jobs can be a very time-consuming task, especially when you have to alter your CV for different roles or companies, write detailed and specific cover letters, or fill out details on an application portal. With the current pandemic it may also take more applications than normal to secure a role, due to a higher number of candidates in the job market.
A recruitment agency can help you get your foot in the door quicker than on your own. Establishing a relationship with a recruiter means they can reach out for a role that fits your experience and have your CV in front of a hiring manager almost immediately after this! As most recruiters also have a wide array of clients, they can also put you forward for more than one role, if you are not successful, they can be there to help you find another one!
2. Get access to the best opportunities
Not all companies will list their vacancies on job boards, and some may choose not to openly advertise specific roles. This can simply be because a company does not want to or discretion is needed when filling the role. By registering with a recruiter, you can have access to these roles. You can also be one of the first to apply for a role, as recruiters often have a good relationship with their clients and will know a role is going to go live before it is officially on the market. This allows recruiters to start pooling candidates early.
3. Be fully prepared for interviews and the job at hand
Preparation for any interview is key if you want to secure a role at the end of it, but just having a job description can make you feel a little underprepared. As recruiters have a relationship with their clients, they can office insight into the interview processes and give advice on what kind of questions they think will be asked of you.
Any insider tips about the interviewer’s personality or the type or characteristics they are looking for in a candidate can be passed on to you by the recruiter to also help you prepare. If you are successful in the role, they can also help you feel ready for your first day by assisting with the onboarding process and answer any questions you may have.
4. Feedback
A valuable way to start making progress in your job search can ironically come from not being successful in an application. Under normal circumstances you would apply through a job board and receive an email stating you haven’t been successful on this occasion, and sometimes you won’t hear anything back at all.
You may not get the first interview a recruiter calls you for, but what you can get is valuable feedback and constructive criticism on how to develop and be successful in your next interview. A good recruiter will be open and transparent with you to make sure you stand out as a candidate.