If you are thinking of a change of job and how to make that change, as recruiting professionals your instinct may be to conduct your own job hunt. However there are some great reasons to work with a recruitment to recruitment firm – after all we are specialised in the market and have a deep knowledge base that is invaluable to the recruitment industry. So your preconceptions might deserve a second look – and here are some thoughts to ponder on…..
Preconception: I know the places I should be applying
We all know the usual suspect firms that are perpetually hiring and it can be tempting to make this your first stop when hunting for a new workplace. They have a rolling list of vacancies and will reply expediently when they are interested in your profile. These are also the firms that will poach you directly; which means you don’t have to do much heavy lifting to get your foot in the door.
Reality: Equally desirable/if not more desirable boutique agencies often fly low on the radar
Big corporate firms aren’t always the answer. While the pay and large corporate benefits can be magnetizing there can be advantages to some of the smaller boutiques that you might not have considered. As specialist recruiters to recruiters, we will have a better understanding of the niches and nuances of the smaller firm. Hey, it’s not your fault that you haven’t heard of them! They often spend less on marketing so they can offer their employees optimal working conditions.
Preconception: I have heaps of connections that I can tap into on my own
We are in the business of networking with recruitment firms so our prized possession is our LinkedIn network or cloud-based rolodex kept handy for placing candidates. We often hear about opportunities that are not advertised and/or exclusive to us. In order to really have visibility of what the opportunities are, talk to us, to hear what could be on offer!
Reality: Matching ourselves to a client doesn’t always go as we planned
Having an in depth understanding of each clients business strategy gives a recruitment to recruitment firm the opportunity to plan with them for future hires. A strong client relationship will mean that a deep understanding is fostered and a partnership approach to achieve their hiring and growth goals. Some of the roles and strategies that we work together on include offering equity to candidates!
Engaging a recruiter means that they can qualify the potential fit using insightful systems that aren’t invasive or overly revealing. If you would still prefer to rely on your connection to a firm, you can often negotiate with your agent about any pre-existing relationships in advance.
Preconception: Recruiters aren’t trustworthy
Correction BAD recruiters aren’t trustworthy and only care about their fee. We’ve all come across a recruiter who gives the rest of us a bad rap. Maybe we should have pre-empted this blog with the distinction that who you select to represent your professional goals should be well regarded by peers and clients. Not all recruiters are created equally but don’t let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch.
Reality: Data has become a highly sensitive topic; one that most firms are taking very seriously to ensure your search is safe
The right recruiter can offer a professional service that is both valuable and well intentioned. With recent discussion and concern around candidate privacy and the ethics of sharing data, this could make this era one of the safest times to engage a third party firm.
Preconception: It’s a waste of time
We are busy people and we get that time is money, honey! Setting up a scheduled appointment with a person who can’t technically guarantee you anything, goes against recruiter instincts. We tend to prefer return on our investment and if we’re going to schmooze over brunch or a coffee, it can seem best with a candidate or client.
Reality: It can be a time saver when you’re trying to run your day-to-day desk
That same busyness can be the cause for slip-ups when you’re running a job search and a busy desk. By placing your search in the good and able hands of a professional recruitment recruiter that you trust, you ease this risk and gain more time to focus on filling roles at your current firm.
These points are simply a starting point meant to give you something to consider the next time you are presented with the opportunity to work with a recruiter. Even as a passive candidate, we hope that you will challenge any preconceived notions about the value of recruiters for recruiters.
