Recruitment consultants don’t always have a great reputation. We’re recruiters and we’re not going to hide from this fact, but we would like to dispel a few myths (for the sake of our industry’s reputation).
- Fake Adverts
Yes, there are recruitment consultants that advertise fake jobs just to try to get your information. These are bad recruitment consultants and if you find one, run away! Some recruiters will do this when they are a bit low on open vacancies and need some leads – don’t fall for the trap and move on quickly.
2. They Never Return Calls
You’ve been trying to reach a recruiter about the perfect job you’ve applied for. The consultant sounded interested, but you’ve been calling and calling and can never reach hem. Sound familiar? It happens, but don’t forget, a consultant can be working with over 100 job seekers at any time and for a plethora of vacancies. Bear with them, drop them an email, and if they still don’t get back to you call Holden Jones, we love all our candidates and ignore none!
3. They do half a job
We hear this one a lot, but it’s never properly qualified. A recruitment consultant’s job is far from half of one. Recruiters have to find and schmooze a client, understand their business, their ethos and their requirements, find the perfect candidate, nurture them through the interview process, negotiate the best salary possible, and guide all parties through the acceptance process, all whilst balancing the needs of many. Our consultants are experts at every stage of the recruitment life cycle and definitely do the whole job!
4. They wear loud suits
Yes, we agree. In fact, there are some in our offices whose suits could be described as shouty! But you can’t hold a person’s style (or lack of) against them. Your agent may be wearing the stripiest suit you’ve ever see, but are they providing you with great service and finding you your dream job?
5. They place the hiring company before me
Are you a little confused by the priorities of an agency you’re working with? A simple misunderstanding, but one that must be cleared-up. A recruitment agency ultimately works for the hiring company – they are the ones that pay the fee for finding the right person – but this doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have your best interests at heart and still provide you with excellent service.
6. Recruiters Know Nothing
Let’s split this in two: industry and education.
Industry: the truth is a large number of recruiters come out of industry and move into recruitment. They already know the sector they recruit for, the typical roles, the politics, the good and bad employers. They, often, already have the inside track before becoming consultants.
Education: you don’t need a university education to be a recruitment consultant, but a staggering number of recruiters have, at the least, a bachelors degree. Recruitment is not for the stupid, it’s for tenacious, hard-working, go-getters who care about people and good service.
7. They’re Motivated by Targets and Money
Did you know that chuggers (charity muggers) are target driven? Are you aware that your GP has targets to reach, and that they receive financial incentives for hitting goals? Medical professionals who you trust with you ands your family’s health. Did you know that the police are led by targets? A recruiter’s targets are just as important to them as they are to any other professional, but at least a recruiters targets won’t impact on your life in the same way that your doctor’s might.
As far as being motivated by money is concerned, recruitment consultants need to eat, and when they only get paid for successful placements, can you blame us for wanting to feed ourselves?
8. I Only Get information About Unsuitable Roles
What did you tell the agency when you signed-up? Were you specific? Did you tell them what you would and would not accept? If so, then it sounds like you’re working with a bit of a rubbish consultant. Further, have you given the agency permission to keep your details? Have you told them you are happy to receive job notices? How did they get your details in the first place? When was the last time you audited your recruitment activities?
Recruiter consultants are good people doing a hard job. There are the good and the bad, the secret is to find the good and stick with them.