As in all walks of life, there are many notions and preconceived ideas about recruitment agencies and consultants.
Before I began working in the world of recruitment I didn’t really know much about either side. I had my own ideas about the work of a recruiter, but soon I saw them as misconceptions, not at all based on true knowledge. Today let me to put some of those misconceptions to rest and give you a little insight into a true recruiter’s working life.
Recruitment agencies are all about quick wins and fast money.
Is Recruitment’s main goal is to get as much money as possible in the door as fast as possible? Do recruiters have the candidates’ best interests in mind or is it that recruiters only care about filling the next role? Hitting targets is an aspect of the job description, there’s no argument there. The reality however is that all decisions must be, and are made in the candidates’ best interests. Unless the candidates’ needs are taken into account, filling Company Joe’s open role would be impossible. An unhappy candidate in any job leads to poor performance in the job, giving rise to dissatisfaction for both the client and the candidate. Long term success is paramount. A successful placement is one where the skills, location, worktimes etc. are in line with the candidates expressed wishes. It’s all about listening, good interviewing and knowing both the job and the candidate you plan to place. Providing a great service like this, there’ll always be great candidates to place, and Clients to want the Service.
Recruitment agencies are an unnecessary expense.
Is the Recruitment agency a worthwhile investment or an unnecessary expense? The answer I now see is yes: it saves time, money and resources. Recruitment and HR roles are often paired in a company. Company Joe needing a sudden increase in workforce can result in an overwhelming workload for the one HR person, which means either the HR performance in their designated role, or the recruitment of an ideal candidate, or both will suffer. Bring a recruitment agency on board and you are guaranteed that all of their focus will be on matching the vacant role(s) with the best candidate. It’s what they do, all day every day. They are the experts.
Recruiters care more about the client than the candidate.
I know that candidates often think that the client is far more important to the recruiter than they are (and I know, I was one). Although the client is of utmost importance, without great candidates the recruitment process wouldn’t be possible. Each party is a spoke in the wheel: Candidate – Recruiter – Client Company. Satisfied clients and candidates are the Holy Grail for a recruiter. The agency is merely a ‘Go Between’ for both, rather than an extra hoop the client or candidate has to go through.
Recruiters don’t plan; they can just throw an ad up on Facebook.
This I’ve learnt is certainly not true. When beginning the recruitment process the first thing a good recruiter does is plan how they’re going to complete each step to the end goal. Research is done on the company and the vacant role to ensure a great candidate can be prepared sufficiently and placed in a role that is mutually beneficial for the client and the candidate.
Preparation + Consideration + Hard Work = High Quality Service
I had many misconceptions about how recruiters and recruitment agencies work but now I have experienced both sides in recent months. To provide a great service requires a lot of hard work and perseverance. Listening to the needs and interests of both the candidate and the client is a priority.
So to summarise:
To satisfy a client’s needs every recruiter needs a great candidates who’ll succeed in the role.
To get a great candidate you’ll need a great service.
For a great service there’s a lot of hard work to be done.
Are you a Client Company with a vacant position, or a willing and able candidate looking for new opportunities in your career? Get in touch with I.C.E Recruitment and our top class recruitment team will be able to provide you with an outstanding service. Email hello@icejobs.ie for more, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn.
