“There’ll always be a place for recruitment agencies,” says Elizabeth Kerr, manager at Four Seasons Recruitment Ltd, a specialist agency for the fashion and retail sector. “They provide a valuable service to clients and to candidates.”
Jan Rowan, College Careers Adviser, University College for the Creative Arts agrees. “If you can find an agency that suits, it’s another place to look,” she explains.
So it’s official, then: recruitment agencies are worth considering, as part of that all-important job search process. But what makes them different$$s$$ what can they offer that you can’t do yourself?
Firstly, there’s the expertise: agencies, particularly specialist agencies, have considerable knowledge of their sector, access to labour market data and a wide range of contacts. They’ll have an ongoing relationship with companies, developed over a period of time, and a good understanding what of their clients (ie, employers) want. They can save you time, matching you with employers, and provide you with useful hints and tips, especially on presentation and CV preparation. What’s more, they may have access to jobs not advertised in the public domain. An employer might use an agency for reasons of confidentiality, to save time, or to avoid having to process applications themselves. However, in order to take advantage of the benefits an agency can provide, it’s important to choose the right type.
Finding an agency
A lot can depend on the kind of work you’re looking for, whether it’s temporary ‘filling-in’ work, a start in your chosen career, or the next step up. Make sure you choose an agency that covers your sector (eg, fine art, fashion), profession (eg, designer) and/or level (eg, entry-level) of work. As Jan Rowan says, “Do research an agency to see if it’s the right one for you – make sure they offer the right type of job and will represent you satisfactorily.”
Some agencies do not offer entry-level jobs, or if they do , then it is only to those who have acquired previous experience – it is important to check this, if you’re searching in that market. As a recruitment consultant from Sophie Macpherson Ltd, a fine art specialist agency explains, “At this agency, we’re geared to those with experience. We do have positions for young graduates but more frequently for those who’ve been building up experience. We also offer an internship service in a variety of galleries and auction houses – a lot of people have the academic credentials but they need assistance in getting on that first step on the ladder.”
Elizabeth Kerr agrees: “I would advise people at university to take a summer out and get an internship or other valuable experience,” she says. “It puts the graduate in a much better position.”
If you’re a recent graduate, your careers service may be able to advise you on suitable agencies to contact. Otherwise, talk to those in your sector or in the area in which you’d like to work. Another useful source is specialist or trade magazines and then there’s the internet – as well as recruitment agency websites, you’ll also find other online sources of vacancies. As with any internet research, you should investigate the information thoroughly, to make sure it’s accurate, up to date and appropriate.
So having identified your agency or agencies, how do you make the most of the experience?
And remember:
Finally, don’t rely on an agency to do all the work for you. As Elizabeth Kerr says, “Be proactive: in the job seeking process it’s important to use a variety of routes.” Be proactive, be professional, do your research and know what you want. Put yourself forward in a positive way – it will stand you in good stead when you achieve that job – whether through an agency or through one of the many other options out there.
Websites:
Four Seasons Recruitment Ltd
Recruitment & Employment Confederation – Directory of Members
Sophie Macpherson Ltd
University College for the Creative Arts – Recruitment Websites (agencies and online recruitment tools)
