Building a relationship with an Agency
Few things in life are as stressful as trying to find a new job. Sometimes you need a little help and using an Agency can be a wonderful support. The benefit of working with an Agency is that they are dealing with vacancies that are usually not being advertised elsewhere, they will also provide coaching on how to manage interviews and fundamentally do all the donkey work for you. There are some rules though when you are using an Agency and here are some tips on how to build a good working relationship with the Agency of your choice:
Pick the right Agency
A good place to start when looking for the right Agency is locally to the area you want to work in. So if you want to work in Central London choose an Agency that is situated there. If you want to work local to where you live look at what Agencies are in that area. Agencies take jobs from employers that are local to where they are situated.
Find out how the Agency works
All Agencies operate differently, most Agencies now a days will ask you to send them your CV which they will assess before committing to help you. So if this is the process ensure your CV is up to date and presented professionally. If the Agency comes back to you, you can be assured they will then do their best to get you a job.
Treat the interview seriously
If an Agency can help you they will interview you to assess your experience, qualifications and persona. You are asking the Agency to recommend you to their clients so therefore you need to impress the Agency that you are a worthwhile candidate.
You will need to provide information
When registering with an Agency you will need to provide lots of personal details. This is treated totally privately and confidentially as the Agency is required to deal with your information according to GDPR rulings. The Agency will want your address, date of birth, details of your education and qualifications, a job history going back at least five years, your last salary and your reason for leaving or wanting to leave your job. Finally before they can start working with you they will need proof of your right to work in the UK ie: a copy of your passport, visa or share code.
Be Honest
Honesty is key to a good relationship with an Agency. The more candid you are about your current/last jobs the better equipped the Agency will be to find you a job. It is critical you are honest about how long you were in jobs, your duties in the role you held, your reason for leaving and your salary when you left. That way it will be easier for the Agency to find you employment. Never tell fibs.
Be open minded
Look at as many jobs as you can, never turn down the opportunity of applying for a role. As long as you can do the job, can get to the job and can afford to take the job then you need to be prepared to look at it. Also be open to temporary work as temp jobs often become permanent positions. The more things you look at the quicker you will get a job.
Take advantage of the Agencies knowledge
Most Agencies will provide you with interview advice and guidance, listen to it and take it on board. They know their clients and also know what their clients are looking for. A good Agency will also look at your CV and either provide you with advice on how to improve it or will completely re-write it for you. Don’t be afraid to use their skills and experience.
Don’t be afraid to say ‘No’
Never say no to interviews because a job specification will never ever tell you whether the job is right for you or not, only an interview will. However do say no to a job offer if you don’t feel it’s right. A good Agency will never ever pressurise you into saying yes to a job you don’t want.
Keep you options open
An Agency can be a valuable support when you are looking for a job but never rely on just that resource. Continue looking at job portals, networking and checking out social media. No Agency, no matter how good they are, can guarantee to get you a job.
Be nice
Agencies provide a free service to job seekers and what they really don’t appreciate is rude, demanding or entitled candidates. Without question if you treat an Agency badly they will put you at the bottom of the pile. Remember they are recommending you as a ‘wonderful’ candidate to their clients and no-one in their right mind will recommend a rude so-and-so.
We place 100’s of job seekers into roles every year, so if you need help with your job search I promise you Agencies are a good place to go however you do need to put in a little work yourself and building a good working relationship with an Agency is one of the most important things, you can do.
Good luck