Tips For Choosing The Right Recruitment Consultant

Choosing the right recruitment consultant is absolutely paramount when it comes to getting the right job. The right consultant will listen to your needs, direct and advise you and essentially match you perfectly to the most appropriate job. The wrong consultant will send you to an inappropriate job just to make the commission and may over-sell or under-sell you, causing embarrassment when you get to an interview. Bad consultants waste everybody’s time, so make sure you don’t end up with one. So how do you go about choosing the right consultant? Read on for some top tips, including what to look for and what to avoid.

Experience – Time and Relevance

A good consultant will have plenty of experience and should have worked in the industry for some time or should be working underneath somebody who has. That doesn’t mean you can’t go to a new recruitment agency; it just means you need to research the individual consultants to check their own career histories. An experienced consultant will know when to tell you that you are aiming too high (or too low). They’ll know their clients well enough to know exactly what they are looking for. They will make enough profit across the agency that they don’t just throw you any job to make a commission: they will wait until the right one becomes available.

Their experience also needs to be relevant. If you are looking to work for a charity, find an agency that specialises in charity recruitment. Not only will they have the best contacts, but they will also know how to tailor your CV for the industry and what to say and not say in an interview. Any recruitment consultant worth their salt will know their own industry areas and will be able to offer useful tips and inside knowledge. The most experienced agencies will also have the best and most established employers on their books. Whether you need a recruitment consultant in Newcastle, Birmingham, Manchester or London, the best one will have an impressive portfolio.

Avoid Style Over Substance

When faced with two agencies, don’t be dazzled by the bling. Great consultants don’t need to sell themselves with cheap gimmicks, empty promises and diamanté-covered reception sofas. The best agent will be professional, friendly, courteous and modest. They may work in sales, but their sales should speak for themselves. Go online and find out as much as you can about an agency, take reviews seriously. Ask friends and familey for recommendations, and seek out true testimonials from forums. A good review is worth far more than a snazzy shop window.

As you can see, there’s plenty to think about when choosing a great recruitment consultant. Remember that you don’t have to just stick with one, either, but don’t choose so many that you get confused. Find one, two or three really good, well-established and respected agencies and give them a chance to find you exactly the right job.