Why Use A Recruiter?

You’ve decided to look for a new role and are about to embark on a job hunt but aren’t sure where to start. It can be hard navigating the unknown, particularly if you’ve been off the market for a few years or are looking for a new direction entirely. Naturally, you want to give yourself the best opportunity to excel in your career by finding a new position that caters to your unique requirements and aligns with your values.

If you’d like to boost your chances of finding your perfect role, have you considered partnering with a recruiter? They can prove an invaluable tool when looking for your next career step and can be a great way to advance your job search.

What does a recruiter do?

A recruiter’s main purpose is to match the right candidates with the right roles, so that both the employee and the employer are happy. They work as a middleman between the client and the candidate and are always on the hunt for talented individuals looking for their next opportunity. They work with a variety of clients so should be able to provide you with a range of opportunities to compare and contrast, an overview of the market and your position in it. They facilitate the entire recruitment process, from screening candidates to interviews through to salary negotiations and onboarding.

How to work with a recruiter

To get the most out of working with a recruiter it’s important that you keep the lines of communication open. A recruiter will be committed to finding your perfect role, but to be successful you must also fully in engage in the process. If you are dedicated to finding your next role, you need to support the recruiter in their efforts, by:

• Clearly communicating your career and personal goals
• Being honest and open about your strengths and development needs
• Undertake detailed research and preparation before each interview
• Be both responsive and patient; your recruiter does not control timescales but needs to be able to reach you when things are on the move

Then it will make for a better partnership and in all likelihood, you will find a better role than without a recruiter.

Why use a recruiter when looking for your next role?

Working closely with an experienced recruitment agency that will take the time to assess your skills, experience, characteristics, and unique requirements, can be hugely advantageous to job seekers because they have the following skills and insights:

• Expert market knowledge – The recruitment market for your specialism is constantly changing and navigating it on your own, especially when you have been off the job market for a few years, can be challenging. A recruiter will be up to date with current market trends, industry knowledge and will work with you to establish what path to follow if you are unsure or looking for a new direction.

• Deep networks – You will gain instant access to more job opportunities as recruiters have vast networks they can tap into to find you your perfect role. It’s no secret that not all vacancies are advertised on job boards or LinkedIn, with some businesses relying strictly on third-party sourcing agencies to find candidates.  You will also be able to network on a larger scale, as once the recruiter has hold of your CV and they consider you a good fit for some of their clients, rest-assured you will get in front of the right people at the right time, enhancing your likelihood of securing a great role in no time.

• Time saving – When entering the job market, many find the task of searching through job boards for suitable vacancies fairly time-consuming and at points, frustrating. When you partner with a recruiter, they will already know about most of the vacancies in your sector and will know exactly where to look based on your skills and experience. This saves you a massive amount of time, allowing you to both focus on your current role and properly prepare and engage with the new opportunities you do want to pursue.

• Invaluable advice – Recruiters can give you a lot more information about a potential employer than a job ad as they can tell you about their work culture, company benefits, salary expectations and progression opportunities, and they should even be able to tell you how good their social side is! These are all valuable nuggets of information to receive when deciding if a job is right for you long-term.

• Interview preparation and support – Once you have been invited to an interview your recruiter will help you prepare for the process. It is their job to know their client’s business inside out and they can give you the inside knowledge you need to boost your chances of securing the position.

• Offer negotiations – Recruiters also have plenty of expertise in negotiating salary, benefits and contracts and can offer their support. When you have been offered a job, it can be easy to get over-excited and accept the terms straight away. But what if you’re not happy with parts of the contract? Or have other offers on the table? Or maybe you were expecting a higher salary? Well, your recruitment consultant will back your corner and help you iron out the finer details to ensure both you and the employer are happy with the best deal possible.

How can Barclay Simpson help?

If you’re looking to find a new role in internal or IT audit, financial services, law, risk, compliance or cyber security then check out our jobs page which has some of the most exciting opportunities available. Once you submit an application one of our consultants will be in touch, from there they can help guide you through the interview process and ensure you’re a memorable candidate!

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