Agencies.....Just How Good Are They??

Having worked for many, many agencies in my 30 years in recruiting, I have been fortunate/unfortunate enough to have a combination of agency and corporate recruiting "gigs" under my belt.  This blog will help to answer some of the questions members are always asking me.  The major question is:  Should I depend on an agency to find me a job??

The answer is found in many, many places, even a book by Alysse Metzler called "The Recruiting Snitch" which is an excellent expose on agencies AND an article I just read by Caroline Lau, "The Hard Hitting Truth about Recruiters:  They Don't work for Candidates".

The truth is now read this closely:  Who pays who???  Florida is a state where Applicant Paid Fee (APF) is actually illegal.  Company Paid Fee (CPF) is both legal and required.  To sustain themselves, agencies MUST submit a "winning" applicant to secure the fee.  The only applicant they wish to submit will be the one who meets the exact "shopping list" or requirements of the job.  They typically submit 2-3 candidates to ensure that one gets the interview.  If the candidate gets hired, they get their fee. AND the new hire must be on board for 90 days or more.  If they quit before this period is over, the probability is that the client (company) will ask for the fee back (or at least a portion). The agency will question your motives very extensively as to why you quit.  They will probably not work with you on your job search again.  Remember, the people who work for an agency are both recruiters and Account Executives (AE).  They are well meaning and try hard to work together as a productive team.  The "caste" system exists.  Recruiters don't work with companies (typically) and AE's don't work with candidates until they become a "saleable" commodity.  AE's trust their recruiters implicitly to provide them with qualified candidates who are submittal ready.  Both these people are convincing people,  "hungry", and determined to make placements (their job depends on it).  These professionals are geared to filling jobs (not finding you a job, mind you) and will spend countless hours searching out that perfect candidate.

What does that mean for you?  Ensure that the opening is a valid one.  Ensure you haven't already applied for that job prior to discussing it with the agency.  If it is a double submittal, guess who loses? You do!!!  The agency won't get their fee and the company won't want hard feelings to exist.  They will go with someone else (equally qualified....but why get involved in a "date-time" stamp issue).

Always ask if the opening is an "exclusive" where the company has supposedly given exclusive rights to filling this position only with this staffing agency.  Oftentimes (and yes, I've experienced this) the company will give the agency 24 hours and then give the opening to another agency (wow, what happens if you get not one, but two phone calls!!).  Which agency has a closer relationship to the company?  You will probably never know.

Always ask where the company is.  Always ask as many questions as you can.  Most of the time the agency will not answer them due to confidentiality OR they just don't know!!  Sometimes they ask the right questions of the company and the company won't give quality answers.  They must go with the answers they are given!!

Bottom line is your BEST bet is to (yourself) find the hiring manager or one of his/her colleagues through LinkedIn (that may have been where the staffing firm found YOU) and do your "due diligence".

Remember, the Talent Acquisition Professional or Corporate Recruiter is on salary.  Their job is to fill the position.  They don't pay the agency, their company does.  Their job is to fill the position...but...it doesn't matter where they find the qualified candidate.  If they are good at "head hunting" then they may not use an agency.  Indeed, many companies forgo the use of an agency and use LinkedIn or other less expensive avenues than agencies.  Hard to fill position?  They may have money in their budget to pay an agency fee.

You will read many, many articles on this.  You will be highly tempted to go through an agency. Oftentimes the agency DOES work closely with the company.  Oftentimes they WILL submit your resume but rest assured it likely will be accompanied by a "fierce" competitor.  Remember, the agency does NOT make any money until one of their submittals is hired.

There are two types of agency:  Retained and Contingency.  Retained search firms are paid by the company in advance and work hard to make their fee.  Contingency means their income is contingent upon their filling the job and ensuring the new hire stays.  Most agencies are contingency based.  Oftentimes they will screen you on the phone and be honest with you saying they will keep your resume on file awaiting an appropriate opening and sometimes they will say they are submitting you and you don't hear from them.

Remember, if you've already applied for a position yourself and it seems that you are talking the same position, let them know.  They will move on and leave you be. Which job search is the most effective? The one you conduct. Who is your best advocate?  Someone who wants to help!!

Ensure your resume and your LinkedIn Profile are in top notch shape.  Have a professional review its contents.  Have a professional give you feedback on your LinkedIn Profile.  Agencies really don't have the time to do either.  They want to submit a resume that is ready to go!!!

Want further advice?  Contact me.  Text me at 407-373-4293.  Come to my LinkedIn Seminars.  I will help you "polish" both your resume and your LinkedIn Profile.  Take advantage of Christian HELP's programs.  Their volunteers give of their time to help you progress.  I am a Resume Coach there, usually once a month.  Go to the job fairs they run.  The "hidden job market" DOES exist.  Dissect the Orlando Business Journal (not a paid advertisement, just the honest truth).

I receive emails often from people who have followed my advice, done their due diligence and made the right connections......Looking forward to seeing you as an alum real soon!!