Searching for a new job can be intimidating. Where to begin? Or even if you have an idea of the direction you want to take, how do you go about making the right connections? What about updating your resume, lining up and preparing for interviews, and walking successfully through all the steps involved in the hiring process?
Working with a staffing agency is a great place to start – and often, end – your search. And even after you land the right job, your agency recruiter will continue to be there for you. The right candidate/recruiter match can be a career-long beneficial relationship.
Streamlined – and Free
Staffing agencies are employed by companies to help them find candidates. So for you, the process is free of charge, and the likelihood is high that you’ll be matched with the right employer. You’ll also save time as your agency helps with the legwork and initial stages of getting you hired.
- Agencies have access to jobs that are unadvertised. Companies that have relationships with agency recruiters contact them as soon as an opening occurs and often, they can help fill such roles before a position ever hits a job board or social media. So unless you’re working with a recruiter, you may miss prime opportunities.
- Your agency will also expedite other aspects of the application process. These steps may include scheduling interviews and completing preliminary screenings, completing paperwork, and ongoing routine communication with employers.
It’s an Ongoing Partnership
Your relationship with an agency recruiter doesn’t end when you get a job offer. Rather, you have a career coach and partner who will work with you through pay negotiation, orientation and onboarding. When it comes to pay and benefits, your recruiter won’t hesitate to present your requests. They’ll help your new employer see what you bring to the table, taking the stress of negotiating out of your hands.
- Recruiters further help your career by providing ongoing feedback. They stay in touch on a regular basis. You can ask them for input on anything to do with your job search, from resume tweaking and what to wear to an interview to the right questions to ask and how to answer those posed to you, and the bigger, overall direction you need to take to reach your goals.
The Right Fit
The bottom line is finding the right fit: the role, employer, and company culture that align with your personality, skills, style, values and goals. Working with a staffing agency partner, it’s much easier to get a read on a company’s environment, standards and practices. Not only will your skillset be matched to a specific job, but you’ll also be placed in a role where you feel part of a work family and have opportunities to grow and learn.