How to get the best out of your Recruitment Agency

1. Take the time to meet your consultant in person

Reputable consultants will be very keen to meet with candidates upon registering their job search. Due to current market conditions, agencies can find themselves working with large volumes of candidates on the database, and in a very competitive job market, it's your opportunity to differentiate yourself from the crowd.

2. Build a relationship with your consultant and consider their advice

You should view this as entering into a partnership. Reputable agencies will have extensive knowledge of their markets often working with the business on a regular basis over a long period of time. They will be able to offer valuable information to assist in your interview preparation, giving you a competitive advantage over other candidates.

3. Be reliable/trustworthy

Entering into an honest relationship is critical to a successful partnership. If consultants are fully aware of your situation, they can advise and guide on the best approach to your job search but any misleading information will most certainly be uncovered. The worst thing you can do is to simply not show up to an appointment or interview and not inform your agency. That would be hugely damaging to the consultant's reputation with their client and consequently, would be hugely damaging to your relationship with the agency. If a role is really not right for you, don't be afraid to say "No".

4. Be proactive with your communication levels

Candidates must take responsibility for their own career search by being proactive. For example, returning calls from your consultant at your first available opportunity because sometimes the roles worked are very time-critical, and you do not want to miss out on an opportunity as you have not returned a call for a few days.

5. Be realistic and be as flexible as possible with your job search

Everyone has the "perfect role" they are aiming for, and recruitment consultants will, of course, aim to secure you everything on your tick list. But just like buying a new house, you may need to show some flexibility or compromise on your requirements, especially if your job search is urgent.