by Rachel Flynn

Created on: July 15, 2008

USING AND CHOOSING A HIGH STREET AGENCY TO RECRUIT (VERSUS THE LOCAL MEDIA)

We know the horror stories: You're recruiting and you give the vacancy details to a recruitment agency. The next thing you know, you are being bombarded with the CVs of people who bare little resemblance to the person spec you gave the agency.
You agree to interview one candidate but it turns out they were hoping for a much larger commission structure. You finally fill the role elsewhere but the agency turns into a nuisance caller harassing you every week for more business.

Not surprisingly, I have spoken to companies that are reluctant to use agencies because of the phenomena described above and because they fear the pound signs will start to tick up from the minute they make the first phone call to a consultant.
The simple fact is that there are some agencies with higher service levels than others and industry practices that serve some clients but not others. For example: there are clients who will demand a weekly phone call from their agencies and others who can't abide agencies calling regularly and would stop using an agency for this very reason.
Word of mouth, checking the websites and noting whether agencies are members of the recruitment industry body, the REC, will determine which ones you feel comfortable working with.

SO WHY USE AN AGENCY?
Well, as Katherine Hall, HR Manager for a leading waste management company based in the South points out: "The best agencies make your job easier they're part of your team, but they just happen to work for a different company. The good ones will take the time to meet with you, learn about your business and listen to what you need. The excellent ones will then present you with a handful of excellent CVs that meet your needs for qualifications and fit'."

The problems companies can face when they recruit through advertising in the local media is that they can get overwhelmed with the response only a small proportion of which may be suitable.
Significantly, someone usually the HR Manager / Officer - ends up spending a large amount of valuable time (being paid a healthy rate) wading through CVs, dealing with enquiries etc.
Or companies may receive no response at all, despite spending out on advertising.
Using an agency means that much of the initial work filtration and evaluating is done for you.
Importantly, as agencies spend a considerable amount of money every month on various Internet job boards and website optimisation, it means that they can reach

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