by Denise Gabbard

Created on: June 03, 2009

Working with a Recruiting Agency can be either a satisfying experience or a disaster! Like other professional organizations, most people who work in Recruiting Agencies are caring and ethical. Usually, bad ones starve themselves out fairly quickly.

It's relatively simple to sort out the good Recruiting Agencies, using these tips and information:

-Ask friends, relatives, and colleagues who they recommend or which Recruiters they've had good experiences with. Word of mouth is always the best way of finding any professional.

-Check with industry organizations to see if they advise a particular Agency that specializes in your area. A specialist agency is more likely to know your industry and the players in it!

-Find out how long they've been in business and which companies they currently or recently have worked with. You can usually find this out from their website or Linkedin account.

-Call them up! Ask any questions you have about their services and see how they interact with you on the phone. If you get calm and polite answers to your questions, you can reasonably expect the same at other times.

Once you get started working with a Recruiter, here are some tips to make sure the relationship is the most productive for you both:

-A Recruiter needs to know a lot about you to effectively sell you (yes, that's what they really do) to the client company! Expect a discussion covering your background, experience, salary history, current needs and aspirations, even your family, before you are submitted by them to a single position. They need to understand what motivates you!

-Recruiters work for companies that seek their help finding the ideal employee, and that company pays them a finder's fee for each successful placement. Since the Recruiter's primary loyalty is to the company, they will only send the best available candidates for each position.

-Even so, the Recruiter also serves as your "agent" in negotiations with their clients. They will work hard to get you the job and the very best compensation and benefits package available. Recruiter's have a performance-based pay plan and it is also in their best interest to take care of you!

-You and the Recruiter should be in regular contact. You should hear from them when they submit you to a client, when an interview is set up, before the interview, and feedback after any interviews.

-You should discuss any upcoming interviews with the Recruiter. Find out as much as you can about the company, the hiring manager, and the culture to assess whether the position is truly a good fit. Get any tips or advice about the interview and hiring process, and research the company before the interview.

- Make sure you get direct feedback on every interview- whether by phone or in-person. Find out from your agent if you presented yourself in the very best light. If not, together you can address any issues as you move closer to the right position!

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