​Deciding to take on a new role is a big decision. However, trying to decide what that new job should be is only the first step of a very long process, one that is often costly, time consuming and has no guarantee of finding the right position to suit your talent, skills and interests.

Employers are looking for the top talents, and any internal human resources department faces a difficult time attempting to sift through applications while trying to find the right candidates for the job. Given the large quantities of people who are looking for permanent positions at the moment, the ever-increasing numbers of graduates and the competition between companies all trying to find the top people, it’s not surprising that many businesses dislike the hiring process, which has a negative effect on people trying to find jobs with them.

As such, more and more businesses are choosing to employ recruitment agencies, removing themselves from the difficult parts of the process, and being presented with a pool of talent from which they can make the final decision about who will be best for the job. Recruitment agencies identify and attract talent, can negotiate terms and allow businesses to continue to focus on their actual jobs without being distracted by the recruitment process. Given the constant pressures faced by business in these current economic times, recruitment agencies can relieve significant pressure. Because so many businesses are now using recruitment agencies, it is essential that people looking for jobs follow this trend; our experts have highlighted the top benefits for individuals using a recruitment agency brings:

1. Identifying jobs that match your talents

Recruitment agencies work with both professionals who are looking for positions and employers who are talent searching, so these agencies are best placed to understand and know exactly what all parties are looking for. By acting as an intermediary, recruitment agencies have proven experience in identifying talent based on CVs and conversations with individuals and use these skills to match specific jobs with your skillsets.

In addition, by having experience with many companies operating in your field of expertise, agencies will be able to have a broad understanding about your previous experiences, as well as the specific roles you are trying to get into, allowing them to match you with jobs with greater confidence, knowing exactly what skill sets are required for success.

2. Finding vacancies

Looking for jobs on company websites can take a lot of time. Often these websites are difficult to navigate, and there is no prior indication of whether the company is hiring, meaning you waste a lot of time on fruitless searching.

Recruitment agencies advertise vacancies through a variety of different platforms, including on their website, on the high street and through email communication with their subscribers, allowing far more people to see job adverts; due to recruitment agencies talented and targeted marketing techniques, they will send you jobs that match your needs, including previous experience and geographic location. Furthermore, recruitment companies will reach out and seek firms who have previously had job descriptions that would be suitable for you, in order to see if they have similar positions that need to be filled. Having a large pool of companies they can draw upon, agencies can directly contact people in these organisations they feel will be suited for you, even business who may not have a vacancy currently advertised.

3. Negotiation

Recruitment agencies are also highly skilled at salary negation, choosing to establish remuneration figures before going too far down the recruitment process. Acting as an intermediary party, they are well practiced in assessing the worth of individuals, as well as identifying correct salaries for jobs. They will negotiate on behalf of all parties within the recruitment process, while ensuring that everybody has realistic expectations in mind. Ensuring that both the employee and employer are aware of salary expectations from the outset results in realistic communication going forward, increasing the chances of a mutually beneficial outcome.

4. Initial screening

While a job description may look impressive, you often will not get a good understanding of a job’s roles and responsibilities until you have attended an interview or taken the time to contact the company over the phone. Recruitment agencies will do this for you, saving you time and effort, allowing them to narrow the pool of positions that are suitable for you. By conducting this screening, they can cut through the jargon of job descriptions, establish exactly what a job entails and subsequently assess whether it would be a right fit for you, while eliminating unsuitable positions. In addition, recruitment agencies may also provide background checks on business, looking at their social media presence and anonymous employee reviews on websites such as Glassdoor.com, to ensure that they are the type of business that suits your aspirations and needs. Finally, recruitment agencies can also assist you in interview techniques and how to answer certain questions, as well as recommending some questions for you to ask the employer, allowing you to make a much more informed decision when it comes to choosing your new job.