If you have decided to try temporary employment, either as a lifestyle choice or because you are in between jobs, joining a recruitment agency (also known as an employment agency) is the best place to start.
Why Register with a Recruitment Agency?
When you accept work through an employment agency you are effectively employed by the agency. This means that your pay and national insurance contributions (NICs) are deducted at source. If you tried to obtain short-term employment yourself, you would probably be classed as self-employed for payment and tax purposes, requiring you to declare your earnings on a tax return at the end of the year.
An agency will offer you protection against unscrupulous employers who might try and pay you less than the minimum rate, abuse your employment rights and possibly attempt to wriggle out of paying you at all.
Additionally, if you do a good job for the agency, you will be able to rely on them for a good reference for any permanent jobs you apply for yourself. It will also increase your chances of being put forward for permanent employment by their 'Permanent Desk,' as they will know you, know your work and be alert to suitable opportunities, as and when they arrive.
Selecting a Recruitment Agency
1. Reputation
Of prime importance is the need to choose a reputable agency, one that will make it their business to be up on all the changes in employment and agency legislation. The most reputable agencies are also the ones most trusted by the biggest and best organisations in the private and public sector (e.g. in the UK, the National Health Service (NHS)) increasing their turnover of assignments and your chances of being offered a placement quickly.
Start on the High Street. The most reputable agencies are also the most well-established, with a presence in the centre of major cities. Like banks, you often find a cluster of employment agencies located in the same vicinity in a city centre.
It may be that you are in a niche sector better suited to a smaller, niche employment agency. Here are some guidelines to help you identify a reputable agency:
- Is it a registered employment agency i.e. is it permitted by law to carry out the services of an employment agency?
- Does it boast membership of a professional body? If so, the agency will almost certainly mention this on their website. (In the UK, it's the Recruitment & Employment Confederation. If you're not sure what it is in your country, either Google it or call your Government's Department of Employment who will be able to advise you).
- Has it been awarded an ISO Quality Accreditation by an external auditor, such as Bureau Veritas?
- Has the agency ever been fined? In the UK, the Employment Agencies Standards Inspectorate (EAS) maintains standards amongst employment agencies to ensure compliance with employment rights. It publishes as Annual Report and individuals prohibited from running an employment agency are named and shamed on the EAS website. If you want peace of mind, put in a call to the EAS (or similar, if you are located outside the UK).
It is perfectly acceptable to ask for evidence of registration, membership and accreditations should you attend for an interview. Most agencies will display their accreditations and memberships and in many jurisdictions this may be a legal requirement.
2. Relevance
There are general agencies and specialist agencies; agencies that recruit for appointments across all sectors, from executive management to admin assistants; and some who specialise in one industry sector e.g. legal, accountancy, medical, engineering, public relations, creatives, digital, blue collar etc; and still others who specialise in finding employment for members of the immigrant community.
It is to your advantage to register with an agency that specialises in your field of work, as it will be actively seeking the business of clients, new and existing, whose staffing requirements correspond with this. If there are several reputable agencies catering for your field of work, increase your assignment chances by registering with them all - and make them aware that you are on the books of other agencies, as this will make them work harder for you. The recruitment business is fiercely competitive and each agency and its consultants will be eager to earn their commission from you!
Approaching a Recruitment Agency
Agencies have 'Temp Desks' and 'Perm Desks'. Direct your letter of introduction to the right person within the relevant department. Websites aren't always current, so it's advisabe to telephone for the correct contact information. Email applications are accepted by most agencies these days, but it's best to check with the individual agency.
If the nature of your enquiry is a general one, write a brief introductory email or covering letter explaining what you are looking for and why you wish to join their agency. Advise them of your availability and attach an up-to-date resumé (have you included any learning/professional development and all temping/seasonal/part-time/voluntary work recently undertaken?).
If you are responding to a specific vacancy being advertised, be sure to put the Reference Number and Job Title in the Subject Header; for good measure, I always put it in the body of my correspondence, too. If you have enjoyed a varied career, ask yourself if your resumé and cover note could be more favourably positioned towards the role you are now applying for (i.e. place an emphasis on your most relevant skills and experience without distorting the facts). Once again, ensure your resumé is up-to-date.
Take note of the deadline and bear in mind that, if you are not already registered with the agency, you will need to do so before they can submit you for the position. It could take up to a week for an appointment to be scheduled. Don't leave your application to chance. The day after submitting it, call the agency up and ask to speak to the consultant handling the vacancy to make them aware of your submission. Not only will you demonstrate enthusiasm and initiative, but you will be given the opportunity to discuss your experience and why you think you're suited to that particular opportunity. If the consultant agrees, they will rush you in for an interview. It's only when they have all the paperwork in order, including references, that they can propose you to the client as a suitable candidate.
The Agency Interview Process
You will need to take the following documents with you:
- Passport for proof of identity; you may also be required to supply a second proof of identity - driver's licence, utility bill, etc.
- P45 (in the UK; elsewhere, the document your previous employer provided you with on leaving their employ).
- Work Permit (if applicable)
I always carry a spare hard copy of my resumé with me, too. Even if it's not needed, it demonstrates organisation and professionalism.
Expect to spend between one and two hours with the agency. They will want to get to know you as well as possible, so the interview will be probing in respect of your career history. Be prepared to explain why you left your last job and account for any gaps in your CV. You will also be asked about your salary expectations (and if you're not, don't be shy to tell them. It's important.).
Take this opportunity to express the roles you enjoy the most, the areas you excel in and those you need to improve on. Are you happy to commute a substantial distance each day? Is there any task that you dislike so much, that you wouldn't want to be considered for an assignment if that task was fundamental to it (e.g. filing, minuting meetings)?
If you are applying to register with the agency for Support assignments - PA, secretary, administrator, receptionist - you will be required to sit some tests. Most agencies will expect you to do these after your interview, but there are some that operate web-based test systems, allowing you to take the test at home - providing you have a computer, or access to one.
Be prepared to demonstrate your proficiency in any of the commonly-used software applications you put on your resumé. The most common are copy typing; MS Office (esp Word and Excel); data entry; English language; and personality tests. (I have never been asked to sit more than two in a session.) You will be told your results immediately. If you have performed well, the results come in very handy for interviews, regardless of whether the agency has acquired them for you or not.
Use the interview to ask questions of the consultant. What geographical area does the agency cover? Who are their biggest clients - private or public sector? Who currently supplies them with the most work? How many temps have they placed in the last month and in what roles/sectors have they mainly been placed? How many of those temping positions have been temp-to-perm? Approximately how many people in your field do they currently represent? What hourly rate do they expect you will receive?
This last question can be quite telling if you are signed up with a several agencies. If the average hourly rate they quote you is on the low side compared to the others, it could be a cause for concern. Are they charging you out at the market rate - or even above the market rate - but paying you the lowest rate they can get away with? Or do they not have their finger on the pulse of market conditions? If they are an established agency, there is still no harm in registering with them, but your efforts might be better concentrated in first trying to obtain placements from other agencies.
Post-Agency Registration
Your work in trying to obtain work doesn't end with registering! There's no time to sit on your laurels! New candidates are joining agencies every day; existing candidates are coming to the end of assignments. You have to keep reminding your consultant that you exist and are available for work. It's good practice to call in to your agency on a weekly basis to update them on what you've been doing (working through another agency, perhaps?) and ask if anything new has been received in which might be suitable for you. Don't worry about pestering them ... it's part of their job. They'd think it more unusual if they didn't hear from you and may make the incorrect assumption that you're no longer in the market for assignments.
It is important to let your agency know if you're not going to be available - e.g. if you have holidays or hospital treatment booked. The time and trouble you've saved them in trying to contact you will be noted.
Post-Client Assignment
A good agency will always call you for your feedback, usually at the end of your first day at a new assignment; if they don't - maybe they had an exceptionally busy day - make a point of calling or emailing your Assignment Assistant at the first available opportunity. They really will appreciate you for it.
Additional Tips for Working with Recruitment Consultants
An employment agency is a business, not a charity. Recruitment Consultants (or 'Assignment Assistants') are less about being touchy-feely and more about being sales-driven with targets to hit. The more profitable they think you will be for them, the harder they will work for you, so it is advisable to choose your agency wisely - it can be as much about you auditioning them as the other way round. Once registered, maintain regular contact and be a model ambassador when sent on assignments. Foster a good, long-term relationship with your agency and you'll reap the rewards in the long term.
Annaliese Landa - I live in the shadow of the Humber Bridge in Hessle, an East Yorkshire hamlet on the East Coast of England, a short drive from the city of ...
