CHOOSING THE BEST RECRUITMENT AGENCY
How to Choose the Best Recruitment Agency
Do you get a headache wondering which agency to choose for your new hire? Finding a good one in London can be a real challenge – not only are there a huge variety of agencies managing different industries, but there are many who have ethics that are more than questionable.
How do you make sure they’ve screened their candidates properly? And how do you make sure you end up hiring the best of the best?
Below are a few tips to help you find the right agency for your search:
A great recruitment agency will understand the market well and will be able to answer all of your questions with ease. They will have a clear strategy in place for sourcing candidates, as well as a clear strategy for dealing with problems as and when they arise. They will do more than just a quick search on their database and a brief email with some CVs attached.
Referrals are everything – a good agency will have great reviews online (Google, Yelp, etc) and the best way to find your agency is to be referred to one by a friend or colleague. If you don’t know anyone that would use an agency, why not ask a recruiter to send you some references on their work? A good recruiter will be more than happy to provide you with references from their clients.
Meet some agencies before you decide – the best way to find the right fit for you is to go to their office, or invite them to your own home or office. Decide whether you think they have got what it takes to meet your expectations. Whether it’s the cultural fit (which is hugely important, especially in private households), or their general setup, you’ll want them to create a great first impression, because let’s face it, if they can’t impress you, how can you rely on them to find you the best talent in the market?
Ensure you brief the agency properly – many of our clients are time poor, and it can be frustrating for recruiters when they are given a one paragraph job description to go on, and nothing else. Recruiters like to know about the office or house is set up, the types of personalities the employee will be working with, as well as your values and a whole host of other things, so it really pays to make sure your recruiter is properly briefed.
Do not work with multiple agencies – some clients prefer to use multiple agencies for their job search. This can make the search difficult for a number of reasons – candidates at the top of their game who are represented by the best agencies will hear about the role more than once, and this may give the impression the client is desperate. It also means that agencies have multiple cross overs and it can create a lot of confusion.
Get to know your recruiter – the better the recruiter knows you, the better job they will do, not just because they will want to go that extra mile to impress, but because they will understand what makes you tick and what not to do. Your recruiter should also be able to provide advice relating to market trends, market predictions and general advice around retaining good talent and motivating your staff.
If you’re looking to hire a PA, or private household staff for your home, or even crew for your superyacht, you can rest assured that 19 London are an ethical recruitment agency and will do their upmost to provide you with the best talent in the industry.
