It is now accepted and normal practice to use the services of a recruitment consultancy to help you with your job search. This is because keeping your career on track is a full time job in itself.

The role of the consultancy

By allowing professionals to handle your job search you can use your energy and time in doing your current job to the best of your ability.

A good recruitment consultancy knows the relevant marketplace well and can quickly assess your skills and match your aspirations to available opportunities. The services of a recruitment consultancy should be fast, effective and efficient. The relationship you have with your consultancy is a vital key in your future success and there are ways to make the relationship work for you.

How do you get off to the right start?

First of all, make sure your CV is completely up to date. Telephone your chosen consultancy to obtain a relevant contact name before sending your CV. This means that your CV will be registered without delay when it arrives. If you can, talk to a relevant consultant to find out exact procedures and to see if there is anything in particular that they want that could enhance your application.

What should you send?

An up to date CV with daytime contact number.
A brief but comprehensive covering letter detailing your situation. This should include details of hourly rates/salary expectations, reasons for looking for a new job, notice period, and availability.

If you are responding to an advertisement state which one and where you saw it.

Copies of written references if available.
Passport/visa details if appropriate.

All of this will help prevent delay in the registration of your details and will enable a good consultant to activate your job search much more quickly and efficiently.

What happens next?

It is likely that a consultant will make contact with you but always make sure that your details have been received if you haven’t heard in two days. Find out what the plan of action is. Often they will arrange a time to meet you. This is your opportunity to ‘sell’ yourself to the consultant. If this interview goes well your consultant will be enthusiastic about promoting your skills to prospective employers. Make sure you have answered their questions fully and honestly.

Keeping in contact

We all know that communication is the key to all successful relationships and the relationship between you and your consultancy is no different.

Make sure you know when you should contact the consultancy and when you expect to hear from them.

In any event, make contact with your consultant or a member of their team at least once a week.
If your situation alters in any way let the consultancy know as soon as possible.
Always make sure the consultancy has your contact number.

It is imperative that your consultancy is completely up to date with your situation. This means that your time will not be wasted responding to irrelevant messages, and the consultants’ time can be used positively on your behalf.

As a general rule, recruitment consultants are good at reading CV’s and situations but not minds! Your recruitment consultants will not mind if you find a job elsewhere, go traveling or change your mind about what you are looking for, but if they don’t know, valuable time could be wasted – yours and theirs. A change of telephone number at a temporary assignment that is not communicated to your consultancy could be the difference between another similar assignment or the “chance of a lifetime”. A two-week holiday in the Seychelles without any clear guidelines to your consultant about what to do in your absence, could mean you miss out on your ideal next move.

Discussing vacancies

Honesty is the best approach at all times.

Your consultant, or one of their team (depending on how they operate) will give you an accurate description of the role. All they require is a clear idea as to whether or not you are interested. If you are also looking at opportunities through other agencies or directly, let the consultancy know so that the valuable time spent on your job search is not wasted duplicating someone else’s effort and not getting you any further forward in your job search.

Preparation for interview

It is essential that you are well prepared for any interview. Obviously much of this is down to you, but a good consultancy will confirm all necessary details with you and will make sure that you feel confident in an interview situation. If you have any worries or questions you must ask!

Always give feedback promptly after interviews. The consultancy will want to hear your side of events before talking to the client on your behalf. If you don’t hear anything back from your consultancy, phone them up and hassle them!

Keep your consultancy on their toes!

Any reputable consultancy will want to know about the bits you are not so happy with, so do tell them how they can improve their services.

Always let them know immediately you experience any problems with an assignment or an interview process. They always do their best to sort them out.

When you have found your next ideal position, be it permanent or temporary, don’t forget that a THANK YOU still means a lot! Also, you may never know when you might need them again.