In an age of changing technology, the way businesses recruit their employees has massively evolved. Where once your only option of finding a role was to approach an agency and skim through their rolodex, now there are many routes to obtaining a job - from directly contacting a company to in-house talent teams, social media, advertisement and at friends’ recommendations. Certainly, the role of the recruitment agency has had to also evolve with the times, but rather than becoming redundant it’s become a vital part of the recruitment talent machine, saving money, time and creating efficiencies in the organisations it works with. Here’s a few reasons why agencies are valued resources to both candidates and clients:

 

Time

In electing to work without an agency means an employer will be open to receiving hundreds of applications for each role, requiring time to shift through these to determine those suitable for interview. When firms need to recruit on tight and urgent time scales, an agency is able to dramatically narrow down the field on their behalf or if appropriate directly headhunt the very best talent for the role. Lengthy experience and knowledge all play a part in making recruitment agents experts in their field. 

 

Larger Reach

Often the best candidates may not be actively seeking a new role, therefore it is the role of the agency to advise them of opportunities which may potentially be a great move for their career. An agency understands the match making process from both sides. They understand the culture of each firm and they also often know their candidates inside out, having placed them within various roles throughout their career. Recruiters understanding the intricacies of personal ambition and tend to think outside of the box in ways a computer would never be able to replicate. 

 

Professional Impartial Advice 

Agencies with experienced and qualified consultants will know where opportunity lies and identify increased demand. They are able to help candidates highlight their strengths or even areas where they could upskill and increase their value to future employers, guiding them towards roles that offer exactly what they want. Critically, they are able to offer an individual seeking a new role a holistic overview of the market and present them with various opportunities all with cultural, financial and professional nuances. For employers, an agency has the foresight of identifying those that will work well in their culture, significantly reducing the turnover of staff where perhaps expectation did not successfully match. 

 

No matter what the future holds for the job market, recruitment will always be about relationships and relationships remain a people game, one which can never be totally replacement by technology. A good recruiter will be approachable, a great communicator, and listener and have the determination and patience to introduce the right person to the right role.  

 

For an independent view of the current employment market in the finance sector we would welcome a confidential, informal yet informed chat.  

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