Advice when choosing a recruitment agency

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Identifying high quality candidates is imperative in being able to deliver on the promises recruitment agencies make to their clients. If your experience with a recruitment agency leaves you feeling disrespected, undervalued and more like a commodity than a person, then move on, says Kay Vittee, CEO of Quest Staffing Solutions.




What to look for in a recruitment agency:

• Experience - look for a recruitment agency with a track record. This industry is known for its fly-by-night agencies, so ensuring that the recruitment agency has traction in the industry, has a good brand name and ideally has specialised experience in your chosen field is vital.
  
• Client base - the larger and more impressive the client base the more jobs they will be recruiting for. If you are targeting a specific company, call their HR department and ask which recruitment agencies they utilise then ensure you get added to their database.
  

• Communication and feedback - the number one candidate complaint about recruitment agencies is their lack of communication and feedback. Ask the recruitment agency early in the registration process, what their communication policy is.
  
• Legal compliance and affiliations - South Africa has arguably the best labour legislation in the world and this legislation protects job applicants as well as employees. Recruitment agencies have to adhere to legal guidelines in the recruitment process and no recruitment agency is allowed to charge candidates for a job application or their services.
  
• Awards and accolades - the ultimate accolade a recruitment agency can receive is recognition from its candidate market. There are national surveys that look at personal service, understanding the candidate's career requirements and aspirations, advice and guidance provided, securing interviews, matching skills to position, good negotiation regarding the candidate's placement and post-placement contact.