How a Recruitment Agency Works

Posted by Jason Norman on April 7th, 2021

Using a recruitment agency is a good way for a business to outsource their need for staff, both short term and long term. With recruitment as a service, a business can have it narrowed down to just a few candidates all of whom have the right skills and could fill the position. Here is a look at how a standard agency works and how a vacancy is filled.

Larger recruitment agencies will have consultants and resourcers

Staff in larger agencies tend to be split into two roles. There are the consultants who talk to businesses and gather what their requirements are and there are the resources who find the best job seekers to fill the vacancies the client and the consultant have outlined. Consultants work on building relationships with the clients and better understanding the business and their needs and the staff that work there.

A resourcer in a recruitment agency, Galway, will be better at communicating with those looking for jobs, considering what their skills are, how reliable they seem, whether they are a team player, and what kind of progress can happen over time. Often younger people looking for work are more willing to travel longer distances, for example, whereas after a few years of experience and with a family, their needs and things like travel ability will change. Often in an agency, a person might start as a resourcer and then move on to become a consultant but not always.

What happens when there is a vacancy?

When a client or employer has a vacancy either short or full-term, they will talk to a consultant at the agency. Then the consultant and resourcer will talk about candidates that might meet this need, referring to their internal database. The resourcer will contact those candidates and their current availability and interest. It might include a technical test and a phone interview. Those that are deemed the best are forwarded to the client. It is common for agencies to prioritise job seekers who have been in contract more recently so it pays to stay in regular contact with your agency when using recruitment as a service.

If there are no recent candidates or only a few then those with the right skills are contacted and an advert for the job is also created. Creating ads costs money though so agencies prefer to find and use suitable candidates in their database. The details passed on to the client with the vacancy have the contact details removed in most situations. The client looks at them and talks to the consultant and makes their selection. Often with temp work, an interview is not required. A contract is sent to the successful candidate from the recruitment agency Galway, and if it is a full-time position they will also have a contract from the client hiring them. When the candidate has signed they are noted by the agency as in work with their finish date if it is short term.