Best Strategies for Working with Staffing Employment Agencies
BEST STRATEGIES for working with STAFFING & EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES
In this article I want to give you the edge to working with Staffing, Contracting or Employment agencies.
There are three key steps to take, starting with selecting the right agencies to work with, then finding the best recruiter at those agencies and finally building what I call an immensely mutually beneficial relationship with that recruiter. Yes, it’s a mouthful, but a nutritious one that shall do you good in your current and future job searches.
STEP 1: Build an Optimal Portfolio of Staffing/Employment Agencies
First you want to limit the number of people who have your resume. That way you can keep track of your job search and where your resume is being sent. You’ll also avoid being inundated with calls with jobs that don’t match your skills.
Second, please don’t assume all jobs are posted on job boards or websites. Take the initiative by making advance contact with some recruiters, then when a new job comes in you’ll be ahead of those who make contact a few days later in reply to an ad.
So this leads to the question of how you select recruiters and agencies to work with.
You should use the job boards to see which staffing firms are advertising the type of jobs you’re interested in, check out their websites, ask for referrals from colleagues and use online reviews to build a portfolio of 4-7 good staffing firms that suit your needs.
You would cover a very high percentage of jobs in your field if your portfolio consisted of:
1 large multi national. They’ll have some of the large companies you may want to work for and a good number of jobs.
2-3 small – medium sized firms, in the location where you want to work)
1-2 firms that are recommendations from others in your field - could be any size.
1-2 small niche staffing firms – you’ll be able to build some good relationships and the small firms will often treat you well. They don’t make so many placements so you’ll be proportionally more valuable to them! If they’re niche they’ll understand your skills better as well.
As you identify staffing firms that fit your needs, the next step will be to make effective first contact.
STEP 2: Making effective First Contact with a Staffing Agency Recruiter
First Contact: A term that refers to the meeting of two cultures previously unaware of each other, for instance Humans and Vulcans, Humans and Borg and Humans and Recruiters. Ok, not a funny joke if you’re a recruiter, but as I’ve been a recruiter I’m going to allow it.
The truth is recruiters get a lot of emails each day with just a resume attached. Sometimes they don't even see the resume as it is sifted into an Applicant tracking system. Your goal is to identify the best recruiter at your selected staffing agencies, then make a strong personalize introduction and finally screen that recruiter as they screen you.
How to make effective First Contact:
1. Call up each agency in your portfolio and find out the recruiter you would be best served by. You should look for a recruiter who specializes in your skill-set. The more specialist the better. For instance, if you’re a C++ Software Engineer, a recruiter who focuses on C++ Software Engineer jobs is a better bet than someone who has to recruit for all software development roles, but that person is still better than someone who covers all of technology.
2. Send your resume direct to that recruiter with a brief, personalized covering email. Follow up with a call that afternoon, (if you have not already heard from them). Meet them face to face if possible.
3. Decide if they are a recruiter you want to work with. It’s part gut feel, part the job opportunities the recruiter and their firm has and part whether you feel this person could be a true partner for your job search now and in the future.
If you decide ‘YES’ then you need to build and foster that relationship and turn it into that soon to be copyrighted phrase ‘immensely mutually beneficial’ relationship.
STEP 3: 'Immensely Mutually Beneficial' relationships with your Staffing Agency Recruiters & why you should bother.
Ok, I’m about done with that phrase for this article. I can’t stand the adjective-adverb-monstrosity that it is, let alone type it anymore. But stay with me as I’m about to reveal the gems – what agency recruiters value the most and how the effort will benefit you with your current job search and for years to come.
If you've followed the advice above you'll start to amass a handful of good recruiters, who work in your skill set and who you have confidence in their abilities. Now you need to keep yourself at the forefront of their minds, ahead of the incoming applicants that cross their desk each day and build that immensely mutually beneficial relationship. [That’s it].
Many of the following suggestions are very little trouble to you, but of considerable value to an agency recruiter. Use where appropriate:
Add them to any suitable social media network you belong to.
Share their relevant content with your network, such as through Twitter ReTweets.
Keep in touch once a week, sometimes through the phone, sometimes through email or a social media direct message.
Try to meet them if possible. Once they have met you, you are so much more than a name and resume.
If you find a job that they are not advertising but another agency is, go to your preferred recruiter first and ask them if they have any contacts at that company and see if they can get you an intro. They’ll appreciate having a good candidate to pitch to a prospective client.
Take the time to explain a technical/industry concept. Even specialist recruiters rarely have the depth of understanding that you will and they'll always appreciate some friendly explanations to help them learn. Similarly forward them the odd link to an article or website that could help them.
Refer to them a (good) colleague (with their permission) who is looking for a job. Referrals are a recruiter’s best source of candidates. You may even qualify for a small thank you bonus if they find a job for your referral.
Pass on the ‘word on the street’. If you hear a company or team is hiring, or about to hire, let your recruiter know, she’ll appreciate the ‘lead’.
Finally when you get a new job and if you’re really impressed perhaps put in a good word for them with other managers at your new company. Help them build their relationship at the client. It may sound like you’re doing their job, but a good word from a valued employee or consultant will often hold more weight than all the fancy sales presentations a staffing firm can do.
Why you should bother:
Staffing agencies are more likely to find you a job if: 1) you’re good, 2) they know you and 3) they have open communication with you. With this they can recommend you to their clients with confidence and will think of you when new jobs come across their desk.
This relationship should be balanced, not just you doing all the giving. So for their side of the relationship the agency recruiters should:
Think of you first for new jobs.
Always return your calls promptly and spend time with you as needed.
Give you the low down on jobs, companies and managers.
And when it comes to money they should give you the best rate they can – (if you’re on a contract) or really go in to bat for you on a salary negotiation.
In short they should do everything they can to find you a job and put more effort into you than the hundreds of other candidates being added to their database each week.
If you have a bad experience with a recruiter or they’re just not living up to their side of the relationship then don’t waste your time. Focus your efforts on those you get on best with and feel the relationship is mutually beneficial.
Over time you’ll accumulate some good contacts in the industry who will bend over backwards to help you the next time you’re looking for work. If they leave one staffing agency and join another, you can work with them there too.
These mutually beneficial relationships with good recruiters can be of immense value to you in your job search today and throughout your career.
