Opening a Recruitment Agency – are you Cut Out for it?

If you are a successful recruitment consultant, the next step in your career could be opening up your own agency. It is a challenging step to take and you will face a number oh challenges. However, it can be a great career choice for people who are talented, ambitious and who are good, skilled recruitment consultants.

You will need to make sure you have enough business to make this a viable option for you. Look at bringing in new contracts and working with companies that will be long-term partners. You will want to go for larger companies that have regular recruitment drives, but start small. It will be easier to find business with SMEs, and in time, they may well become the large companies you hope to work with. You will have become their recruitment consultant at just the right time. Broaden your options as your business grows and you gain more experience as a business owner.

Checking Over your New Job Contract Thoroughly

When you are offered a new job, the emotions can take over. It’s a time when you need to be at your most practical though, so make sure you do what you need to in order to be happy in your future employment. If you do not check your contract over thoroughly enough, this is a slippery slope and you could end up in an unenviable position.

The most important things to check in your contract are the salary, holiday entitlement and hours of work. You should check these over carefully to make sure they match up with what you have been told about the role. If you have any queries at all, direct them to your employer, as you should be able to start your employment with everything clear and accurate.

Other things you should read over are things like sick pay and medical requirements, to make sure you fully understand the terms of your employment.

Is it Expensive to Use a Recruitment Consultant?

Businesses pay for access to recruitment services so it’s important to understand the costs involved when working with a recruitment consultant. Fees will vary depending on the consultant and where you are based in the UK. Here are some things to ask about before deciding to work with a specific recruitment agency:

  • Percentage fees for successful placements. Some recruiters will charge you a percentage of the cost of hiring a new member of staff. This will be an ongoing charge, so make sure you know how much this could be before making your decision.
  • Agency fees. You will sometimes need to pay an upfront fee to work with an agency. Find out about the agency’s terms and conditions.
  • Advertising fees. Some agencies will only charge you for the adverts they place, making this the cheapest way of accessing recruitment services. Be sure to check that there are no other hidden costs.

 

How to Sell Yourself in an Interview

An interview is your chance to show what you can do and also let employers know about your unique personality. You will be able to sell yourself and give yourself the best possible chance of getting the job. Here are some ways to make sure you show yourself off to your full potential in an interview:

  • Be friendly and personable. A potential employer needs to know that you will fit in with the existing team. Show that you are a people person.
  • Prepare for the interview. The interviewer will be impressed with your company knowledge and will be pleased that you have carried out plenty of research.
  • Ask questions. This will make you look genuinely interested in the role. Don’t ask generic questions – ask the questions that occur to you throughout the interview, as well as the questions you have formulated beforehand that show your knowledge and passion for the role and the field.

Planning for an Interview – What you Should Know

If you’ve got an interview for a new job, congratulations. This is a very exciting time, though of course, the interview itself is still to come. Nobody can ever be quite sure what an interviewer is going to ask when you go in to talk to them. However, you can put in some good preparation beforehand. Here are some of the things you should know when you go into the interview:

  • Who is interviewing you? You should know the name of the person to ask for when you arrive, so look them up on LinkedIn and learn a little bit about them.
  • The company’s background. They will want to see that you are interested in the company and where it has come from.
  • The role. Do your research around the role and see if you can find out as much as you can about what you might be doing at work.