To say that the labor market today is volatile would be an understatement. Times are changing, and trends are no longer easy to define for many employers but more so for job candidates.
Prices have risen considerably. This means that whether you are currently employed or actively looking for a job, you would already need to spend more money to afford products and services. How is your paycheck or your savings faring so far?
Lingering talks about an actual talent shortage also continue to hound many companies and organizations.1 We are living at a time when two jobs are available for just one candidate.2 Although competition among professionals remains stiff, the truth of the matter is that many companies have to compete with one another to get top candidates.
Many say that in the current labor market, job candidates already have the upper hand. While this is an important observation and a valuable insight if you are an active job seeker or a current employee who is looking for greener pastures, the truth remains that you need all the help you can get to navigate a disrupted labor market and put the best version of yourself out there for employers and hiring managers to take notice.
For all these reasons, the best thing for you to do is to work with a staffing agency or a job recruiter. Here are some reasons why staffing firms are indispensable for you as a job seeker or a current employee looking out for something better.
1. Recruiters Offer Their Services Free of Charge.
Staffing firms offer a highly efficient and value-added service for job seekers and current employees because they do not charge you anything. This means that working with a recruiting agency allows you to save on both time and financial resources because recruitment firms operate via a contingency model.
Recruitment firms make money through their partner companies. These companies pay the recruitment firm to look for candidates on their behalf. They are actually extensions of these companies’ human resources departments. They hire manpower for a partner company based on their preferred job candidates, while considering their hiring needs, values and company culture, and overall direction.
Reputable staffing firms work with various companies. Imagine how many companies can see your professional profile once you start working with a recruiting firm. Your CV can go places while you stay at home or work for your current employer.
2. Recruiters Can Direct Your CV to a Prospective Employer.
Have you ever experienced applying for a job and wondered if your prospective company’s hiring manager really got to read your CV?
For many job applicants, applying for several companies on their own can get tiresome and even counter-productive because their profiles end up being buried in a dearth of CV and resume in many HR departments. You may have encountered this dreadful feeling of being eliminated early. Unfortunately, for job seekers who apply for roles without the help of a recruitment agency, this happens quite a lot.
Recruitment firms work with the right HR tech tools that can put certain desired profiles to be front and center before a prospective employer. They can also evaluate your CV well to submit your profile to companies that suit you best.
3. Recruitment Firms Offer Career Counseling.
Do you need advice about your career trajectory? Are you currently employed but looking forward to a career shift and wondering if anything is promising for you on the other side?
Recruitment firms offer free career coaching both for job seekers and current employees. As they are well-versed with the latest trends in the labor market and the global economy, they can give you expert advice on how to market yourself to potential employers. Learn from them if you are already a good fit for a dream role or need further training or more work experience.
Recruitment firms offer expert insight into various sectors and industries for career shifters. You will have full information about what lies in store for you before you take the plunge to a new job or a new career altogether.
For job candidates, counselors from these recruitment firms can help you position yourself, curate your résumé to enhance your core competencies and personal branding and give you vital input and coaching to ace a job interview effectively.
4. Recruiting Firms Allow You to Apply for Roles from Entry Level to the C-Suite.
The truth is that companies that usually work with staffing agencies are forward-thinking companies with the capacity to hire people and offer them a competitive compensation package. This is why they can outsource their recruitment because they want to prioritize getting the best professionals out there.
Recruitment agencies can hire individuals on behalf of these companies and place them in strategic roles according to the vacancy of their partner company. This can be for an associate role, a middle manager position, and even for a C-suite role.
Equipped with an efficient tech stack to source applicants and a streamlined recruitment process, staffing firms can simplify recruitment and give employers the top professionals they need from a wide pool of job candidates.
Regardless of where you are at this point in your career, recruitment firms can meet you where you are and work with you in landing that dream job.
5. Recruiters Provide Opportunities Even When You Are Not Actively Looking.
Job boards and social media will only do the trick if you actively seek a job. However, recruitment firms will ensure you take advantage of every opportunity for career growth and development. They can scout jobs for you even if you are currently employed and not actively looking.
A good recruiter will always have something for you such that you are always on the cutting edge of what the current job market can offer. It is reassuring to know that even if you are not sending countless CVs to potential employers or are still connected to a current employer, there are recruiters working hard to support you in your job search.
PARTNER WITH THE BEST RECRUITING AGENCY OUT THERE.
If you are a job candidate looking to enhance your job search, or if you are employed and considering a job shift, consider partnering with Strategic Systems. A recruiting agency with more than two decades of success stories, we make your success our business. Talk to us today, and let’s take your job search to a new level.
References
1 Maurer, Roy. “Labor Shortages Forecast to Persist for Years.” SHRM, SHRM, 23 Jan. 2023, https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/talent-acquisition/pages/labor-shortages-forecast-to-persist-2023.aspx.
2Pelosse, Gordon. “Council Post: Are Employers Heading for a Talent Shortage Perfect Storm?” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 8 Nov. 2022, https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2022/05/17/are-employers-heading-for-a-talent-shortage-perfect-storm/?sh=23231b9216c4.