Agencies are paid by firms to find either permanent or temporary staff,usuallyscreening candidates, providing a short-list to the employer and helping with the interview process.Most peopleonlyhave experience of them when they apply for a specific role. However, you can also become registered on their books to help with your job search.
They have exclusive access toroles not yet advertisedandthe first thing they do is look at their current database to find matching candidates. If they have enough quality candidates, they will not need to advertise the role, thereforethe only chance you have of being considered for certain roles is to bealready registered with them.However,signing up to every agency you can find andsitting back waiting for an interview is not the most effective approach.To improve your chances of being one of theshort-listed candidates,here are a few tips.
Use a specialist agency
A specialist agency focuses on an industry sectoror functionsuch as accountancy and finance.They will have a better understanding of your skills and experienceplus have access to a wider range of rolessuitable for you.
How do you find them? A search for ‘accountancyrecruitmentagency’ or ‘finance employment agency’ will bring up a list of agencies. If you add a location, you can narrow down the search tolocal ones inthe geographical area where you are looking for work. Another option is to go into some of the majoronlinejob boards and search for the relevant job titles,e.g.,Management Accountant plus the geographical area where you are hoping to work.Look for the roles which are of the most interest to you and see which agencies are advertising them. This will give you a list to research and target.
Give a clear brief
Consultants are busy and arealwaysworking towards targets. Make their job easier bygiving them concise andclearinformationabout the type of role you want, the skills you have to offer,salary expectations,type of employer you would like to work for and what you are looking for in terms of level of responsibility, working pattern (flexible, part or full time) and geographical location.Remember to tell them what you donotwant as well.
Have a great CV and cover letter ready
Contactthe agency and ask to make an appointment, then follow-up immediately with a CV and cover letter. Make sure the CVclearly showcases your competenciesand skills as well asyour experience.Itneeds to be easy to scanread, so use bullet points rather than lots of text.Use the cover letter to focus on theinformation most relevant for the types of rolesyou want the agency to put you forward for.
Search hundreds of roles from all over the world on ACCA Careers
Sign up for a job alert tailored to your desired location and role
Career changers
Many consultants are not keen on people who are hard to place. Clearly demonstrate your transferable skills on your CV and use your cover letter to highlight how your experience relates to the roles you are targeting. Choose a specialist agency and also consider those which focus on ‘hard to place’ groups, such as flexible working around school hours, return to work or over the 50s. Good agencies will give you advice on how to break into the area of work you are interested in.
Consider joiningtheagency to fulfil temporary and contract roles in the area of work you want to break into. This will give you valuable experience, build your network of contacts and is an opportunity to prove yourself, which may lead toa roleconverting toa permanent position.
Keep your LinkedIn profile up to date
Mostagenciesactively use LinkedIn to findor vetpotential candidates, as well as advertise roles.Therefore,make sure you have a profile which accurately reflects the skills,experienceand the job titles for the roles you aretargeting. A good photograph and background image are also important to make a good impression.
Build a good rapport
Whenever possibleask tomeet your consultant either face-to-face or via a video call to enable them to really get to know you and clarify points on your CV.First impressions count, so act and dress professionally. Once you have signed-up, itis your responsibility to check-in with the agencyon a regular basis, however, you donotwant toalienate them by becoming a nuisance.Ask them how oftenand which timeswould beappropriateto check-in for a quick progress call.
Let them know if your circ*mstances change. Ifyou are registered with several agencies, tell them.Make sure you keep up to dateand keep good recordsabout which roles your consultant has put you forward for. Avoid applying independentlyorallowingthree agenciestoput you forward for the same role.This underminesyour relationship withagencies,and they may not consider you again.
Ifa consultantcontactsyou with potentialjobs, respond quickly. If you feel theseare not suitableor not aligned to your brief, tell them.If you are unsure as to why you have been considered for a role you are tempted to reject, talk to your consultant. They may see a good opportunity for your skillset you have missed and open up a whole new career path.Poor consultants over-focus on their targets rather than being concerned about making a good matchandtry to put you forward for lots of roles.If you are not happy with the agency, leave and move to another.
Maintain your own job search
Leverage your network for opportunities and remember there are still many jobs which are advertised directly by the companies,so regularly check job boards, ACCACareersand LinkedIn. You may see a role of interest being advertised by one of the agencies you are registered with, but not been contacted about. Get in touch with the consultantimmediatelyand asked to be considered. A quick, friendly chat will reveal either why you are not suitable for the role or thatperhapsyourbriefto them was not clear enough.
Be selective
If you have a bad experience with an agencydonotlet it put you off. As with all businesses, some are better than others.Be selective, choosetwo or three goodagencies which take the time tomeet with you tounderstand your brief and focus on matching you for the most suitable roles.
This article is written by Michelle Hiseman, Career Counsellor at CV Writers.
CV Writers are the official CV partner to ACCA Careers.
In addition to a CV writing service they can help with LinkedIn profiles, cover letters, career counselling and interview coaching. You can get things started with a Free CV Review.
