It's the question on every job hunter's mind. Should they use an employment agency to find the job they're looking for or should they continue to send out their CVs and cover letters only to specific companies? While targeting only your preferred employer could get you a job, most candidates aren't in a position to hold out for an offer. Time is always a crucial element.

Why Use a Recruitment Agency?

Simply put, recruitment agencies have their fingers on the employment pulse. They know who's hiring and what they're looking for in new hires. As a candidate, you can spend a great deal of your time reaching out to companies that simply aren't in a hiring phase or are looking for different candidate attributes. Furthermore, because your agency knows what the company wants, if your current CV or the way your are presenting your skills can be better tailored to the company, your agency can help you make adjustments.

The Hiring Process Has Changed

Did you know that companies are now starting to use a range of computer algorithms to choose their new employees? It's just one of the many new developments that individual job seekers can be up against when they go it alone. Companies are quickly realising that finding the right fit is not just about which university you attended or where you have worked previously. Now even the specific words you use in your cover letter matter. For many talented candidates applying alone, it can be a mystery as to why they never get that call back for an interview. However, it's not such a mystery to your recruitment agency.

Find the Right Job Faster

There's no need to be shy about it. We are all eager to find the right new job quickly in order to advance our careers further. We also all need to work for a living, and landing a great role as quickly as possible is a very attractive notion. Recruitment agencies in London work with live-hirings, meaning that when you approach an agency they are already working with companies searching for new employees.

Get Taken Seriously

They also have the employer's ear. By handing over your CV to a recruitment agent, you are essentially putting it directly on the hiring manager's desk. Their existing relationship with the company is built on trust and previous successes. A CV that comes via a reliable and trusted agent will always be taken more seriously that one which shows up in the junk-mail folder. So even if your CV is very attractive, when it comes from the agent you can be assured of two things: that it is seen and that it is taken seriously. Both these elements mean you will find the right job sooner.

One thing is for sure: in your job search, you won't lose out for being too eager. After all, your career is a process, and the only way to progress is to be active and be employed in a great position.