Why Graduates Should Use a Recruiter
Graduating is a pretty terrifying prospect for most students, you are unleashed into the real world with little preparation or idea of what to expect. Uni is the comfort blanket that has protected us students for 3 years (or more), and if you went into it straight from A-Levels, and not taken a placement year, you’ve probably never experienced having a permanent, full-time role.
One minute you are part of an institution that gives your life structure, then the next minute, you’re left to your own devices. I have many friends that have wondered “what on earth do I do now?”
As a student, I, personally, have been warned of the difficulties I will face trying to get a grad job when the time comes. This is not great news, but similarly to most students, I will face that hurdle when I have to (thankfully in 2 years’ time). Before continuting with this article, I would like to point out that I am currently doing my ‘year-in-industry’ work placement at 5Q, and will be re-joining university in September. Before starting here, I hadn’t put much thought into using an agency to assist me with finding a grad job, I suppose I always thought I could do it myself and didn’t know much about what recruiters do. Now I’ve seen first-hand the ins and outs of recruitment, and how easy it makes finding a job for candidates (whether they’re a graduate or not), I felt inspired to spread the word to all my fellow students out there who may soon be (or already are in) the market for a graduate job.
Recruiters have connections
Quite simply, recruiters know a lot of people that you don’t know, but could do with knowing. One of the main parts of the job is networking and securing top notch clients, getting your name out to as many people in your sector as possible. You, as a jobseeker, may never get an audience with these businesses if you attempt to go it alone, simply on the basis that they have a tonne of people to sift through for each vacancy. The recruiter will do a preliminary interview of sorts, in order to determine whether you’re the right candidate for their client(s), and then (and only then) are you presented to that business. Connections equal to a higher likelihood that you will get an interview.
They get to know you, and find a company you would actually fit into
Your recruiter knows their clients well, they know what the cultures are and what the client is looking for in a candidate (skills and personality wise). They will do their best to pair you to a company with an enviroment you would thrive in, with employees that you would actually enjoy being around. Knowing this could help you to behave more like yourself in the interview, and therefore perform better than you would if you didn’t know the culture and company vibe beforehand.
There is the potential that they can negotiate the offered salary on your behalf
This isn’t guaranteed, and they can’t work miracles, but in some situations recruiters are able to negotiate candidates a salary that they deserve if they have more to offer in terms of skills and experience. This can come in handy as they are likely to have more leeway than you would have, due to the relationship built up between the recruiter and their client.
Interview prep help and guidance
The internet, granted, is invaluable when doing research, but there are some things you can’t get from the internet (unbeknown to some). As said in point #2, recruiters know their clients on a personal level and know their company’s values and environment, these things can’t necessarily be grasped through reading up on a company online. It is all too easy, when doing interview prep alone, to fall into the trap of reciting rehearsed answers in an interview situation. Good recruiters will help you to see a wider perspective, so you can answer any question that comes your way.
Plus, the recruiter has spent years building a reputation, and they put this on the line whenever they send a candidate out to interview, so they’d never want to send a candidate without ensuring they’re properly equipped beforehand.
The process is organised for you
As a student, you may have never applied for several jobs at once before, and then you find yourself applying to 10 (or more) grad jobs in one go. Keeping up with every job you have applied for, and each different stage you’re in with each company can quite easily get out of hand. Unless you’ve set out an intricate excel sheet from day 1, you can find that you’re leaving online tests till the last minute and forgetting deadlines. Having a recruiter organise your interviews means less hassle for you, which takes a little (or a lot) of the pressure off the whole ordeal. You have things to do, and recruiters have 8+ hours a day to use organising interviews for you. What’s not to like about that?
As well as having interviews organised on your behalf, the recruiter also gathers the feedback from the hiring manager; they then tell you what you need to do to become an interviewing maestro (going back to the point above).
It is beneficial for them if you succeed
To put it plainly, recruiters are in the industry for the money (amongst other factors), and really want you to get the job so they can bring home the commission. It is in their interest for you to secure a position, so they equip you with their tips and expert advice so you know exactly what you need to, to land the job.
Side note: This point can be controversial because, in some cases (only if you deal with a bad recruiter), candidates can be pushed towards roles that they may not be well suited to, just for the monetary gain. If you have your wits about you, and stick to what feels right, there won’t be a problem.
