GO THROUGH AGENCIES!!! IT IS MUCH BETTER IN MANY WAYS (Recruitment Agencies in general)

Member Name: ishti50

Product:	Recruitment Agencies in general
Date:	21/10/05 (643 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: quick result, good support, internal information, training, proper utilization of skills

Disadvantages: charges you a little

This review is for those who are looking for a job first time or looking for a career switch. Experienced personnel in any industry are not the targeted audience for this review. In UK there are so many recruitment consultants that one almost don't have to do anything to get a job. That is if a person wants to do a job. There are many good reasons for a person to get a job through an agent. Let me share my story to give an idea about the benefit of getting job through an agency.

I do not work in an agency, but I did get my first job on my own and the second one by an agency. So far, I have only positive things to say about my agent. When I got the first job, I focused on job availability rather than my skills and expertise. I underestimated my skills 1000 times. I started working on a shop floor as a general assistant at night. I was happy to earn the money there as I have no right to work in UK as a foreign national and there I seemed to get as much overtime as I wanted. I studied at daytime and worked at night. It was my legs that could not take the pressure and I had to leave the job in 8 months time. However, I registered with an agency that took a computer literacy test of mine and found that my skill with simple computer applications like Excel, Word, PowerPoint etc. was at the best possible standard they have seen in any person, which, to me, seemed like a very common knowledge that anyone should possess. However, they placed me with an employer who needed an expert on Excel and preferably adept with Access and Visual Basic as well. In the beginning I was afraid if I could do it or not, but I didn't show that lack of confidence to anyone. As a result, I got the chance to work on my own at my workplace. I completed the tasks assigned to me in almost no time and took responsibility of automating systems for other departments as well, I got chances to study VB on my own and work with many senior officials. After a while even some very senior colleagues of mine started to mention me as a specialist of programming and Access, which makes me embarassed (as I am shy in nature and don't feel confident about my skills by nature). But I have now come to understand how much I have underestimated my skills in computing. And if it was not for my agent I wouldn't have ever had thought about applying for this position.

Although I am currently undertaking a higher degree in accounting and I intend to become an accountant some day, I have gained valuable work experience and training on computer application from my current employment, which will give me confidence all through my life.

Coming from a country where there is almost no entry-level recruitment consultancy firm, I would suggest anyone to take the advantage of recruitment agencies. They might charge you some money, but they will make it worth it 100%.

I am not mentioning the name of my agency as it may seem that I am advertising them on their behalf. My purpose here is to talk about recruitment consultancy in general and not any particular agent. But if anyone specifically asks me for the name of my agent, I would be glad to share it with him / her.

Thanks for reading my review.

Summary: Agents are great in identifying your potential and making a match for it