Why work with an Agent?
An agent is someone acting on your behalf, who usually earns by commission; which means, their success only comes when you actually get benefited. Thus, your best ally.
There are many types of agents, sports agent, retail agents, stock brokers, car brokers, business brokers, insurance agents, recruiters, headhunters, we can say that if it is important, there is an agent.
When it comes to the job market, the agent’s main objective is to find the right professional and the right vacancy. Hence, if you are looking for a job, the agent will find and match you with the proper opportunity; and at the same time, will find and connect the Company with the right candidate. With a good agent, everybody wins.
Nevertheless, many people have the impression that agents and special recruiters and headhunters are just unnecessary middle men. But, unnecessary things do not stay in the market; and recruitment is old as human settlement.
It all started around 55 BC, with Julius Caesar, the leader of the Roman Army, who created a generous reward to any soldier bringing another soldier into the army. Egyptians and Imperial China used the same recruitment techniques.
During World War II, the recruiters position strengthened, having the challenging task of filling all those jobs left by the soldiers going to war; and when the war ended, in finding jobs for all returning soldiers. Why don’t jobseekers reach employers directly or the other way around? Many reasons, one of the most obvious is they may not know each other.
A recruiter’s work is key. Is a professional dedicated to finding and connecting people – behind a Company there are people too. Thus, a recruiter works the field all day to know what are the most demanded jobs, who is hiring, what are the salary brackets, what kind of perks are the most valuable, who reads the CV, what are the actual requirements of the job post, etc. So, it is not just about how big is your network, as much about people and business skills to understand the constantly changing job market.
And certainly, in times when all is attempted to be replaced by software, being in the middle is not an easy job. And more abundantly not a needless role. Businesses need people to run, people need jobs to do their living. A good recruiter/headhunter seeks (talent acquisition), understands (cares), connects (right people with great prospects), negotiates (ensures win-win relationships) and closes deals (get the paperwork done).
Thus, if you are lucky enough to find or be found by a good agent in recruitment, stay close, because this may be the only person, apart from your family, that will listen and work alongside you to get you to a better place.
