For businesses looking to attract new talented candidates, graduate recruitment is a smart route to go down.
For the hiring company, graduates offer an affordable acquisition that boasts energy, exuberance and untapped potential, as well as presenting fresh clay to mould. This can translate into a solid return on investment.
That being said, finding a job as a graduate can be harder than anticipated. Graduates can also be seen as a risk, lacking the ever-important “experience” edge that a seasoned candidate boasts in spades.
Graduate recruitment agencies offer graduates the perfect leg up to get them started on the career ladder. However, not all graduate recruitment agencies are made equal.
Knowing what to look for in a recruitment agency can be the difference between landing the perfect role and being shoe-horned into the first vacancy that comes down the line.
Finding the Right Graduate Recruitment Agency
When searching for a graduate recruitment agency, it’s important to know exactly who and what you’re signing up for. To avoid any issues, frustrations and disappointments down the line, be sure to take the following steps before signing up.
Do Your Homework
As a graduate, you’ll be all too familiar with the importance of swotting up and doing your research. When hunting for a suitable grad recruitment agency, the same principles apply.
Make sure the agency actively advertises graduate jobs and check that they are registered with the Recruitment and Employment Confederation. This will prove they are legit and an appropriate choice for your search.
Check for Feedback
You don’t want to put your career in the hands of a business that’s more interested in their own goals and agendas. As such, it’s important to know that the recruitment agency is capable before jumping into bed with them.
Good reviews are a neon sign that the recruitment agency is worthwhile. Check their site for testimonials from other users and do some digging on Google to find out what past users had to say about their experience.
Check for Tenure
While experience isn’t always indicative of quality, when it comes to graduate recruitment agencies, it can make a big difference.
Those that have been around the block and are well-established will likely have solid relationships in place with key employers and thus be able to offer of better-quality vacancies.
Check how long the agency has been in business. A fly-by-night agency that has been around for six months may not be the best choice for your career and are unlikely to be able to offer the best job for you.
Go Straight to the Source
Perhaps the most effective way to identify a graduate recruitment agency that’s tried, tested and proven themselves worthy is to go straight to the source yourself.
Approaching those within your chosen industry is the perfect way to get genuine insight and feedback. Why not call the HR department at one of your target employers and simply ask what agencies they use?
Check for Vacancies
While it may seem obvious, double-checking the number of live vacancies on the graduate recruitment site is an equally obvious way of determining whether the agency is worth your time.
Simply signing up to Grads-R-Us on the basis that they claim to be great for graduates is short-sighted and naïve. Make sure they have a steady stream of roles on offer; this should be a good indication of whether or not they can provide you with the job you want.
Graduate Recruitment at HRS
At HRS, we pride ourselves on being a graduate-friendly recruitment agency. We know the myriad of benefits that graduate candidates can offer and the unique skills they can bring to the workplace.
We also have a solid reputation within the industry as a trusted recruitment agency and have a proven track record of placing qualified graduate candidates in quality graduate roles.
Most importantly, we take an ethical approach to recruitment and will never put you forward for a role we don’t think you’re suitable for or capable of.
Recruitment Careers at HRS
On the subject of graduate recruitment, who’s to say you can’t get in on the act yourself?
The fast-paced world of recruitment can be fun, exciting and rewarding, posing a wide range of benefits and perks along the way.
If you're an eager graduate looking to take those first steps into post-uni employment, why not consider a job in recruitment with HRS today?
HRS has won a litany of awards over the years, including “Best Small Recruitment Business”, “Recruitment Agency of the Year” and even “Best Company to Work For”, to name just a few.
If you would like to get involved in the award-winning world of recruitment with HRS, check out our careers page now for further details.
With HRS, your post-university career is in safe hands. Call now on 0203 225 5120 to find out more or click the button below to get in touch online.
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