As with answering ads, these strategies are inexpensive and require little effort on your part. They also have the same drawback: it's a matter of chance whether or not you obtain an interview for the position you want with the kind of organization you desire. A statistic underscoring this point is that companies list only 5% of the openings that they have with employment agencies. They advise other organizations of an even smaller percentage of their vacancies.
Employment Agencies
Of all the methods job-seekers use to generate interviews, working with employment agencies is the most poorly handled and least understood. Many people are suspicious of agencies and work with them as a last resort. Others won't have anything to do with these firms at all.
The truth of the matter is that for some job-seekers, registering with employment agencies is one of the most effective ways to obtain interviews. It also requires little time and often no financial outlay (there are many firms where the employer pays the fee). In fact, if you handle agencies properly, these firms will spend their time and their money working for you.
Before we discuss the procedures to follow, here's how an agency operates:
The individuals working at employment agencies are hired on a commission basis. As a result, they are under considerable pressure "to place" people, to find them jobs. When they think they can do this quickly and easily, they accept someone as an applicant. Otherwise, they don't give people any time at all. This is borne out by the fact that employment agencies arrange interviews for only 1 out of every 20 job-seekers who contact them. In addition, when agencies set up appointments, they often have little concern for how closely a position matches someone's objectives. They select situations where they believe offers will be made; then they press for an acceptance. Their predominant concern is to get someone hired and earn a commission.
This is the environment you walk into when you visit an agency. It isn't appealing, but you can take certain measures that will prevent your being treated this way. These same measures will enable you to realize the maximum results that agencies can provide.
Once you have met your agency representative, set the tone for the relationship by explaining the specific position you're seeking, your qualifications for it, and the kinds of situations you want to avoid.
Don't volunteer that you're using other resources to develop interviews—especially that you're working with other agencies. The less competition this individual thinks he has, the harder he'll work in your behalf.
If you're asked which companies you have seen, never mention ones in which you're interested, particularly where offers might be forthcoming. Your agency representative might take this information, call the companies, and try to fill these positions with his other applicants.
Finally, establish who pays the fee. With some agencies it will be the company. With others it will be you. If the fee will be your responsibility, make sure you understand the amount, the terms of payment, and the agency's guarantee policy.
Once you have established these ground rules, you'll be able to capitalize on your agency representative's knowledge of the job market and his desire to place you. If he has the kinds of openings you're looking for, he'll arrange interviews. Otherwise he'll inform you that these positions aren't on file, and he won't waste your time trying to interest you in others.
If your agency contact feels that you're especially qualified for the position you want, he might take matters a step further. He may conduct a dedicated search in your behalf, where he'll call a host of possible employers and present your background. He can also do this without revealing your identity, if you happen to require anonymity.
Although this dedicated search will result in interviews, don't rely on it for all the exposure you want. Many companies don't work with employment agencies, and when they do, they work with a select number of firms. As a result, each agency can represent you to only a limited number of companies.
Deciding which agencies to use is an important consideration. There are several ways to determine this:
Ask your friends to recommend agencies with which they've had success. Also ask them to introduce you to the individual with whom they worked. This referral will help you become the one applicant out of twenty who obtains interviews.
These firms often list the fields in which they specialize. Visit the appropriate agencies or send them your resume. A cover letter is suggested, but not required. You'll be contacted if an agency thinks it can place you.
Many agencies advertise openings in the "Help Wanted" section of Sunday newspapers. If a firm lists only one position of interest, call to discuss the job. If several positions are advertised, however, this indicates that the agency specializes in the industry or field and a personal visit is warranted.
If your objective is to work in a particular industry or field, read the appropriate trade publications. Agencies that specialize in your area of interest will advertise in these media. Call the firms that are local and send your resume to the others. If the geographic region in which you want to live has an abundance of companies in your specialty, you'll find agencies that concentrate in your line of work. For example, agencies specialize in the computer industry in the San Francisco Peninsula and along Route 128 outside Boston; in the pharmaceutical industry in New Jersey; and in the advertising industry in New York City.
To identify the agencies to approach, call the personnel departments at a few of the companies in the industry or field. Ask for their recommendations, including the names of the best people to contact.
The results you obtain from an agency will depend on the ability of the individual who represents you. If you feel this person is inexperienced or doesn't understand your qualifications and objective, speak to the manager and ask to be assigned to someone else. Agencies are plagued by personnel turnover and are constantly training new people. You don't want to have a trainee working on your search. Also, if your agency representative isn't producing interviews for you, call him once a week "just to stay in touch." He's always hearing about new positions, and this call will assure that he remembers you.
If your objective is to relocate to a specific part of the country, send your resume to the agencies in that geographic area. To identify these firms, read Directory of Executive Recruiters, The Recruiting Search Report, the Yellow Pages, and the help wanted sections of the appropriate Sunday newspapers. Contact as many agencies as you can. Fifty is not too many.
