How can a specialist recruitment agency help you find your next contract?
Finding your next contract can sometimes feel like a daunting task. Especially as you are usually committed to your current contract and often having to put in long hours to deliver on time. Or if you’re stuck in a permanent position that is unfulfilling, or your career progression has moved into the slow lane, and you want to move over to the flexibility and freedom that a contract role can provide, this can also feel like a ‘mine field’ to navigate.
This is the time that a niche recruitment agency specializing in your field of expertise can work on your behalf and find your next contract, giving you a broad choice of opportunities throughout Europe and the UK. They relieve a bit of that job search pressure and can also take care of some of the more technical admin tasks, freeing up your personal time and letting you focus on the most important thing: preparing for interviews and securing the role.
So, how can working with a recruitment agency help you track down the right contract role?
1. Take advantage of the training and skills of a specialist agency
As a contractor, you are a highly skilled, sought-after individual within your chosen field, but it’s unlikely that this field is recruitment!
Unless you have previous experience in recruiting, your skills will probably not match up to consultants in an agency who have been specifically trained to source jobs that match your expertise.
Top tip: Choose a specialist agency. By selecting a recruitment agency that has recruitment experts in your industry, you will have a higher chance of locating a fantastic role, and quickly. These agencies will have a number of companies that are perfect for you already on their books.
2. Let them match your aspirations with the roles
A good specialist recruiter will recognise and understand your long-term career goals, meaning they can source the best opportunities that will help you achieve them. Think about what skills or the next job title you would like to add to your CV. With this knowledge, they will be able to advise on the type of role you should be looking for.
Top tip: Write a ‘wishlist’ of skills you would like to add to your CV within the next two to three years and discuss it with your recruiter. They’ll be able to help you devise a plan to check off your goals.
3. Use their existing relationships with companies
Remember: these agencies have usually been in business for a number of years. During this time they have been building long-standing relationships with clients in your industry. You never know, they may already have an ‘in’ to your dream company!
Working with an agency that can back you and fight your corner is always going to be an advantage over someone applying without an existing relationship with the company.
Top Tip: Write down the top 5 companies you would love to work for, and send this to your recruitment consultant. They may have one of them on their books!
4. See if they can help with compliance and tax
Ah, the dreaded tax return! There’s nothing more frustrating than legally being required to do something that you have zero interest in and little prior knowledge about (why they don’t teach these things in school is still beyond me). Although doing your own taxes and ensuring you are fully compliant often comes part-and-parcel of being a contractor, it certainly isn’t always an easy or enjoyable task.
If you have a contract role abroad, this can often come with a large volume of compliance requirements that you may not be familiar with. Sometimes, a recruiter will be able to manage this for you. For example, if they have a German AUG license, your recruiter can handle your tax and compliance requirements in Germany so you don’t have to.
Top Tip: Don’t just assume you will need to do all of your compliance yourself! Check with your recruitment agency to see if they are able to handle it in-house before you start working with them.
5. Finding a job abroad
Have you always had dreams about travelling as part of your job, but are not sure how to contact companies abroad? A recruitment agency that specialises in your industry will often have contacts in foreign markets and be able to connect you. This will give you the opportunity to experience a new culture and get paid for doing it!
Top tip: Get a map and pin-point your ‘dream destinations’. Then liaise with your recruiter to see if they have any companies on their books that are based in these locations!
Working with a recruitment agency is often one of the best ways to quickly and easily locate a contract role. Build a relationship with them and draw on their expertise! If you’re looking for a new role, why not reach out to a recruitment agency and see how they can help, rather than taking on the burden and stress in addition to your existing job?
This article is provided by Capital International Staffing.
Ok lets be clear here. A recruitment company’s acts on no ones behalf other than the client. They are the only one paying money to the recruitment company. All contractors are considered a resource to be exploited and nothing more. Look I don’t have a problem with the status quo its just this article makes it look like recruitment companies are helpful to end contractors. Nothing could be further from the truth. Hell I would settle for at least getting a phone call when I don’t get a contract explaining why. Also knowing agency fees would be nice to know how much of a cut they are taking.