Most professionals know first-hand that conducting a job search on one’s own is time consuming and can feel like taking shots in the dark.

While the promise of a new employment opportunity can be exciting, it doesn’t make the job hunting process any less daunting.

For many individuals, this leads them to call on a recruitment firm for help. Engaging with a recruiter taps into their experience as well-connected experts who have an intimate knowledge of hiring.

Locally, one of those firms is Stevenson & White, an Ottawa-area recruitment firm focused on filling finance, accounting and payroll positions. The company recently drew on its experiences to highlight seven benefits of using a recruiter.

1. Less competition

When applying to jobs independently, chances are good that your resume will end up in a large pile of applicants that the hiring company now has to sift through. Using a recruitment firm can bring you to the top of that pile and increase the chances of you securing an interview.

As full-time hiring experts, recruiters end up with an immense network of HR professionals and hiring managers. This means they have immediate access to decision-makers within companies that are hiring.

In contrast to sending a job application through an impersonal online form, working with a recruitment firm guarantees your information is going to the designated hiring person. And since recruiters are highly skilled in finding the right fit between their clients and candidates, they back an individual to the fullest degree when they recommend them for a job.

“We don’t ask our candidates to prepare individual cover letters because we act as their personal cover letter when we speak to our client on their behalf,” says Sharon Lloyd, a recruiter with Stevenson & White.

2. A true match

Consider this: When a recruiter places a candidate, it’s their reputation that’s on the line. The company has every incentive to make sure the candidate is the right fit for the position, so a good recruiter will equally consider the needs of both parties to ensure there are no surprises after the candidate starts.

At Stevenson & White, candidates are brought in for an initial conversation completely independent of any particular client or open position. This allows the firm’s recruiters to get to know the individual, gaining a full understanding of what they’re looking for and where their priorities lie. They also have inside information about the hiring company and the role, information that is often not fully disclosed in the job posting. If there is too great a difference between the reality of the role and what the candidate is looking for, a good recruiter will be upfront about it so no one wastes their time.

3. Time saved

Upon engaging with a recruitment firm, candidates know they’ll be contacted when the right opportunity crops up. This saves hours of time that might otherwise be spent poring over job boards, drafting unique resumes and cover letters as well as sending follow-up messages.

Having a recruiter working on your behalf also means you’re only called upon to interview for positions that are right for you. This is especially important for those who are passively seeking a new job while employed – it saves them having to repeatedly take time off from their current job to go to interviews.

4. Complete confidentiality

In many instances, candidates are looking for a new job while still working elsewhere. This means they must be delicate in their job search, so as not to alert their current employer of their plan to leave.

As hiring professionals, good recruiters are very conscious of the need for confidentiality for their candidates.

At Stevenson & White, the recruitment team never sends a candidate’s resume to a hiring company without discussing the role with the candidate first, so candidates always know where their resume is being sent. The firm also has each of its client companies sign a non-disclosure agreement. Both these measures ensure the privacy of Stevenson & White’s candidates is protected, especially if they’re recommended to a hiring manager or executive with connections at their current place of work.

5. Industry expertise

Candidates also benefit from a recruitment firm’s collective expertise, and all at no cost to them since recruiters are paid by the client only when a placement is successful.

Stevenson & White’s experienced recruiters offer career guidance, help with resume writing and coach candidates on best practices for interviews.

They will often brief candidates on what topics they should raise – and which are best avoided – before they head into an interview.

If selected, recruiters can also help to negotiate the terms of a candidate’s employment. Oftentimes, this involves discussions of salary, an area where some people may lack experience or feel uncomfortable being their own advocate.

6. Exclusive access

Well-established recruitment firms earn a reputation as trusted hiring experts in the regions where they work. As a result, clients often contact them to source candidates for jobs that either haven’t been posted online yet or won’t ever be, for reasons of confidentiality.

Candidates who use a recruiter can benefit from access to exclusive employment opportunities, all without any extra input on their part.

Finance. Accounting. Payroll. Stevenson & White can help. Head to stevensonandwhite.com for more information or call 613-225-5417.

This article appeared in the April 9th, 2018 edition of the Ottawa Business Journal. Read article on OBJ