Many people are wary of working with recruitment agencies: some have had bad experiences of using them in the past and would therefore be loathe to use them again. In some cases I can understand why, but often I think that bad experiences are a result of false expectations about how recruitment agencies work.

So, here are eight things that you should know about recruitment agencies  before you start working with one:

• They’re paid for success: The majority of agencies only get paid if they successfully place someone in a job.
• They’re not alone: They are rarely the only agency working to fill the position.
• They’re under a lot of pressure: Because they only get paid for success, and they aren’t the only people working on a job, this means they are constantly under time pressure to fill positions. This can often result in them not giving the best impression of themselves to the candidate. But remember, it doesn’t mean that they don’t care about their candidates, but that they don’t often have the time to show it.
• They send lots  of CVs: The secondary goal of a recruitment agency is to show their client that they have the best candidates. They often, wrongly, try to demonstrate this by sending them a high quantity of great CVs from which the client will choose only a couple. This can result in a number of great candidates being disappointed about a job for which they are excited: you could be one of them.
• They see numerous CVs: Recruitment agencies can see hundreds of CVs per day, and they have to make quick decisions about the relevance of these CVs. If yours is poorly put together, or doesn’t display your relevance to the job, it will be quickly discarded.
• They want good interviewees: Agencies want candidates who interview well, because it is these candidates who will bring them the most success. So, when talking to a recruiter, make sure you give a good impression of both yourself and your interview skills!
• They don’t always advertise: Recruitment agencies don’t always advertise their jobs. Instead, they have databases and business networks of candidates that are known to them. You have to be visible to an agent.
• They’re sales people: Recruiters are sales people. Simple. And whether you like it or not, you are their product. But you always have the choice not to work with consultants with whom you aren’t comfortable.

I hope this information helps you understand what a recruitment agency wants, which will help you in your dealings with recruitment agencies, and prevent any disappointment. Recruitment agencies can be a great source for you to find your next job, if you use them properly.