Marketing yourself in your job search doesn't need to be done on your own. Have you ever considered using personnel recruitment services? Or the services of a recruitment agency?

Your job search or, better still, your career change, is made so much easier by a recruitment agency. It's a free service, it's friendly and, what's more, it gets results.

It is not often that something that is free is actually worth having. But the services of a personnel recruitment agency can actually change your life. All it takes is quick and simple registration, and it will leap into action to find you your dream job.

Give a description of the career you wish to pursue, the kind of environment you are after and your qualifications, and you will be contacted as soon as an interesting position is available.

After experiencing the service you will wonder how, and why, you never tried to look for a job without this kind of help.

The search is on

'Match-makers' meet with local and international clients to discover how best to serve their recruitment needs. They are also responsible for interviewing pre-screened applicants and keeping them abreast of the new opportunities that arise in their chosen field/s.

So who better than the matchmakers themselves to explain to job seekers the advantages of using a recruitment agency?

"Let's face it, job hunting is frustrating, disappointing and time consuming - doing it on your own is even harder. Left to their own devices candidates can easily lose momentum: convince themselves that their search is fruitless or even worse - give up," say Commercial Services Bureau Ltd recruitment officers.

"Looking for a job has everything to do with marketing their most important product - themselves! True, it's difficult and uncomfortable to toot your own horn, yet in today's highly competitive and dynamic job market, candidates must distinguish themselves from other job seekers.

It is best to let the professionals show these people how to market themselves, how to come across positively, how to behave during an interview. We help them open doors that they have been unable to open on their own."

What is the mentality on the use of employment agencies, both from the point of view of potential employees and companies seeking to recruit?   

"From a candidate's point of view, they have come to respect our commitment to confidentiality, which in a country as small as Malta is important. Also, they save a lot of time going through adverts, sending out CVs and going to interviews for posts that they find out were not even suitable in the first place - we can put them in touch with many clients who have suitable vacancies.

"With respect to employers, we take the effort out of the recruitment process. In fact, we are normally able to provide a shortlist of pre-screened, pre-interviewed candidates within two working days - candidates who not only meet the criteria of a specific post (with respect to experience and qualifications), but individuals who fit nicely into an existing team.

"Our personalised service is geared to relieving our clients from the headaches of personnel hiring, allowing them to use their time for more productive and profit-making tasks.

"Through our database we are often successful in filling clients' vacancies on their behalf and in strict confidence. This avoids name exposure; will not prompt competitors to unfair conclusions; and also avoids soliciting."

Are there any charges for job seekers using recruitment agency services? How does the company make its money through recruitment? 

"With respect to candidates, there are no fees, charges or commission for our services. These are arrangements that we make with our clients and candidates are not involved in this."

Satisfied customers

We asked a few job seekers to share their experience of using a recruitment agency. How would they rate this system to anyone looking for a new job?

Anna* cannot sing the agencies' praises loudly enough.

"I definitely recommend them, because the process is simple and effective. Simply send in your CV and the recruitment agency takes all the initiative to find you a job.

"This is a small island and as soon as the agency hears of a job they send in your CV, which is already on file. Nothing beats a personal recommendation either: it's not just your CV that the recruiting company receives, but also a recommendation from an independent individual who's already heard your wishes and goals, therefore allowing for vacancies to be filled by the right people."

John* agrees, particularly because a recruitment agency has access to both numerous clients and information on job seekers.

"They can also come up with suggestions that the candidate might not have known about if he/she had been searching for a job alone. Another factor is that it is up to them to struggle to find the candidate a job - they only get paid if the company employs the candidate."

Laila* whole-heartedly recommends the agency because she had had trouble finding a job on her own.

"I come from Belgium where this is the normal way to look for a job. They took my application seriously and tried to find a job that fitted my profile, not simply looking for any job that I 'could do'.

"Within the first few days following my first interview with the agency I had four interviews lined up. Contrast this with the fact that when I was applying for jobs on my own, I had sent in over 40 applications in two months and only got one interview.

"I was employed a week after my initial interview with the agency. Due to the restructuring of the company I was then made redundant after 10 months, and used their services again. I would recommend any professional looking for a job to go through a recruitment agency."

Do you feel that there are vacancies that can only be discovered through a recruitment agency?

"Very much so," says Anna. "Foreign companies in Malta tend to recruit through an agency. A recruitment agency offers an array of services to companies wishing to set up in Malta. It is while they are discussing issues, such as legal ones, that they may also ask such agencies for potential employees, therefore, only they would know about this vacancy.

"Also, when such a good relationship is built with the recruitment agency, the company would take into consideration recommendations on potential applicants."

John's take on this is that there are always particular positions which are very rarely advertised.

"They require people with specific qualities and knowledge - and these jobs need to be filled in the least time possible."

Stephen* concurs: "Certainly, many companies tend to rely solely on recruitment agencies rather than posting their own advertisements, especially when they are based overseas or are relatively young and may not be familiar with the country's job market."

Was there any specific reason why you used these services?

With John it was a classic word-of-mouth scenario.

"I also feel that recruitment agencies are gaining more knowledge in the particular sector I work for, and that increases the probability of my getting the job I want."

Anna says that they have "that human touch".

"They also keep your morale up. It's devastating when you've just finished University thinking you're really going to make it in life, to find out you are turned down for the jobs you were so keen on. They get an applicant's mind off the negatives and look at other good - maybe even better - possibilities.

"I have used employment agency services over the past several years and have actually landed each of the three jobs that were recommended to me. I have found recruitment agencies to be responsive, fast and genuinely interested in helping me with my career. I will continue to use their services whenever the need arises."

Finding a job has never been easier.

Log on to the Website http://www.VacancyCentre.com today to find the job and career you've been looking for. You can search the job bank where new opportunities are posted every day and submit your CV. If you have any type of query, e-mail support@VacancyCentre.com or call CSB Ltd on 2123-2224-5 Monday to Thursday between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

* Names are fictitious in order to preserve clients' confidentiality

CSB Recruitment Agency has been supporting the local business community with its services since 1987. For further information you can write to CSB at Vincenti Buildings, 14/19 Strait Street, Valletta VLT 08, call 2122-5800 or 2124-6543, fax: 2123-0520, e-mail: jobs@vacancycentre.com, or visit www.VacancyCentre.com

© Copyright 2004, Commercial Services Bureau (CSB) Ltd.