Many job candidates prefer to apply for positions directly with employers, rather than go through recruitment agencies. Their reasoning is logical: The employer is the hiring entity, and is available, so it makes sense to go there. Why indeed would anyone choose to go through a middleman?
In this case, however, the middle is where value is added to the equation. Companies and organizations take a big risk with every new employee they hire, and to them, you are a stranger. You might have plenty of talent and dedication to offer, but most employers have already learned the painful lesson of how costly it can be to make a mistake in this department. Months of salary and training costs can go up in smoke if companies choose to hire candidates who make a great first impression, but don’t follow through on their initial promise.
Here at Criterion Asia, we take the extra time to get to know job candidates well. A CV can state your educational background and years of experience, but in-depth interviews conducted by a recruitment agency like ours can gauge your personality, match it with the corporate culture of the employer seeking a new member of the workforce, and determine whether you will be a good fit. For this reason, employers take candidates much more seriously if they are recommended by a reputable recruitment firm than if they walk in off the street, or if they fill out a generic application form online.
Recruiters are also connected with employers around the area. For example, we at Criterion Asia are connected to hundreds of employers and businesses around Bangkok and in Thailand. And because recruiters make the effort to learn in detail about your interests and goals, they may be able to find several job offers for you, including a more appropriate position than the one you had originally intended to apply for. You could find yourself happier, working in a role you hadn’t even known you were qualified to fill.
There are plenty of other ways that recruiters differ from traditional middlemen. Do you struggle in negotiation? Guess what. Recruitment agencies can step in here, use their years of negotiating experience and help you get a fair salary and benefit package. What’s more, candidates pay no fees or commission for using recruiters. Recruiters are also much more responsive than many employers. At Criterion Asia, we follow up with candidates and give detailed feedback to help them improve their interviewing skills, whereas many employers will either fail to contact unsuccessful candidates at all, or give a generic “We’re sorry” email that gives little hint about where you fell short.
How recruitment agencies save employers time and headaches
For employers, recruitment companies are a godsend. It’s difficult to build up hundreds or thousands of connections with talented employees around the city on your own. It’s inefficient to set up a fully-functioning recruitment department in the corner of your office building. It’s time-consuming to conduct background checks and follow up with references for potential workers. But at Criterion Asia, we complete these daunting tasks for you. When you outsource the recruitment function of your business to an agency like us, it frees up your time to focus on the day-to-day issues at the heart of your company.
Employers can also put the recruitment market to work for them. It’s common practice to link up with 2 or 3 different recruiters nearby each time a position opens up, and let them compete with each other to try and find the most suitable candidate. Such methods are much more effective than having an under-equipped HR manager reading through a new batch of online CVs every day. If you’re searching for a reputable recruitment firm in Thailand, consider Criterion. Whether you’re an employer or job-seeker, our talented consultants can find you the perfect match.