Choosing the right recruitment agent is crucial says Peter Forshaw from Maxwell Stephens

Looking for a new job, swapping or upgrading your current role in FM can be a daunting and challenging experience; often it can leave you feeling out of control, overwhelmed and doubting whether what you hope to achieve from your next role can be realised. Sometimes it’s difficult to know where to start or who to approach by way of a recruitment agency.

Frequently roles advertised by agents are teasers designed and posted to attract good calibre candidates to the agency in advance of actual roles being available. Therefore your relationship and connection with the advertiser of roles can be crucial in getting you in front of the most promising employers with the most interesting opportunities for interview.

It’s a given that using a respected and well regarded recruitment consultant specialising in your chosen field of facilities management is fundamental to a positive search, but it is also important to work with an agent that makes the effort to understand your goals, strengths, ambitions and personality. It may sound soft in approach but this investigation by the consultancy is essential.

Many facilities candidates possess the right experience and some have the relevant qualification/s to be considered and put forward for one role or another. However the fit is essential for longevity, commitment and a sense of fulfilment in the role. A person’s aspirations, passions and personality play a part in how well they connect with the organisation it is intended they work for. The more the recruitment consultant knows about you the more likely it is that they will be able and willing to deliver you and the employer a more intuitive and insightful solution, as well as the opportunity to right-placement.

Try to find and be accepted onto the books of an agent that has a strong reputation for professionalism and achievement in the FM industry, and the client industries within which they operate. Look for consultants that can demonstrate an acute knowledge of the current challenges and issues affecting the corporate real estate services sector across a range of occupier types. You want to work with the recruitment consultancies that attract client organisations that share similar values and principles to your own.

Often finding an agent that is willing to engage and consult with you can be hard but it’s worth taking the time to find and achieve the right match. Failed interviews are sometimes the cause of a hasty candidate selection process which can be particularly damaging to the candidate, client and agent alike.

In an ideal situation the agent you are working with has a long relationship and history with the organisation they are recruiting for. As a benefit of this you will gain a better insight into the organisation you are considering and being considered to interview for, and of course this knowledge will really help you to prepare for any meetings. A consultant familiar with the searching organisation is also likely to be able to probe deeper into the reason the role has become available, what the critical success factors are, and be able to provide you with tips of what the recruiter, line managers and potential colleagues need from the successful candidate in terms of attitude, experience and availability for example.

Remember that some recruitment consultants have a number of roles and so can talk to you about a number of options, but some agents specialise in roles from specific sectors, or cater for roles at particular levels more successfully. Research this before marketing yourself to recruitment consultancies and make sure that you are approaching the right people dependent on what you’re looking for considering your profile, current position, desired environment and outcome.

Talk to people in the FM network about their search. Understand the challenges they faced and prepare to anticipate and overcome them.

There’s a lot to consider and one of the most important things to do is to keep in touch with your agent (without being a pain). Use what they know to help yourself be better prepared. Always put your best foot forward when meeting or speaking to the recruitment consultant. They have to believe in you before feeling able to put you forward to their client!!

Consider that your interview process starts with your first meeting with recruitment agency, and you have to get through their gateway before you get to the Interview.

Success is all about preparation, a can-do attitude, networking and a little smidgen of luck.

Go for it!