Just like there are sometimes negative misconceptions about recruitment, recruiters themselves are also sometimes the subject of myths about their roles. So, what are some of the most important recruiter myths that need busting?

 

1. Candidates Pay to Work with Recruiters

 

Recruiters are like hiring managers that offer extra HR support to companies. They earn commission that’s paid for by the prospective employer, as each employer is the client of the recruiter agency. Candidates’ salaries therefore are not reduced by the recruiter.

 

In fact, the commission that the recruiter normally earns for placing a candidate into a role is based on the starting salary the candidate will get paid. As the commission is usually worked out as a percentage of the gross salary, the higher the salary the recruiter secures for you, the more money they will earn. For this reason, experienced recruiters who place you into a role are also likely to be better placed to negotiate your salary with the employer.

 

So there’s a chance that working with a recruitment agency could improve your earnings.

 

2. Interviews with Recruiters are Just for Practice

 

Many recruiters are well-connected and work closely with top employers in their specialist sector(s).

 

It’s therefore in your best interest to treat the interview with a recruiter as seriously as you would an interview with an employer: no matter how informal the meeting with the recruiter seems to be. They are gaining a first impression of you, and first impressions matter.

 

As recruiters often work closely with the internal HR departments and hiring managers of your prospective employer, their feedback upon meeting you will probably be shared with the team and shall provide valuable insight to the employer.

 

Recruiters are also likely to work with lots of employers in your geographical area too, which means they could be able to influence your chances of meeting with other employers as well. 

So, even if you were meeting a recruiter to discuss a position you’re not sure is right for you, they could have a connection to a different employer that may materialise into an interview when the right role comes up.

 

3. Recruiters Only Know About Posted Positions

 

As recruiters work closely with employers, they may well be the first to hear about company roles that are in the pipeline. Their connections could therefore benefit you by allowing you to be one of the very first candidates to find out about a new position.

 

This doesn’t mean they will be neglecting live positions that have already been posted in any way. It simply means that the nature of recruitment is very much centred around networking and establishing long-term relationships with businesses. Through such networking, recruiters can sometimes find out a lot about your prospective employers’ opportunities..

 

4. Recruiters Focus on Filling Roles Quickly

 

While time is of the essence when it comes to filling job positions, it is not necessarily in a recruiter’s best interest to fill a role immediately. .

 

If they manage to place the first candidate who interviews for the role but their skillset is not well-matched to the position, then it is likely that both the candidate and the client will be unsatisfied. Positive reviews will be jeopardised and depending on the terms of the agreement with the client, if the candidate leaves within three months of starting the role, the recruiter may have to pay back the commission to the employer.

 

5. Recruiters Manage Job Searches

 

As a recruiter, we will provide advice and support to candidates throughout their job search.

However, we are not responsible for managing your entire job search.

 

It is therefore still advisable that you keep track of things like where else you’ve submitted your CV, which job boards you’re registered on and which employers you’ve applied to.

 

Otherwise, if your rely entirely on a recruiter for this, it will be embarrassing if they send your CV or even a cover letter to an employer that has already received your application.

It can therefore be helpful to keep this information in a document that is regularly updated with any job activity.