We hear you asking!
Whether you decide to start looking for a new role yourself, or whether a recruitment consultant calls you with an idea (or any combination thereof!) it is very important to take ownership of the process, particularly if you’re interviewing with more than one company and even more so if you’re working with multiple agencies or part-agency, part direct.
A short time ago, I was consulting with a candidate who I haven’t represented anywhere but who I had known from when we met years ago. He accepted a role with a consultancy (let's call it Company A) where the offer has come through an agency. However, he also interviewed direct at a similar time with another consultancy (Company B). No agency on this one, so no ‘half-time’ feedback.
He didn’t realise an offer was coming from Company B and thus accepted the offer from Company A. He was then in a dilemma because he thinks he’d like to work at Company B more. The agency of course may or may not have known about Company B. If they had, they should have given due respect to the process and advised their client, Company A, that they should wait a few days more for a answer (until Company B were ready – at least give them a fair opportunity). If they hadn’t known about Company B, then the candidate really should have mentioned it before he signed with Company A.
Aside: He also said to me previously, before this all eventuated, that the agency who put him forward for Company A was unknown to him and that he still doesn’t know where the recruiter found his C.V. or details. That is – there’s been no previous understanding of the candidate’s background (which in this case does go towards building his personal story, his journey and thus why he would be suited or not suited to any particular company), it’s a transactional recruit for the agency. There’s nothing immoral about that of course but would it have been a more informed choice had the agency known the candidate better, for a longer period of time?
If an agency is looking after all of your applications and interviews, they will be able to speed up or slow down processes to run concurrently according to whatever the strategy or need is. Multiple agencies working with the same candidate will often (naturally) try to get their client’s offer to the candidate first and it has been known for recruiters to pressure a candidate to accept their offer. So if you’re job seeking and using multiple recruiters or also applying direct, make sure you know who is doing what and when (and why). Make sure you are respectfully transparent. Recruiters who advise you what to tell other recruiters should also be approached cautiously. It’s your job search, your career and your reputation.
P.S. Many companies are in a great spot right now and are offering above market rate salaries. All that glitters however, is not gold and accepting a salary that is above your worth actually puts a great deal of pressure on you to perform. We are in a bubble. Sure – it might be a big beautiful bubble and one which is not short-lived but it will ultimately pop (or deflate) and if you’re being paid more than your worth, you’ll have a target on your back at a later date. Simply put, make sure All The Things about the job offer add up. Make sure the company values align with your own. Make sure you like your line manager (or know you can at least get on with them professionally). Make sure you know not only what the job is now, but what the job will look like in 6 months and 2 years time.
Think big and be brave in the questions you ask! We are here to help! Don't hesitate to reach out.
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