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22nd May 2022

Graduate recruitment agency: Registering with a recruitment agency 🎓

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Looking for a graduate job can seem daunting and overwhelming.

So, you may be thinking, should I register with a recruitment agency?

Registering with a recruitment agency is a great way to overcome your initial job search worries.

It can answer your queries and help decide what graduate career is right for you.

You may have initial worries when you sign up to a recruitment agency.

Joining a recruitment agency can seem intimidating!

But it needn’t be! With our quick advice, you will work out how to use a recruitment agency, and receive answers to many other questions, like:

 

  • How to register with a recruitment agency?
  • Can I register with more than one recruitment agency?
  • How to email recruitment agencies?
  • Which recruitment agency should I use?

 

So, here’s a few tips on registering with recruitment agencies.

As the UK’s leading graduate recruitment service, we hope we know a thing or two!

Get your job hunt off to a successful start: register with a recruitment agency and find your dream role!

Summary video for registering with a recruitment agency

Tip: change the playback speed in the settings at the bottom right corner, to suit your learning requirements. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more great videos!

 

How to approach a recruitment agency 💭

  • There are many recruitment agencies out there, and it can be tempting to click on the first one that pops up in your Google search.

    However, it’s important to do your research.

    Choose an agency to use that specialises in the industry you are looking for a job in.

    For example, if you’re looking for FinTech roles and you’re getting in touch with a creative recruitment agency, you are not going to have much luck.

    Recruitment agencies that are experts in your ideal job industry will be able to advise you on the types of roles available, broaden your knowledge in the field, and help suggest which career path you should follow with your experience and education.

  • To approach a graduate recruitment agency, have a look at what graduate job vacancies they have available, and take a look at the about us page!

    You want to make a good impression, and you are unlikely to if the recruitment agency doesn’t look like the right fit.

    No single graduate recruitment agency will work for everyone.

    Do your research, and don’t just sign up with an agency at random!

  • It’s important that you stand out when you first get in touch.

    Thousands of people are looking to sign up to recruitment agencies every month, so the most important step is the first call.

    Make sure you appear approachable, enthusiastic, polite, and professional.

    Recruiters need to know that they can trust putting you forward to an employer.

    And phone manner is a huge factor in this.

    So, don’t register with job agencies without preparing yourself for this opening phone call.

How to sign up to a recruitment agency 💻

  • At Give a Grad a Go, graduates can create a profile to help match them to their ideal graduate jobs, as well as sign up to receive job alerts.

    Once signed up, you will be contacted by a recruiter, who will have a very friendly and open discussion with you.

    You can talk about yourself, your job search, and your ideal career, and they will do their best to help.

    Over 93% of candidates that are placed by Give a Grad a Go have registered to our website and completed their profiles.

    If you’re still wondering whether recruitment agency registration is worth your time, that should answer your question!

  • Make sure to sign up to any job alert services recruitment agencies offer, and check these email alerts aren’t going straight to your junk folder.

    You will be frequently contacted with relevant jobs in industries you are interested in.

    This way, you’ll have the top pick of jobs you’re interested in being regularly sent to you.

  • After joining a recruitment agency, it’s important to communicate in a professional and appropriate manner.

    Approach recruiters as you would any networking contact or prospective employer.

    Some of Give a Grad a Go’s employees started off as candidates applying for roles through the agency.

    After communicating and acting in a professional and personable way, our consultants invited them in for interviews for internal roles with us!

    Building great relationships with your recruitment consultants goes a long way in helping secure your ideal graduate role.

    It’s important to make sure your CV is as professional as it can be too!

    Here are our top tips for a professional CV with free templates.

 

How to write a cover letter to a recruitment agency 📜

Found a recruitment agency to use?

Wondering how to address a cover letter to a recruitment agency?

Writing a cover letter to a recruitment agency is a great first step.

It can establish who you are and what you want in a quick, direct, and professional manner.

Check out our cover letter template below, and slot in your information!

This template gives you an idea about how to address a cover letter to a recruitment agency.

We would recommend you send your cover letter to the recruiter or hiring manager at the recruitment agency.

    • [Your name]
    • [Your full address]
    • [Your phone number]
    • [Your email address]
    • Date [Month / Day / Year]
    • [Recruitment Consultant name]
    • [Company]
    • [Address]

     

    Dear [Recruitment Consultant],

    I am forwarding you my CV as I understand you are in touch with top industry clients seeking [professionals/graduates] in various roles and have helped numerous professionals/graduates land their dream jobs.

    I am a [current or previous role/ graduate list degree] with [X years experience] in [X industry]. I posses [X qualities] and I am eager to contribute my abilities and experience to [X type roles].

    Please find enclosed my CV for your review and consideration and should you need references or want to talk more about my background, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

    Thank you for your time and efforts, and I look forward to hearing from you!

    Best Regards

How to email a recruitment agency 📧

Now you’ve got a great cover letter to send a recruiter or hiring manager, here are some of the top subject lines to use in your emails.

These will help you make a great first impression with graduate job recruitment agencies!

It’s the small details like this that can make the difference between getting the interview, and getting stuck in a graduate recruiter’s junk folder.

So, if you’re wondering how to email recruitment agencies, this is the best place to start.

    • Enquiry – [your name]
    • [Current job title] looking for a new opportunity
    • [Your name] looking for next job role
    • [Job title] with [x years’ experience]
    • Looking for [X roles]
    • [Current job title] – [Name]

If you want to get in touch with a recruiter and kick-start your graduate career, head over to our meet the team page!

Get in touch with one of our graduate recruitment experts, and change your job search approach!

How many recruitment agencies should I register with? ✍

This is entirely up to you and is specific to your unique job search.

While you don’t want to narrow your search too much, you also don’t want to become overwhelmed with too many options or applications.

It can become clear to recruitment agencies if you are spreading yourself too thin.

So, it may be best to pick one or two recruitment agencies and make sure they have a broad range of roles that are appropriate for your career aspirations.

For example, the Give a Grad a Go website has graduate job roles on its graduate site in everything from marketing to accountancy.

Of course, if one agency is not working for you, look elsewhere for one that is.

It is ultimately important to understand and value your own worth.

How to use a recruitment agency?

It is equally important to make sure you are making the most of the recruitment agency on your end.

For many, it will become yet another ignored email in the inbox.

Make sure this is not you!

There is no point in taking the time to register with a recruitment agency, just to forget about it the next day. So, make sure you truly engage with the recruitment service and with the graduate recruiters.

 

1. Be honest about your experience when using recruitment agencies

It’s always best to be realistic and honest about your previous work experience.

While it may be tempting to add a few things to boost your CV, including false information on your CV is likely to trip your up in an interview.

A recruiter can show you how to present gaps or issues in your employment history, and explain how you can navigate this to show that you are a great fit for the job role.

If you’re a recent graduate lacking previous work experience, have a look at our top tips for landing a graduate job without experience.

 

2. Be open-minded with graduate job roles

If you’re contacted about a job role, try to be as open-minded as possible.

Don’t dismiss it if it’s not exactly what you’re looking for.

If a recruiter has sent you a graduate job opportunity, it’s because they feel you are potentially a great fit for the job and you’d enjoy elements of the job role.

 

3. Take every opportunity after joining a recruitment agency

Of course, if the role is really not for you, then try to keep looking.

But, it is likely that the recruitment agency knows what it is doing, and trusts that you can get something out of a role it offers.

Show your gratitude and attend the interview!

Interviews are a great way not only to gain more interview experience but also to find out more about the role.

Even if a job is not exactly what you want, it could be a great intermediate platform to your perfect role!

 

Searching and applying for graduate jobs can be an intimidating task to take on by yourself!

Registering with a recruitment agency is a great way to aid your job hunt and receive support in every step of your application.

Give a Grad a Go take pride in being the UK’s leading graduate jobs and graduate recruitment experts.

Register today, and begin applying to graduate roles right away! Our recruiters are waiting!

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