How to work with a recruitment agency: a guide for jobseekers

Working with a recruitment agency can offer much more than access to job opportunities. The right Recruitment Consultant can help you understand your options, offer insight into your specialist market and provide advice and support as your career develops. 

Whether you're actively looking for a new job or simply open to hearing about opportunities, building a relationship with a specialist recruiter can be valuable. Someone who understands your experience, motivations and career ambitions will be better placed to identify opportunities that genuinely suit you, rather than simply matching your CV to a job description. 

The most effective relationships work both ways. Being open about what you're looking for helps your Consultant represent you effectively, while you should expect honest advice, regular communication and a genuine understanding of what matters to you.

In this guide, we explain what you can expect when working with a recruitment agency, the benefits of building a strong relationship with your Consultant and how to get the most from the support available. 

What does a recruitment agency do for candidates? 

Recruitment agencies work with employers to help them find suitable candidates for permanent, temporary, contract and interim positions. Many Recruitment Consultants specialise in particular professions or sectors, developing an understanding of the skills employers need and the opportunities available within their markets. 

For candidates, this means access to specialist recruitment knowledge, potential opportunities that aren't widely advertised and advice that goes beyond the information in a job description. 

A Recruitment Consultant can help you understand how your experience compares with what employers are looking for, provide insight into salaries and market conditions, and offer guidance throughout the recruitment process. This might include advice on your CV, interview preparation, feedback from employers and support when negotiating an offer. 

At Sellick Partnership, our Candidate commitments outline the support you can expect from our Consultants, from your initial conversations through to post-placement support. 

Do candidates have to pay recruitment agencies? 

No. In the UK, recruitment agencies cannot charge job seekers a fee for finding or trying to find them work (except in some limited areas such as parts of the entertainment and modelling industries). 

At Sellick Partnership, our recruitment services are free for candidates. Employers pay recruitment agencies for their services, whether that's helping them recruit a permanent employee or providing temporary, contract or interim professionals. 

What happens after you register with a recruitment agency? 

The exact process varies according to the agency, the type of work you are looking for and whether you have applied for a particular vacancy. 

At Sellick Partnership, candidates can register online and upload their CV. A consultant will then review your information and contact you if they feel you are suited to current vacancies. 

If your experience aligns with the opportunities a recruitment agency supports, the next step will often be a conversation with a Recruitment Consultant. This is an opportunity to talk about your experience, career ambitions and what you're looking for from your next role, but it's also a chance for you to ask questions and learn more about the market. 

Your Consultant will want to understand what motivates you, what you enjoy about your current role and what you might like to change. They'll also discuss practical considerations such as salary expectations, notice periods and working preferences. The more they understand about your priorities, the better placed they'll be to identify opportunities that genuinely suit you. 

Don’t feel that you need to have every detail of your career mapped out. Part of a recruiter's role can be helping you understand your options. 

Be clear about your priorities and non-negotiables 

There is a difference between something you would prefer and something that would stop you accepting a role. 

For example, you may ideally want three days of homeworking but would still consider a strong opportunity offering two. Alternatively, you may have caring responsibilities that mean a particular working pattern genuinely is not possible. 

The same applies to salary. If £50,000 is your ideal salary but you would consider £47,000 for the right opportunity, tell your consultant. If £50,000 is genuinely your minimum, that is equally useful for them to know. 

Being clear early on helps your recruiter focus on opportunities that are genuinely suitable. 

Can you work with more than one recruitment agency? 

Yes. Different agencies may work with different employers, and some will have vacancies that are not available elsewhere. However, working with several recruiters means it becomes particularly important to keep track of your applications and communicate openly. 

Tell your Consultant about other interviews or applications, particularly if you are already at an advanced stage elsewhere. This helps them understand your timescales and avoids approaching an employer you have already applied to directly. 

You should also keep a simple record of where your CV has been submitted. Duplicate CV submissions can happen if two agencies are recruiting for the same organisation, and they can create unnecessary confusion about who is representing you. 

While there's nothing wrong with working with multiple agencies, building a strong relationship with a preferred Recruitment Consultant can bring longer-term benefits. The better they understand your experience, preferences and career ambitions, the easier it becomes to identify opportunities that genuinely suit you. 

For permanent candidates, maintaining a relationship with the same Consultant throughout your career means having someone who already understands your professional background and what you're looking to achieve. Whether you're ready for your next move or simply open to hearing about opportunities, they can keep you informed about the market and help you explore your options as your career develops. 

This can be particularly valuable for temporary, contract and locum professionals who regularly move between assignments. Working closely with a Consultant who understands your availability, preferred working arrangements and the types of roles you enjoy can make finding your next assignment more straightforward. Over time, they can become a trusted point of contact for career advice, market updates and new opportunities. 

Should a recruiter ask before submitting your CV? 

Yes. You should know when you are being represented for a particular opportunity. Your consultant should discuss the role with you and establish that you are interested before submitting your details to an employer. 

This gives you an opportunity to understand the vacancy, ask questions and decide whether you want to be considered. If you are ever unsure where your CV has been submitted, ask. 

Keep your recruiter updated 

Keeping in touch with your Recruitment Consultant helps you maintain a strong working relationship and ensures they have an up-to-date understanding of your circumstances and career priorities. 

How often you speak will depend on whether you're actively looking for a new role or simply open to opportunities. Your Consultant should keep you informed about relevant developments, and it's equally helpful to let them know when something changes at your end. 

For example, let them know if you: 

• Hand in your notice or become immediately available 
• Change your salary expectations 
• Become open to contract or temporary work 
• Change your location or working preferences 
• Start or progress through another recruitment process 
• Decide you are no longer actively looking 

A change in your circumstances can make previously unsuitable opportunities relevant again. 

How can a recruiter support your job search? 

One of the biggest benefits of working with a specialist Recruitment Consultant is having someone who understands both your experience and the employers you're interested in working for. 

Through their relationships with hiring managers, Consultants can often provide insight that goes beyond a job description, from understanding an organisation's culture and working environment to knowing what a hiring manager is prioritising in their search. 

They can also represent you directly to employers, helping them understand your experience, achievements and motivations in greater detail than your CV alone might communicate. This can be particularly valuable if you're considering a change in direction or have transferable skills that aren't immediately obvious from your job title. 

Throughout the recruitment process, your Consultant can provide advice on your CV, help you prepare for interviews and share feedback where available. If you receive an offer, they can also support conversations about salary, working arrangements, start dates and other important considerations, helping you make a decision that feels right for you. 

For more detailed advice, read our how to write a CV: a step-by-step guide with examples and our interview preparation guide. 

What should you expect from a good recruitment consultant? 

A good consultant won’t necessarily have the perfect vacancy available as soon as you register. But what you should expect is professionalism, honesty and a genuine understanding of what you are looking for. 

Your consultant should explain opportunities properly before putting you forward, give realistic advice and communicate clearly while you are involved in an active recruitment process.  

You should also feel comfortable saying no. A recruiter may sometimes suggest something outside your original brief because they believe it’s worth considering, but you should never feel pressured into pursuing a role that clearly is not right for you. 

At Sellick Partnership, we believe a strong recruitment relationship is built on trust, honest communication and mutual respect. Our Consultants take the time to understand your experience, motivations and career ambitions, providing advice and support that reflects your individual circumstances. Whether you're actively exploring opportunities or simply keeping an eye on the market, our aim is to build relationships that support you throughout your career, not just when you're looking for your next role. 

Checklist for building a strong relationship with your Recruitment Consultant 

• Keep your CV up to date and share any changes to your experience or qualifications. 
• Be open about your career ambitions, motivations and what matters most to you. 
• Discuss your salary expectations, working preferences and availability. 
• Ask your Consultant about market trends, salaries and career opportunities. 
• Take advantage of CV advice, interview preparation and feedback. 
• Keep your Consultant informed about other applications and interviews. 
• Make sure you know where your CV has been submitted and who is representing you. 
• Share honest feedback about the opportunities you're considering. 
• Keep in touch when your circumstances or career priorities change. 
• Maintain the relationship, even when you're not actively looking for a new role. 

If you are considering your next move, you can register as a candidate with Sellick Partnership, browse our latest vacancies or contact one of our specialist Recruitment Consultants to discuss what you are looking for.