next »

[Chevy]

I see a lot of topics and posts here related to recruitment. I am familiar with the concept of "headhunters" and recruitment agencies for specialized careers, but I am wondering whether there is a lot of recruitment for positions in the UK? Would it be helpful for me to look at recruitment agencies as opposed to employment agencies?

[Richard - Premier Recruitment]

Hi

Are you currently in the UK?

[Chevy]

Hello. No, I'm not currently in the UK. We're in the United States, contemplating a year in the UK which makes using recruitment agencies a little more complicated. Certainly with the internet as a tool it may be somewhat easier, but I'm a big believer in the importance of face to face interactions when looking for employment. I'm not even certain what types of industries are up and coming in the UK right now.

[HireScoresMark]

I'd say a decent place to start would be the bigger job boards - Monster, Reed.co.uk etc....

They should give you a feel for what's out there, what's busy, qualifications required, salary levels and such

Regarding recruitment agencies vs. job agencies - just a difference in UK/US terminology for the most part - headhunters would be something seperate again

[Lisette]

There are fine distinctions and not everyone distinguishes in the same way

Head Hunters are people who go and find you someone to meet your specification.  This can be a retained search - you get paid regardless of success - or on a contingency - you get paid if you find someone

Recruitment agencies can also be headhunters but can also cover more generic roles and potentially less senior positions. They do can do this as a retained search and selection or by them providing someone from their current database - the fees tend to be lower for the latter

Employment agencies would tend to employ you and then sell your services to the company looking for additional resource.  This is primarily for temporary positions.

Job agencies sort can be recruitment agencies or employment agencies.

Lots of people do a mix of the above.

We went for the little used and less understood  term 'recruiters' since they 'recruit' but they recruit as intermediaries rather than as hiring companies or employers or 'end users'. 

I have just dashed this note off but over the next week or so I will pull something more definitive together [incuding checking with my US colleagues - who have assured me that the word recruitment translates  ].  In the meantime if anyone has a view or an intrepretation - let's hear it.

[Richard - Premier Recruitment]

HI,

As Lisette mentioned, it does depend whether or not you are looking for temporary or permanent work.
Employment agencies also might call themselves Employment business, just so you are aware of the different UK terminlogy.

If you wish to find an employment agency for your industry, you can visit - www.rec.uk.com

[freeform]

There's almost as much terminology as in the marketing industry 

[Chevy]

Wow, there's more of a difference in the terminologies than I thought. I'm glad I asked the question and am even more pleased to have people who are willing to be patient enough to explain it to me. It's my impression that here in the US there are (1) headhunters who work for either an employee or employer to fill positions or find a job for a candidate (2) employment agencies with whom employers register and to whom job seekers come when job hunting. The recruitment agency  which sounds like a mix of these ideas is  a unique and intriguing concept to me. Here employment agencies are a dime a dozen and often specialize in placing people in temporary jobs. I suppose if we are only going to be living abroad a year than a temporary job is what I will be looking for. I will certainly heed the suggestion of looking at boards like Monster, etc.

[freeform]

(1) headhunters who work for either an employee or employer to fill positions or find a job for a candidate (2) employment agencies with whom employers register and to whom job seekers come when job hunting.

That was my understanding of the US terminology as well - and I'd say that most recruitment agencies in the UK would easily be defined like 'employment agencies' above

Somebody should write the recruitment dictionary and post it here

[misch.chief]

Permanent roles are hard for those outside of the UK.