Are all recruitment agencies the same?

Are All Recruitment Agencies Alike?

After working as an internal Talent Acquisition specialist for a company, I enjoyed the role despite some personal challenges and cultural misalignments over the years. When I got the chance to join a consulting firm as a headhunter, I thought it would be a valuable experience to see how agency recruitment operated.

Unfortunately, it turned out to be a nightmare. The focus was overwhelmingly on numbers rather than the people involved. We were expected to complete 30 phone screenings each week, even in the absence of active job openings, and to reach out on LinkedIn just to find one candidate a day to present—without any live roles available! Essentially, we were expected to mislead candidates into believing we might eventually place them with clients.

Another frustrating aspect was management’s directive to work on roles that weren’t officially open yet, but merely in negotiation. We would actively seek candidates and present them, only to find that clients often chose not to finalize the deals, wasting our time and efforts.

This agency had a policy of taking on new clients without retainers, meaning we only got paid after a hire, which usually led to disappointment. Clients frequently went after candidates on their own, bypassing the agency altogether.

It was disheartening to go to work knowing I had to make calls based on false pretenses. Failing to meet quotas resulted in management’s “productivity calls,” and I couldn’t risk losing my job.

I eventually left and returned to internal recruitment, which is vastly more rewarding. So, I’m wondering: are all recruitment agencies like this, or was I just unlucky? I’m cautious about considering another agency role, especially since every position and company sounds appealing during the interviews.

Thanks for your insights!

EDIT: I’d also like to mention that the pay was terrible. I’m based in Brazil but worked on services for Canada, which often results in lower wages here. My commission was shockingly low—just 0.028% of the deal. I was stunned when a Canadian colleague mentioned she could afford an Apple Watch with her commission, while mine barely covered a nice pizza. Is such compensation typical in North America?

Anyone in advertising? Need advice on portfolio?

Is anyone here in the advertising field? I’m looking for advice on building my portfolio. With graduate internship applications now open, I’d love to hear your suggestions on what elements I should include to enhance my chances of success. Thank you!

New to recruiting

Transitioning into Recruiting

Hello everyone!

I’m new to the recruiting field and am excited to explore this new path. I’ve spent the past eight years working in an emergency room, where I’ve developed strong skills in quickly assessing situations and understanding the needs of both patients and healthcare teams. My background in clinical operations, paired with my Bachelor’s degree in Science and Kinesiology, has given me insight into how healthcare teams operate. Additionally, I’m a certified EMT.

Given my extensive hands-on experience in emergency medicine, I’m curious about the feasibility of transitioning into a recruiter role, despite not having a formal background in recruiting.

What steps should I take to make this shift? Also, how can I effectively search for healthcare recruiting positions? I have a particular interest in recruiting physicians, especially emergency room doctors and RNs.

Thank you for your guidance!

Addressing Cover Letter Directly(Use Name) or to General “Hiring Manager”?

Should I Address My Cover Letter to a Specific Person or Use “Dear Hiring Manager”?

I’m currently applying for a hospitality position and want to put my best foot forward. On the application page, there’s a list of senior managers for the company.

Initially, I planned to go with the generic “Dear Hiring Manager,” but I’m considering whether it would be more impactful to address the cover letter to one of the senior managers listed.

However, I’m also concerned about the possibility of addressing it to someone who may never actually review it.

What do you recommend? Do you prefer a specific name or the general title?

How much does a company How much does a Manpower for Business subscription cost?

What is the cost of a Manpower for Business subscription? I imagine the price varies based on factors such as the number of employees and other company-specific indicators.

Recruiter analytics

Recruiter Analytics

Hello everyone! I’m looking to analyze my recruiting metrics and would appreciate your advice. I work alongside two other recruiters and maintain a spreadsheet that includes candidate names, positions, clients, and their statuses (Talent Pool, Rejected, In Process, Hired). I update this monthly, but I’m unsure how to interpret my performance in terms of numbers and percentages, such as conversion rates or screening quality.

I would love to hear your mathematical tips and recommendations! Thank you!

Fee percentages

Subject: Fee Percentages Inquiry

Hello everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well! I’m seeking some insights regarding the recruitment market in the UK. I previously focused on engineering and manufacturing, where we typically saw fee percentages ranging from 15% to 20%.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the standard fee percentages for the following sectors based on your experience:

• Warehouse
• Administration
• Marketing
• Procurement
• Customer Service
• Sales

Thank you in advance for sharing your insights! I look forward to your responses.

Recruiting business development

Seeking Guidance on Recruitment Commission

I’ve been working as a recruiter primarily on a commission basis. Recently, I’ve successfully established connections that have led my agency to strike an agreement with a new employer in another country, which is projected to generate over £100k in revenue in the coming year.

The employer acknowledged my role in facilitating this connection and asked if I had a figure in mind regarding fair compensation for my efforts.

I’m unsure about what might be standard in this situation. Could anyone provide insight into what percentage is typical? For example, would 2%, 5%, or even 10% of the anticipated contract value be reasonable?

While my involvement in the discussions was limited, my initial connections were vital for making this opportunity possible.

Thank you for your help!

How do recruiters find you on LinkedIn?

How do recruiters discover candidates on LinkedIn?

As a digital marketer, I’ve been having a tough time landing PPC job opportunities where employers actually respond to me. Meanwhile, some of my peers from the same course—equipped with similar qualifications—are getting numerous outreach from recruiters. What could I be missing that they’re doing differently?

Advice please: New Desk Compensation

Seeking Advice: New Desk Compensation

Hi everyone, I’m looking for your insights on a situation I’m currently navigating.

I’ve been given the opportunity to establish a new cold desk in Life Sciences starting in October after I expressed my interest in this area.

Since joining this recruitment agency in April, which focuses on Healthcare, I’ve billed over £33k from five deals, three of which were just last month. I’m currently averaging an additional £1,000 per month in commission, and I anticipate further improvement. I also bring about two years of recruitment experience to the table.

However, transitioning to a new desk means stepping away from this reliable commission stream, and I understand it may take six months—or longer—to close my first deal, with a consistent profit likely taking 12 to 18 months. This change presents a significant risk as I’ll be starting from the ground up in a new sector.

A sales manager I know suggested that I negotiate for an additional £1,000/month for the first six months to help offset the commission I’ll be relinquishing while I establish the new desk.

My questions are:

• Is this a reasonable request to make?
• If not, what alternatives could I consider?
• Am I justified in seeking compensation for this transition, or should I embrace the change at my current rate?

Thanks in advance for your valuable advice!