Recruitment agencies are one of the most powerful — and most misunderstood — tools in a job seeker's arsenal. Many candidates treat them like a passive job board: send in your CV and wait. In reality, the candidates who get the most from agencies treat them like a strategic relationship.
To do that, you need to understand how agencies actually work — including how they make money, what they want from you, and how their internal processes affect your chances.
How recruitment agencies make money
Most agencies operate on a contingency model: they only get paid when they successfully place a candidate. Typical fees range from 15% to 25% of the placed candidate's first-year salary, billed to the employer — not you. This has a major implication: the agency's incentive is to place candidates quickly and at the highest salary possible.
Retained search is a different model, used mostly for senior or executive roles. Here, the employer pays an upfront fee (usually split into three tranches) to exclusively engage the agency. Retained searches tend to be more thorough, with a longer process and a smaller, more carefully vetted shortlist.
As a candidate, you never pay a recruitment agency. If an agency asks you for money, walk away — it's a scam.
The difference between agency types
Understanding which type of agency you're dealing with changes how you should approach them:
- Generalist agencies (e.g. Reed, Hays, Adecco) place across all industries and levels. Good for volume — they have many roles — but you may be one of thousands of candidates.
- Specialist boutiques focus on a single sector (e.g. legal recruitment, fintech, creative). They have deeper employer relationships and a better understanding of what clients actually want.
- In-house / RPO agencies work exclusively for one employer. They're essentially internal recruiters outsourced to an agency. Roles listed through these can be harder to find independently.
- Executive search firms (headhunters) proactively approach passive candidates for senior roles. They rarely advertise publicly — getting on their radar requires a strong professional profile.
What recruiters look for in candidates
Recruiters review hundreds of CVs every day. When they open yours, they spend about 10-15 seconds on a first pass. They're looking for three things: a job title that matches the role, relevant sector experience, and signs you'll be easy to place.
That last point matters more than people realise. Recruiters want candidates who are responsive, honest about their situation, clear about what they want, and professional throughout the process. Candidates who go quiet, change their minds, or misrepresent their background waste a recruiter's time — and they remember.
How to get on recruiters' radar
Don't wait for the right job to appear before contacting an agency. Reach out speculatively with a clear, professional message explaining what you do, what you're looking for, and your availability. The best time to register with an agency is before you're desperate — when you have time to build the relationship.
- Find specialist agencies in your sector via LinkedIn or Google (e.g. 'legal recruitment London')
- Connect with individual consultants on LinkedIn, not just the agency's general inbox
- Send a brief introductory message and attach your CV — keep it under 150 words
- Ask for a brief introductory call to discuss the market, not just available roles
- Follow up after 2-3 weeks if you haven't heard back
How to stand out from other candidates they submit
Once an agency agrees to represent you, they'll typically submit your CV to multiple clients. Here's how to ensure yours gets shortlisted:
- Brief the recruiter clearly on your career story, key achievements, and what you're looking for
- Give them a well-formatted, ATS-optimised CV — don't make them do the work of reformatting
- Be honest about your current salary and expectations so they submit you to appropriate roles
- Respond quickly when they contact you — speed matters at the shortlisting stage
- After interviews, give the recruiter honest, specific feedback rather than vague answers
Ask your recruiter: 'What specific concerns do you think the hiring manager might have about my background?' This gives you preparation material and shows you're proactive — which they'll report back to the client.
