Recruitment Agency or Go Direct?

Moosk

I have seen a job advertised through a recruitment agency, and through the description and vague location given, I'm fairly sure who the company they are recruiting for are. Now, given I have a bit of an agency phobia, what is the best way of applying for this job?

A) Send my CV to the company I think it is direct?

Send my CV to the company I think it is, and the two or three other vaguly possible ones?

C) Bite the bullet and apply through the agency?

If I do A or B, should I mention the agency job advert in my cover letter?

If I apply through the agency, will I be expected to go to the agency for an interview or anything? Their nearest office is a 150 miile round trip! And will they plague me for the rest of my life with phone calls and emails?

not_tonight_josephine_2

If this company is using an agency to fill the vacancy it's likely that they do not want to deal with all of the admin around advertising, screening CV's, shortlisting etc themselves - that is what they are paying the agency for.

I would send your CV to the agency in this case.

ETA I very much doubt you will need to travel 150 miles to meet the agent - by the time it gets to interview stage it will probably be with the company direct. If you're concerned about being hassled with further communications just set up a new e-mail address to send the CV from, then never look at it again if you don't want to (after a decision is made on your application of course)! You're unlikely to get that many phone calls in my experience, just the odd fishing call when business is slow.

sagalout1954

Ring the company HR department and ask them what your best course of action is. Might be that you'll be obliged to go through the agency, but you won't know for sure unless you ask them.

sims22

I would check with the company and see if you can get details to apply direct. Agency fees are very high and so the employer may favour your application over someone equally qualified but that would cost them a few thousand pounds to recruit.

When my last employers were recruiting, the Board encouraged the Head of Dept to favour applications from direct candidates.

Moosk

Thank you for your replys. I will contact the company and find out what they prefer

If I do end up going down the agency route, what are the chances of me having to go to their offices? Or would they just pass on my cv without needing to meet me?

It is a permanent job, incase this makes any difference.

shikoku

Moosk wrote: »

Thank you for your replys. I will contact the company and find out what they prefer

If I do end up going down the agency route, what are the chances of me having to go to their offices? Or would they just pass on my cv without needing to meet me?

It is a permanent job, incase this makes any difference.

They will want you to go down and register with them, by the time you have finished doing that they will probably have 'nothing for you.'

Good luck approaching the company directly.

Always_Harassed

I would act daft and contact the HR and ask if they need anyone. Age should be irrelevant to any application and should not feature on a CV.