Applying via agent vs applying directly

sazzy32

As an employer i would say go direct.
I always appreciate a candidate who can see that by coming to me directly i will not have to pay ridiculous fees

Energize

Direct is normally better, it doesn't cost the employer a fee to hire you which gives you an edge over candidates coming through recruitment agencies, furthermore the company who are hiring are far more qualified to assess the potential suitability of a candidate than a recruiter is, I have often been turned away by a recruiter only to have their client interview me after a direct application.

steampowered

If you know that there is a role, going direct is a good idea.

Recruiters are still useful though. They can give you advice on your options and introduce you to opportunities you would not otherwise be aware of.

TBagpuss

If you see the same job advertised directly, always apply directly.
Employers are charged huge fees by agencies - typically anything up to 20% of the new employees salary.

If you apply direct then the employer saves that fee, which means they can potentially be more flexible on what they can pay you.

As an employer, if I have two equally good candiates and one has applied directly and the other via an agency, I'm going to pick the one who applied direct.
If I have two candidates and one is better than the other, I will have to decide whether the added value they bring is worth spending the extra, or whether I might not be better going for the direct applicant, even if they are not quite as strong, and then using some of the money I just saved on an agency fee to provide added training to get them up to speed.

SamSam17

Always go direct where possible. In my experience, response rate is much faster, get feedback first hand, salary offer is usually better.

Deep_In_Debt

Energize wrote: »

Direct is normally better, it doesn't cost the employer a fee to hire you which gives you an edge over candidates coming through recruitment agencies, furthermore the company who are hiring are far more qualified to assess the potential suitability of a candidate than a recruiter is, I have often been turned away by a recruiter only to have their client interview me after a direct application.

Similar happened to me some time ago. I applied for a role via an agency who did not put me forward. I then applied directly to the company who interviewed me. They also said the salary on offer was higher than the agency advertised. I guess by taking on directly they don't have to pay agency fees so could afford to pay a little extra.

Stylehutz

A no brainer. Go direct to employer. No agency introduction fees to pay, So more chance of you getting job if you are qualified.