Looking for a job is their job!

Their profession is to find the `Perfect Job' for you! Placement agencies have become indispensable as the modern day matchmakers, albeit only in job zones.

JOB consultants and placement agencies' job is to find jobs for candidates. Various companies and organisations approach these agencies for their manpower requirements to source and employ the right man for the right job. They do the tricky job of finding the perfect fit for an employment opportunity, a bit like match making, only this one is done far away from heaven!

It is interesting to note that many of these placement agencies were started by professionals who were disgruntled with their own careers and jobs and had realised that their potential had remained dormant!

This spurred them to branch out on their own and become placement consultants wherein they sought to ensure that each candidate who approached them was placed in a company that provided satisfactory working conditions and good career growth prospects.

The right peg for the right hole!

Initially, the starting point of an agency's work was with the candidate walking in looking for expert assistance in his job search process. Over the years the entire HR process of recruitment has been handed over to job consultants and companies at times are involved only in the final stages of interviews.

Chain of operation

When a job seeker walks into a consultant's office, a professional who scans his CV and notes down his area of job search/interest receives him. After the initial screening the CV is forwarded to the respective consultant who handles employment requirements in that particular field.

The consultant then meets with the candidate and does an assessment of his skill sets that would give him an idea as to which are the companies he would fit into.

The consultant refers to the list of openings available with his list of clients and tries to match the candidate with the company on the basis of qualifications, work experience, salary expected, culture fitment, mobility and location preference, designation, and age factor if specified by the company.

After conducting a thorough reference check and validating the candidate's credentials, the consultant forwards the profile to the company to be considered for the specified post.

The in-house HR department of the company peruses the CV and if found suitable conveys to the agency that the particular candidate has been chosen for an interview or an initial written test as the case maybe. After the interview if found suitable for the job, he will be hired.

This recruitment process has evolved to such an extent that companies realising the wealth of the human resource database these consultants possessed started approaching them for filling up vacancies within their organisations.

Typically, candidates for most of the entry- level positions and middle management positions are outsourced from placement agencies.

A consultant's role does not just end after forwarding the CV to the company. They have to sell the candidate to the company (or vice-versa at senior levels) and constantly fol low up with the company on the status of the proceedings.

Billings

Just like any other business enterprise placement agencies might be founded on a social concern but need substantial financial support to sustain and prosper. Many of the credible consultants who have been in the market for some time and have long-term plans do not charge any placement fees directly from the candidates.

Instead they charge the company where the candidate is placed, a portion of the candidate's cost to company.

The percentage charged varies according to the designation (hierarchy in manage-ment) at which the candidate is placed.

Growth prospects

Any large consultant firm with a national presence takes in Management trainees at the opening level. Upon confirmation they become an Assistant consultant, and then rise to the level of a Senior consultant.

Based on performance and the number of years of experience the professional can go on to become a Service head, where he is totally incharge of one industry (like Manufacturing, HR, Finance) or a Regional head, wherein he is in charge of business of a particular region.

Excellent performers can even rise to the level of Vice- Presidents, at this stage they would be involved with leading teams, creating new business avenues, formulating strategies, and building relationship with clients.

Remuneration

A management trainee would start in this business at around Rs 7,000 per month and as he rises in the organisation his pay packet along with other perks can go up to Rs 40,000.

What it takes

For working in a placement agency one has to have a basic knowledge of Human Resource Management. The front end professional who receives the candidate and does the initial sorting of the CVs should possess excellent communication and inter-personal skills. The functional heads in charge for the particular industry should possess in- depth knowledge of the particular field. Apart from this he has to constantly update himself on industry happenings, the recruitment trends of various companies, their individual recruitment processes, and an overview of industry's HR policies.

These functional skills aside, one also has to be patient and tactful to field insistent candidates and pacify finicky HR managers. Resume writing skills and interview-handling skills will come in useful to guide the candidates to successfully clinch THE job.

MALINI SURYANARAYANAN

maalini.mds@cxknetworks.com