3 etiquette tips for recruitment agencies

Running a recruitment agency is all about customer care and it is important to treat with respect not only the clients who pay for your services, but the candidates who use them as well.

It's not just a matter of common courtesy, either. If you treat a candidate right, they are more likely to be satisfied with your services and return again in the future – and perhaps refer you to others as well.

What are some of the golden etiquette rules you should never forget as a recruitment agency?

1. Keep track of candidates

Your agency may be required to deal with thousands of applicants at once, but that is no excuse to let things get out of hand and let even one slip under the radar.

Think about it – while you may have a massive pool of candidates to pick from, each individual candidate is relying on you to help them find a job and is eagerly waiting to hear from you.

Fortunately, modern technology such as recruitment software is allowing agencies to keep much better tabs on their candidate base, for example through tracking where exactly in the recruitment process each applicant is and what the next steps for them should be.

2. Maintain communication

One of the most important aspects of good customer service is communication and this couldn't be truer for a recruitment agency.

Never leave your candidates hanging – provide them with timely updates whenever possible to let them know how their application is progressing. You should take a proactive approach so you contact your candidates before they feel compelled to send you an enquiry.

3. Be wary of discrimination

With client demands becoming more and more specific, it is becoming increasingly important to know the line between satisfying a client need and discriminating in the candidate search.

Review your job postings thoroughly to ensure they aren't stepping over the line, looking out for red flags such as age and race requirements.