Recruitment Methods

[Doofus]

I'm not job hunting, but I have specific reasons for asking this question.

There are various companies out there that will coach and assist job hunters. They tend to operate at the higher salary levels, and will charge the candidate, in some cases, several thousand poounds for their services.

Does anybody have any experience of using them? As a candidate or as an employer? I'm interested in gathering experiences as to the services offered and results acheived, positive or otherwise.

Thanks.

[rog007]

It's not unusual for those at Director or CE level to seek out coaching to support transition to either a new role or industry or to simply aid advancement and securing that next role. The coaching supports identifying core competencies, any training gaps and identification of ideal roles. Your 6-year old child's football team gets coached but it still fascinates me how little career minded individuals get coached. Coaching is applicable at all levels and can be a real game changer if done well.

[pherlopolus]

I had outplacement support from LHH following voluntary redundancy. Not sure on the cost as I didn't pay for it.

It was very good, excellent help with CV, LinkedIn, starting own business etc.

[edc]

The benefit depends on the level the individual is already at. I recently organised an outplacement programme for an entire engineering company. The objectives whether you were the MD or a shop floor operator are all broadly the same. For the senior management, their tenure raged from 3 years to 35 years. Some were end of career some mid career. Some had recent experience of the job market some joined straight from university and had never even had another interview. What you need depends on where you are.

[Doofus]

Thanks all.

I appreciate the input, although I was really looking for experience from the candidate's point of view, or from that of an employer that may have been approached by such a company on behalf on a candidate if, indeed, that's one of the things the companies do.

[edc]

As an employer being approached by a company representing a candidate, having worked agency side myself, the level of employee is irrelevant. This is just generating sales leads and speccing in candidates you think are good and that might fit an organisation or where the candidate may have asked directly to approach the company.

[pherlopolus]

Doofus said:

Thanks all.

I appreciate the input, although I was really looking for experience from the candidate's point of view, or from that of an employer that may have been approached by such a company on behalf on a candidate if, indeed, that's one of the things the companies do.

LHH don't actively match you with employers, they do work closely with an agency though (can't remember which one). They ke issue is that they can't charge both sides of the candidate/employer relationship, and the consultants they use are career consultants rather than recruitment consultants, although they may have been recruitment people in the past.

[Doofus]

Thank you again. All experiences and points of view are very welcome.