Why Urban Workforce is Different?
We work for you.
If you’re looking for your next hospitality job, or if you’ve been out of work for a while and want to get back into the workforce, you will probably come across different agencies that are set up to help you. Some, like recruitment agencies, work on behalf of employers who are looking for candidates to fill available roles. Others act on the behalf of job seekers, working with you to find suitable positions.
While they may sound similar, there are actually a number of differences between a recruitment agency and an employment agency, and it’s important to be aware of these when you are looking for work.
Who are they working for?
Recruitment agencies work for employers. Recruiters are usually approached by employers who are looking to fill hospitality vacancies, and they work with them to gain an in-depth understanding of what they are looking for. The recruiter will then advertise the position, screen candidates, and put the most suitable ones forward for interview. Once a candidate is hired, the recruiter usually gets a payment from the employer for their services.
Employment agencies work on a different model. They can be not-for-profit agencies, or for-profit agencies that receive payments from the government for helping people on unemployment benefits find work. While recruiters work on behalf of employers, employment agencies work on behalf of job seekers.
When someone is hired through an employment agency, in some cases the employment agency will pay their wages, and the employer pays the agency, which takes a cut. Employment agencies are often used to fill temporary or seasonal hospitality jobs, rather than full time jobs.
Questions raised over the integrity of employment agencies
Unfortunately, when businesses benefit from people being unemployed, this can lead to questions around their integrity and how hard they are really working to help long-term unemployed people find sustainable jobs. There have been a number of employment agencies recently that have been in the media for allegedly falsifying information and taking government payments while not helping and even potentially hindering job seekers from applying for jobs.
When you are looking for a new hospitality job, it’s important to understand the different options and types of agency you are likely to encounter.
This can help make sure that you have a realistic expectation of the level of service you may receive, and can help you build positive relationships with the recruiters and agencies who are likely to be helpful to your long-term career.
