If you are serious about conducting a comprehensive job search you won’t want to leave any resource untapped. However, even when you are unemployed your time is valuable. This means you will want to avoid wasting it. Understanding how employment agencies really work will help you search for your next career more effectively.

The Drawbacks

If you go to a placement agency, you don’t usually gain access to an exclusive set of employers or get assigned a rep who knows how to find high paying jobs for you. Instead, you will simply fill out an application and go through a battery of aptitude and skills tests. The employment agency will use this information to decide which available job openings are right for you.

So, what is the catch? Almost all of these open positions can easily be found on an online job search engine. You are simply adding an extra step to the application process when you involve an employment agency. They can’t guarantee you an interview. Instead, they will send you over to the company that is hiring. There, you will be required to go through the entire application process and pre-employment testing again. Don’t count on getting preferential treatment just because a particular staffing agency sent you. You will probably be treated just like any other applicant who walks in the door.

If you decide to work with an agency, insist on being placed as a direct hire. Don’t accept a temp-to-hire position; you will be forfeiting valuable time if you do. This is because you won’t be considered actually “hired” by your employer until you have finished serving the term contracted with the employment agency. This will delay your eligibility for medical benefits. You also won’t accrue any vacation time or sick leave during the temp period.

The Benefits

At the upper end of the pay scale, the picture is very different. High-end employment agents (also known as headhunters) often have access to proprietary information about job openings at top paying companies. Many employers ask corporate recruitment specialists to track down qualified candidates to fill prime positions.

If you are in mid-upper management or on track to become an executive, a headhunter can assist you in your job search. The agent should get paid by the company that hires you; so don’t agree to pay a fee for this type of service. You are not obligated to stick with just one rep. Play the field and circulate your resume widely to attract the best agents. Be sure to research compensation information for management and executive level positions so you will be prepared to negotiate the best salary.