Using A Recruitment Agency

[Guest]

Has anyone in a rural setting ever used an agency to recruit senior members of staff (manager/deputy) and if so, which agency and how successful was it? Was it value for money?

[Rea]

Hi castiel, I dont know where you are so cant recommend any agencies, but things to bear in mind.

The agency I worked for charged around £12 per hour, a lot for a small setting, especially if its long term.

Some staff didnt want to travel far or do short hours, i.e. 2.5 hour sessions and some agency staff my old playgroup used didnt go back because they didnt like a pack away setting.

 

On the plus side, if you dont like them, you can request they dont come again.

 

I used to find that settings would move a member of staff into a deputy position for a wahile and use the agency staff to cover a lower level.

[Guest]

Agencies do have their uses and you can avoid all the wasted time in intervewing every Tom Dick and Harry- however- make sure that you negotiate the terms really carefully.

 

They charge a % of the annual salary so make sure you negotiate that down.

You also need to make sure that you negotiate the time of the "if it doesn't work" period- they will come in quite low so try and negotiate up to the length of your probabtion period.

so for example if you cease to use after 2 weeks you only pay x% of the fee the X figure will have to increase for each month but try and negotiate that you pay as little as possible!

 

Remember that they need your custom probably more than you need their useage!