Before I started my current job I spent a long time sending out CV after CV and while I got the occasional opportunity to sell myself at a job interview, the whole process was beginning to take its toll on my finances. I found myself close to crisis point as I had spent hours trawling through local papers and searching for jobs on the internet but was still having no luck. It was at this point a friend suggested signing up to a recruitment agency. I had previously dismissed this as I was under the impression that I would end up with a temporary job in an assembly factory somewhere. How wrong I was.

Recruitment agencies are a good way to gain employment as they're not only interested in finding a job for you but they're also interested in filling positions for employers, especially as large employers will go to a recruitment agency with a number of similar positions that need to be filled. I found it a lot easier to find work through the recruitment agency I used. I was interviewed and they asked me what my previous experience was like and what sort of jobs would be of interest to me. They then entered all my details into their database and I went home and continued looking for work. Within a week or so they had offered me a couple of temporary jobs, one was an administration job for a pensions company and the other was working in the IT. department of a big organisation. I jumped at the chance to work in the IT. department and began working as a temp there the following week. This job was on a short term contract and the plan was that the recruitment agency would look for a full time position for me whilst I gained work experience and earned enough money to pay the rent.

Whilst I was working in my temporary position the recruitment agency was comparing my work history, skills and my other details and trying to match Recruiting agencies to a suitable employer and job. Employers tend to give recruitment agencies details of a job description and the type of employee they would like to fill the position. These details are then entered into the recruitment agencies database and a list of possible candidates is produced the recruitment agency then pick the best candidates and put them forward for interviews.

As it turns out I never got a permanent job through the recruitment agency. By the time I had come to the end of my contract for the temporary position in the IT. department, another full time employee had left and I was offered their job. Which I excepted and it is where I still work to this day. This is another advantage of using a recruitment agency, once you're working within a company if they like you and you work hard, there is a chance you will be offered another position within the company.