Should You Use a Recruitment Agency? Pros, Pitfalls and Working With Recruiters

What recruitment agencies can and cannot do for you, what to ask before they send your resume, how to work with recruiters, and warning signs to know.

A stranger messages you on LinkedIn about a role at a leading company that cannot be named yet. The salary sounds attractive, and they want your latest resume today. Should you be excited or careful? The answer is both. Recruitment agencies are a genuinely useful channel, especially for mid-level roles and above, but you need to know who they work for and what to ask before you send your details.

How recruitment agencies work

A recruitment agency is a company that employers hire to help fill positions. Recruiters at these firms source candidates, screen them, introduce them to client companies, and coordinate everything from interviews to offer negotiation. The key point is that the agency's client is the hiring company, not you. A good recruiter will help you fully, because placing the right person is their success, but their goal is to fill the role for their client.

Recruiters who approach candidates proactively are often called headhunters, usually for hard-to-fill or executive roles.

Advantages of using an agency

• Access to roles that are not advertised: some companies have agencies search quietly, for example to replace someone
• Background information: recruiters who have worked with a company for a long time often know the hiring manager's style, the interview process and where previous candidates slipped up
• Someone to help negotiate: for salary and start date, a recruiter as a go-between makes negotiation feel more normal
• Feedback: sometimes you learn why you were rejected, which you rarely hear when applying yourself

Limits to know

• Agencies usually look for people who clearly match the role. If you are changing careers, you may get less attention
• Some recruiters handle many roles at once, so replies can be slow or stop when a role closes
• Your resume may be sent to many places if you have not agreed otherwise

Questions to ask before they send your resume

1. Who is the client, or at least which industry and what size?
2. Who does the role report to, and why is it open?
3. The approximate salary range and benefits
4. The working arrangement, such as office, hybrid or remote
5. How many interview rounds there are and roughly how long it takes

Also say clearly: Please check with me each time before you send my resume to a company. This prevents your resume from reaching the same company through several channels, which looks disorganised.

Warning signs

• Being asked to pay a fee, application charge or training cost before getting a job. Most professional agencies charge the hiring company. If unsure, you can check with Thailand's Department of Employment
• Requests for a copy of your ID card or bank details before any interview
• Refusing to share any basic information about the job while pushing you to decide
• No information at all about the agency or the recruiter's profile

Working effectively with recruiters

Be direct about the kind of job you want, your expected salary and what you will not accept, so the recruiter sends better matches. Reply quickly, even to say no, and send an up-to-date resume tailored to the role. After each interview, share briefly how you feel about the job so the recruiter can adjust the negotiation.

A sample first reply to a recruiter: Thanks for reaching out. I am currently interested in product marketing roles at tech companies, hybrid, in roughly this salary range. If this role is close, could you send more details first? A short message like this saves time for both sides.

A recruiter can be a great ally, as long as you remember who they work for and that your career decisions are yours.

How to start

1. Update your resume and LinkedIn so it is clear what kind of work you do best
2. Choose 2 to 3 agencies that specialise in your field
3. Prepare your answer on salary and the conditions you can accept
4. Ask the 5 questions above every time someone contacts you
5. Keep searching on your own too, rather than relying on one agency

Prepare your salary answer with How to answer the expected salary question and read How to job hunt on LinkedIn effectively. In the meantime, search roles that are actually open at Plants.work Jobs.