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Applications, follow-ups and tracking

How to work with recruitment agencies as a candidate

How recruitment agencies are paid, what to ask before your resume is sent anywhere, and how to keep control of your applications when you register.

By LuceriaPublished Updated

How agencies are paid

Agencies earn a fee from the employer when they fill a role, either as a placement fee for permanent jobs or a margin on temporary workers' pay. That shapes their behaviour: they focus on candidates they can place quickly in roles they are already working on.

Under the Employment Agencies Act 1973, an employment agency covering England, Wales and Scotland must not charge a person a fee for finding them work, except in cases the government has prescribed, such as some entertainment and modelling work. Northern Ireland has its own rules.

Choosing which agencies to register with

  • Specialist agencies for your sector or job type usually know the employers and the pay ranges better than generalists.
  • Look at the roles they currently advertise; if none resemble what you want, registering is unlikely to help.
  • Two or three relevant agencies are easier to manage than ten, and reduce the chance of being put forward twice for the same job.

Questions to ask a recruiter

Ask before you agree to anything

  • Will you tell me the employer's name before you send my resume, and only send it with my agreement?
  • Is this a role you are actively recruiting for, or are you building a shortlist for future work?
  • Is it permanent, fixed-term or temporary, and who would employ me?
  • What is the pay range, and is it confirmed by the employer?
  • What happens next, and when should I expect to hear from you?

Avoid being put forward twice

If two agencies, or an agency and you directly, send the same application to one employer, it can create confusion about who introduced you. Keep a record of every employer each agency has put you forward to, and tell a recruiter if you have already applied somewhere.

Illustrative example

A simple record for agency submissions

  • Agency: Northgate Finance Recruitment · Recruiter: first name only · Registered: 3 March
  • Put forward to: Harbour Logistics (Credit Controller) on 10 March, with my agreement
  • Already applied directly: Calder Freight, so declined when offered on 12 March

Names are invented.

Keep searching on your own as well

Agencies see only the roles they are paid to fill. Treat them as one channel alongside direct applications, employer careers pages and your own network, and do not pause your search because a recruiter said they would be in touch.

Common questions

Do I have to pay a recruitment agency?

Normally no. In England, Wales and Scotland the law generally prevents employment agencies charging work-seekers a fee for finding them work, with limited exceptions such as some entertainment and modelling roles.

Can an agency send my resume without asking?

It should not. Ask each agency to confirm the employer and get your agreement before your resume is sent, and keep your own record of submissions.

Sources

Put it into practice

See how Luceria helps with this
How to spot a fake job advert or recruiter messageTemporary and seasonal workKeep your own record of every applicationAsked to pay for a job? What the rules say and what to doMore on applications, follow-ups and tracking

Drafted with AI assistance and checked against Luceria’s editorial standards. Examples are illustrative, not real people’s results. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.