Top Recruitment Agencies in Singapore  

Contracting the right employees for your company can be a tricky process. Its time consuming and energy-sapping. Doubtlessly, hiring remarkable talent needs to be a priority for your business regardless of its size.  Today, companies are increasingly turning to a recruitment agency expertise to fill vacant positions. Job seekers, too, are opting to engage these agencies in their search.

Whether your venture is established or not, wrapping your arms around the recruitment process can burden you unnecessarily. You need to create an attractive talent value proposition, design a job post that stands out, and promote it on different mediums. Companies spend hefty resources to do all that in the name of attracting the best candidates.

If that’s not nerve-wracking, you’re not so good internal recruiter will make it so. In-house recruiters are not as agile and aggressive as their counterparts working in the recruitment agency arena. They may lack the streetwise knack to find you the perfect applicant for your vacant position. To make it easy, you need to partner with a professional recruitment agency.

What Is A Recruitment Agency?

A recruitment agency refers to an outfit that links job seekers with the right employer. Simply, these agencies play the middleman’s role. They connect suitable candidates with one or multiple employers. Recruiters assess a given job description, and they search their databases, networks, or job sites to narrow down on a candidate whose qualifications or credentials form the best match to the specified position.

When playing the middleman’s role, recruitment agencies shortlist the preferred candidate on behalf of an employer. They save companies precious hours. At the same time, these agencies will fast-track the job searching process for a job seeker. They scout those temporary jobs that fit the applicant’s credentials, and they will contact you when an opening comes forth.

When Should Your Company Hire a Recruiting Firm?

Staffing can take a toll on an employer’s time and resources. If your company is considering the recruitment agency alternative, here is a guide.

A majority of Singaporean business turn to these agencies when and if:

• They lack time to concentrate on recruiting for a new position
• They have experienced hardships trying to recruit for a given position
• They have experienced high employee turnover, and they need a remedy.
• They don’t have a dedicated and resourceful in-house HR department.
• They’ve advertised a vacant position, but they haven’t received the right response

What are Recruitment Agency Fees?

If you’re looking for the best recruitment agency, it’s advisable to avoid shortcuts.  You always get what you pay for, meaning you shouldn’t skimp on an agency’s fees. By paying a higher price, you end up getting the right talents

A recruitment agency can elect to charge clients in two ways. They can go for a retainer or contingency fees.

Retained Fee Structure

This refers to the upfront payment of an agreed amount to the agency. Retained contracting agreements can differ, and they give the agency access to your open listing.

Contingency Fee Structure

Contingency contracts are performance-based; you only pay the agency after they deliver the kind of candidate you want. This is charged on an average percentage of the employee’s first-year pay. This can range from 15-25 percent.

Why Businesses Turn to Recruitment Agencies in the Singapore Marketplace

The Singaporean market place is highly competitive. It’s a candidate-driven marketplace where getting the perfect talent is quite elusive here are reasons why Singaporean companies engage recruiters.

Hire candidates quicker

Using a recruitment agency saves company time. At the same time, these agencies make their money out of the recruitment business. They have the best candidates in their database to fill your position. As such, your company will find the preferred candidates fast.

Get highly qualified candidates

Recruitment agencies are the go-to entities when your company needs to work with the best candidates out there. These agencies have a pool of highly skilled candidates for different industries. They ensure that the candidate they front has the best qualifications and fit for your position.

Keep your professional appearance

Singaporean startups are likely to lack an in-house recruiter. They may not have the resources and skills to identify the best hires out there. To ensure professional hiring, they engage credible agencies that provide exceptional candidates.

Retain your new hires

In-house recruiters may lack the professional hiring aptitude that you’ll find in an agency. A reliable agency will guarantee that the candidate will stick with the company for a specific duration. If the new hire leaves the company, the agency will refund the amount or get you a new candidate at no fee.

Benefits of Engaging a Recruitment Agency

For Companies:

It’s a Safe Bet

Using your in-house recruiter doesn’t guarantee that your advertised position will get to the right applicants. Worse enough, your advert may attract the attention of candidates who don’t meet your criteria. An agency knows how to handle your needs, and they get candidates who match your requirements.

The Number Advantage

If you rely on an in-house recruiter, they may not know how to reach out to a high number of candidates. An agency has an extensive reach, and they can connect you with a large number of applicants in a short time. Agencies leverage social media following, and they have a vast database of passive prospects.

Save Admin Time

The in-house process of communicating, screening, shortlisting, and interviewing candidates is time-consuming. Instead of burdening your HR and recruitment team, choosing an agency allows your teams to focus on business tasks while the agency handles the recruitment process.

Experts in your Industry

Recruitment agencies do more than just matching applicants with positions. A majority of agencies specialise in given niches. They boast of immense industry expertise, and they can offer your company advice regarding best practices, legal, and salary and market aspects.

Meet Fluctuating Demands

Businesses are unable to predict future staffing needs. The fluctuating recruitment demands aren’t easy to manage in-house. Engaging a recruitment agency that can connect you with tempo staff can help you hire on-demand.

For jobseekers:

Access to elusive jobs

The best thing about engaging an agency is that they have jobs you won’t find elsewhere. These agencies liaise with hundreds of employers, and they can link you to positions that aren’t advertised on any job board.

Expert guidance from recruitment professionals

Once a job seeker contacts an agency, they’re assigned a recruiter. This expert comes with in-depth knowledge of the job market you’re interested in. They provide exceptional advice on niche jobs, interviews, employer’s culture, and your CV.

You pay recruiters when you get the job

The majority of recruitment agencies in Singapore get paid when an applicant lands their dream job. To ensure they get their pay, they go overboard to ensure that a candidate receives placement. Professional agencies help you to pimp your CV to increase the chances of getting hired. It’s the only way they ensure that you pay them.

Access to multiple openings

The average job seeker is likely to focus on a single opening or company advert. A recruitment agency does the heavy lifting on your behalf. They end up offering multiple opportunities from the many employers in their database. Agencies don’t focus on a single position or employer.

How to Choose a Perfect Recruitment Agency

A business needs to have a proven procedure when selecting a recruitment agency. To end up with the right outfit, here are four steps to follow.

Step 1: Outline your hiring needs

For starters, you need to define your hiring needs. Check whether you need professional help to hire one or multiple candidates. You need to preview the position you intend to fill and whether it’s temporary or permanent. Also, you need to specify whether you need a candidate with job-specific skills or a jack of all trades.

Step 2: Evaluate recruitment agency type

Finding the right recruitment agency requires you to evaluate the agency type. Not all agencies are the same. You need to verify their specialty and narrow down to a few prospects. If you need temporary hires, you can choose staffing recruitment agencies. If you require top executives, an executive recruitment agency will suffice.

Step 3: Check affordability

Identifying the right recruitment agency, yet you cannot afford their services, is an effort in vain. You need to check your prospects and whether your budget can afford their services. You can contact an agency to get precise information about their fees.

Step 4: Assess their expertise

After narrowing down to your 2-4 prospects, it’s crucial to check their experience and expertise. You need to do your due diligence to appoint the best recruiting outfit. Before you sign a contract, check their T&Cs, client testimonials, and their credentials.

Tips for Working with Recruitment Agencies

If you’ve never engaged a recruitment agency before, it’s essential to know how to go about it. The following pointers will help you even out your interaction with an agency.

Tailor your CV

Modify your CV to fit every role you’re applying for. If you plan to engage an agency to help with your search, it pays to personalise your CV to fit the job you’re looking for.

Be orderly and punctual

Recruitment agencies always wing it for you. They speak on your behalf and market you to potential employers.  Make sure you’re prudent in your interaction. Always show up on time for interviews and dress the part.

Engage multiple agencies

If you’re not entering into an exclusive agreement with an agency, it’s okay to engage a few outfits. Some benefits come with such a move, although you need to manage your time if interviews happen concurrently.

Interview them

Although a recruiter is working for you, there is a need to ask them pertinent questions in the process. The compensation they get depends on your success in landing the job. Also, check what other applicants have to say about a given agency.

Get feedback

If your quest for the job through an agency is successful, ask the recruiter to give feedback. It’s possible to learn the reason why the agency did not hire you. You can use the feedback to polish your next application. Agencies will advise you regarding your CV and interview skills, and they’ll help you ace the next opportunity.

Qualities of a Reliable Online Recruitment Agency

In Singapore, companies’ turn to online recruitment agencies to handle their staffing needs. It’s essential to know the best online recruiters before you engage them. Here are some characteristics of dependable online recruitment agencies.

Reputation

Reputation is one hallmark of a credible online recruitment agency. The field is competitive, and you need to know whether you’re working with an outfit that has a robust industry track record. Online testimonials and feedback will tell you whether they’re worth your time.

Successful Placements

Reliable online recruitment agencies will proudly display their track record when it comes to placement. If they’ve successfully staffed various organisations, it’s a sign that they will do their best to get you placed as well. A company can tell whether an agency is a god fit if they have proof of helping other companies in your industry.

Competence

A dependable online recruitment agency has the expertise to march an applicant’s skillset to an employer’s position. They can lead a company to the best talents out there.

They’re registered

There are many incidents of scams in the online recruitment landscape. You need to check whether the agency you’re working with is registered and affiliated. An online agency that’s government certified and accredited is your best bet.

Marketing prowess

Online recruits know how to market their trade. They are active on various social media platforms. The best agencies will encourage their teams to leverage LinkedIn or Twitter to position the company as a thought and industry leader. They’re able to gain traction using such tactics.

Retention Rate

A professional agency needs to show their prowess at placing talents. They need to show their retention rates as well. An agency with high employee turnover isn’t your best pick.

Requirements to Set Up a Recruitment Agency in Singapore

Since staffing is a big business in Singapore, here are some requirements you need to start a recruitment agency in the Lion State.

Register a Company in Singapore

You need to start by incorporating your company and select the proper business activity code depending on the recruitment services you intend to offer.

Establish a Business Office

Your company needs to operate from office premises. You need to choose appropriate office space depending on the size, budget, and scope of work. The office requires approval from the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore. If you need to modify the office space, you need permission from the Building and Construction Authority

Apply for a Recruitment Agency License

For your company to operate, you need to apply for a recruitment agency license. This can be a comprehensive or a Select License. The Ministry of Manpower issues these permits. These licenses are not granted to individuals but strictly to registered legal entities.

Pay security deposit

Companies with a Select License need to pay a deposit of S$20,000 in bankers guarantee. Firms with the Comprehensive License need to pay more-a security deposit of S$60,000.

Recruitment Agency Personnel Certification

If your recruitment agency gets a Comprehensive License, the staff, including top-level executives, need to be certified with a Certificate for Employment Intermediaries qualification. Office holders need at least 40-course hours, and the rest of the workers need a 32-course hour qualification.

Personnel Registration

Your employees, whether it’s a Comprehensive licensed or select licensed agency, should be registered with the Ministry of Manpower. The staff should only work for one agency at a time. Register if with the MOM requires a fee of S$160

To apply for a recruitment agency license, your company needs the following:

• A copy of the national ID for citizens and employment visa copy for foreigners
• A copy of ACRA-issued company business profile
• Passport size photographs
• A copy of pre-approval letter from the Ministry of Manpower;
• A copy of the certificate for employment intermediary
• A checklist issued by the MOM.

Facts and Truths about Recruitment Agencies in Singapore

Jobseekers and employers are continually seeking out the services of recruitment agencies. It’s important as an employer or an applicant to know some facts about these agencies.

Majority of companies engage recruitment agencies

In Singapore, over 90% of companies turn to recruitment agencies to handle their hiring process. They are obligated to link business with the best talents in the job market.

Social media is ideal for recruitment

Social media is significant in the Singaporean marketplace. Businesses and recruiters leverage platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and twitter to advertise positions. Applicants, on the other hand, need to observe social media etiquette if they expect to attract the attention of potential employers.

Recruitment agencies serve employers and employees

Though companies use agencies for staffing purposes, these outfits serve the interest of jobseekers too.

Recruitment agencies are better than in-house teams

Recruitment agencies have a better performance record compared to in-house HR recruitment teams. These agencies have in-depth industry expertise. They primarily focus on recruitment, and they’re better equipped than your internal recruiter.

Candidates should engage multiple recruitment agencies

An applicant is likely to benefit more by engaging more than one agency. They open themselves to multiple opportunities when they present their portfolio to two or more recruiters.

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