Promoting cooperation between the private recruitment industry and Jobcentre Plus

“Recruitment agencies are crucial partners for us. Temporary work has a vital role to play in restoring confidence to people who have been out of work, and help them develop their communication skills.”
Jim Knight, Employment Minister, June 2009

REC working with jobcentre plus

 The private recruitment industry and Jobcentre Plus both share the common goal of getting people into work. For agencies, advertising vacancies through Jobcentre Plus is an affordable and convenient way to source potential candidates from the local community. Recruitment Consultancies can offer career coaching, market intelligence and in-depth specialist knowledge of their sectors. They can tap into the vacancies of hirers who do not advertise via Jobcentre Plus as well as proactively promote jobseekers to hirers who they have an established relationship with.

In November 2008 the REC took the step of formalising the relationship between the private recruitment industry and Jobcentre Plus through signing a “Memorandum of Understanding” to promote co-operation between the two parties. As the labour market has taken a turn for the worse, this co-operation has helped to get increasing numbers of unemployed people back into work.

Jobsearch support for newly unemployed professionals

As part of the Government’s response to the economic downturn, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is using the expertise of the private recruitment industry to deliver jobsearch advice and help to from professional and /or executive occupational backgrounds. Recruiters have been commissioned by the DWP to give newly unemployed professionals the knowledge they need to get back into work.

Involving the recruitment industry in the welfare reform agenda

Recruitment consultants are experts at selling individuals into jobs. When a candidate has been out of the labour market for some time the extra push from a consultant could be that crucial factor to convince an employer round. Recruitment agencies have a huge role to play in the Government’s strategy to use the private sector to deliver welfare to work services.