Recruitment Agencies in South Africa

Recruiting the essential and right people in a company is an important factor the growth of a company, also it   takes a huge amount of time and skill, and for many companies it is a real struggle to find enough time to do it well. A recruitment agency is a firm that works as a ‘middle man’ in between the company in search for candidates, and the candidates themselves. Recruiters cultivate long-term relationships with clients and candidates alike, obtaining the closest fit between organization and the employee. Generally, they streamline and manage the recruitment process for their client.

How do recruitment agencies get paid in South Africa?

In South Africa, Recruitment agencies do not charge candidates a fee, they rather invoice their clients a percentage of the successful candidate’s annual salary. A common misconception about recruitment agencies is the idea that recruitment agencies source jobs for candidates.

What does it take to be a recruitment agency in South Africa?

The following are requirements to establish a recruitment agency in South Africa:

• As a recruiter, you will have to understand the client’s business model, corporate culture and specific industry situations in order to best match the new candidate to the organization.
• A recruiter does the advertising, marketing, manages all of the submissions, and shortlists the best candidates for the company.
• You must be skilled or be an expert who can consult on industry trends, salaries, Labour regulations, corporate culture, personality fit and find those qualities of a person which can’t as easily be demonstrated on a CV.
• As a recruiter , you must be able to do background checks ( for example, criminal record checks, credit rating checks, reference checks and qualification checks), as well as initial candidate interviews prior to presenting them to the client for an interview.

  How do I verify if a recruitment agency is real in South Africa?

• Provided you are unsure if a company is legitimate, make sure to do some research. A free email address for instance, does not depict a valid firm (Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo etc.), as they might not be linked to a reputable company.
• Be careful of companies or persons who attempt to charge you for their services to get you a job.
• Be careful of forwarding documents such as copies of certificates, your ID or your passport. This sensitive information can be used for identity theft. Recruitment agencies have an extensive database or ‘talent community’ of great candidates, and often fill positions without advertising. Although, it is good to register your CV with a few good agencies so that they have your details on record for when a role in your field comes up but be cautious with this.