In our latest advice column for City AM, Debrett’s Academy director Rupert Wesson explains how to work with a recruitment agent to make the most of new opportunities.

Q: I am losing interest in my current role and thinking of moving on. The obvious starting point would be to engage a recruitment consultant, but my colleagues tell me they are (at best) a necessary evil. What protocols and etiquette do I need to know to get the best out of them?

Recruitment consultants occupy a special place in many people’s minds. They are often regarded with the same degree of contempt as estate agents, perceived as middle men who earn fees for being a broker. What people often forget is that, like estate agents, they are working for (and paid by) the vendor, or in this case the employer.

If you have reservations about using an agent, you can look at other options first. Ask yourself if you need to move at all? Perhaps you can reshape your current role in a way that might tempt you to stay. Read more...