The recruitment business may not be a young industry in Singapore yet many misconceptions about it prevail.

As the CEO of Achieve Group, I have been in the business of recruitment for more than 20 years and I have come across my fair share of shenanigans, which have no doubt contributed to giving the industry a bad name.

It is what prompts me to write this article to debunk the myths and misconceptions about recruitment agencies in Singapore.

For starters, some fresh graduates refrain from approaching recruitment agencies for jobs because they have a misguided perception that they may get exploited or cheated by the agencies.

Why is this so or how did this phenomenon come about?

Well, it traces back to the fact that some recruitment agencies impose a service or registration fee, which can amount to S$50 per person. Candidates have to pay this fee upfront but there is no guarantee that they will indeed secure a job through the agency, as job placement really depends on so many factors.

While this practice is not technically wrong or illegal, many candidates feel that it is unfair and thus they react adversely to recruitment agencies altogether.

But many job candidates – especially fresh graduates just joining the workforce – may fail to realise that not all recruitment agencies have this practice. In reality, the great majority of recruitment firms do not take any fee from candidates at all. As a leading employment agency in Singapore, Achieve Group certainly does not practice this. We do not charge candidates any fees if they approach us seeking employment opportunities.

On the contrary, seeking the experience and expertise of a trusted and renowned recruitment agency will actually give you a higher chance of success in securing a job.

How so?

Here are some of the benefits of finding employment through a recruitment agency in Singapore:

So there you have it; aligning yourself with the right recruitment agency in Singapore will definitely increase your chances of getting the job you are looking for. Do some research on the agencies you would like to partner with to ensure a right fit. Once you have established a relationship with a recruiter, you can look forward to career opportunities coming your way.

Source : The Straits Times Recruit, 3 October 2014