Managing recruitment in-house can be time-consuming and resource-intensive, especially when you want to access the best local talent.

By partnering with a recruitment agency, you benefit from specialist expertise, extensive networks and in-depth knowledge of the market. A good recruitment agency will streamline the hiring process, help you avoid wasting time on unsuitable applicants and support you right through to a successful hire.

If you’re wondering how a recruitment agency can save you time and connect you with pre-vetted candidates, read our blog on the main reasons for working with an agency.

If you’re looking for recruitment services in Surrey and Sussex that are fast, flexible, and focused on finding the right fit, we’re here to help and you can explore our recruitment services here.

When you work with an established recruitment agency, you can expect a collaborative, consultative and professional approach.

The agency should take time to understand your business, team culture and the exact requirements for a role before actively sourcing suitable candidates – often using networks that are not accessible through job boards alone.

They will handle advertising, screening, interviews, feedback and all communication throughout the process.  This means you will be supported every step of the way until the right person successfully starts in your business.

For more details, read our guide to choosing the right recruitment agency or alternatively, head to our website to see the services we offer to employers.

When a business faces an urgent staffing gap, speed and reliability become critical. Unplanned absences, sudden workload peaks or seasonal demands can quickly disrupt operations if the right people aren’t in place. This is where a professional recruitment agency can make a huge difference.

For temporary and urgent roles, an experienced agency will already have a pool of pre-vetted candidates who are ready to start at short notice. These individuals will be thoroughly interviewed, have their skills assessed, be referenced and have all their compliance procedures completed in advance, meaning you can focus on getting them into the role immediately rather than losing time to recruitment admin.

At The Recruitment Consultancy, we maintain a network of fully assessed temporary staff across Surrey and Sussex who can step in straight away. We handle the entire process — from interviewing and vetting to payroll and ongoing check-ins — ensuring your new team member integrates smoothly and your business keeps running without disruption.

See our guide to hiring temporary staff or visit our temporary recruitment services and gain a fuller understanding of how our temporary recruitment services could help your business now.

We specialise in recruiting for a broad range of office and professional roles across Surrey and Sussex.  Our experienced recruitment consultants, based in Guildford and Worthing, have sector expertise that covers:

• Accountancy and finance
• Administration, office management and business support
• Customer service, reception and facilities
• Executive search
• Human resources and people management
• IT and helpdesk support
• Legal support
• Marketing, PR and digital media
• Procurement, logistics and supply chain
• Project and event management
• Public sector and non-profit
• Sales and account management

We source candidates at every level, from entry roles to senior leadership and director appointments.  You can read about the different services we offer businesses, or skip straight to our list of sectors.

A good recruitment agency won’t just send CVs and hope one works out. The best agencies invest time in understanding a business, its team culture, and the exact requirements of the roles to be filled.

They personally interview and assess each candidate, checking technical skills, experience, and softer qualities such as attitude, values, and cultural fit. This ensures employers only meet candidates who are genuinely suited to the role.

At The Recruitment Consultancy, we take this approach for every placement, recommending people who will add value from day one — saving employers time, resources, and the cost of a mis-hire.

Our permanent recruitment services blog explains the benefits of using an agency to find the strongest candidates for your business.  Likewise, you can find out more about the recruitment services we offer to businesses of all sizes across Surrey and Sussex.

Temporary recruitment is ideal for short-term needs such as covering staff holidays, seasonal peaks, or urgent projects. Temporary workers are available to start quickly and offer the flexibility to scale your workforce when needed.

Permanent recruitment focuses on long-term hires who will become a lasting part of your business. With this in mind, this process typically involves a more extensive search and careful assessment to ensure the right skills and cultural fit.

At The Recruitment Consultancy, we offer both options and also temp-to-perm and fixed-term contract solutions.  These different options can be tailored, so that Surrey and Sussex employers can choose the most effective hiring route for their business needs.

Our useful blogs explain more about temporary recruitment services and permanent recruitment services – or, you can head to our employer services page, which gives you a more condensed guide to see which type of recruitment may be more suitable for your business.

For permanent recruitment, most agencies working on a contingency basis (rather than on a retained basis).  This means they will only charge a placement fee once they have successfully found the right candidate and the person has started work.  This fee should always be agreed upon upfront, before any services are provided.

While some agencies charge a fixed fee, it’s more common for the cost to be a percentage of the candidate’s starting salary (typically between 15% and 25%). The exact percentage can be influenced by factors such as:

• Level of the role
• Industry sector
• Skills or experience required
• Location
• Lead time to hire
• Market conditions (candidate-driven vs. client-driven)
• Volume of business
• Commitment to the agency ie: working on a sole agency or prefered supplier basis

Points to be aware of:

1. In a candidate-driven market, where skills are in short supply, fees may be higher.
2. If you try to negotiate too hard on the percentage, this may affect the level of service and limit post-placement guarantees.

For temporary recruitment, agencies (or more technically, employment businesses) normally charge an agreed hourly rate. This rate is usually all-inclusive and covers the temp’s pay, National Insurance, holiday pay, pension, administration, and the agency’s margin. Temporary staff are billed in arrears, usually weekly, based on approved timesheets.

Agencies may also offer other fee structures.  These could be daily rates, temp-to-perm fees, fixed-term contract fees, or fixed fees. Whatever the arrangement, reputable agencies will ensure costs are transparent and agreed before work begins.

At The Recruitment Consultancy, we offer Surrey and Sussex employers clear, upfront pricing for all recruitment types.  To find out more, do get in contact and we’d be very happy to explain how these structures work, depending on your recruitment needs.

For permanent recruitment on a contingency basis (not retained search), agencies typically charge a placement fee only when a candidate has successfully started in their new role. This fee should be agreed in writing before any work begins, along with a signed contract outlining the terms — including any guarantee or refund policy.

A reputable recruitment agency will usually provide a safeguard if a new hire leaves within an agreed period. This may be in the form of a free replacement candidate or a sliding scale refund. For example, a sliding scale might cover a 12-week period, starting at around 90% of the fee in the first week and reducing gradually to 10% by week twelve.

These guarantees give employers confidence that the agency stands behind its placements, helping protect their investment in the hiring process.

At The Recruitment Consultancy, we offer Surrey and Sussex employers clear terms and a guarantee period on permanent placements. This ensures you have peace of mind when making a recruitment decision.

Learn more about our employer services or talk to us – we’d be very happy to explain how our guarantee will give you peace of mind

Specialist or hard-to-fill roles will require much more than just placing an advert. Effective recruitment involves targeted searching, networking within specific industries and proactively approaching candidates who may not be actively search for a job.

A good recruitment agency will have access to industry-specific databases, niche job boards and trusted professional networks — enabling them to connect employers with high-calibre talent that other channels might miss.

At The Recruitment Consultancy, having been established in our local markets for over 25 years.  We combine our sector expertise with local market knowledge to source exceptional candidates for Surrey and Sussex employers.

Choosing the right recruitment agency starts with checking their experience in your industry and understanding how they assess and select candidates.

Look for transparency in fees and guarantees –  and make sure they take time to learn about your business and culture before starting to search for suitable candidates.

It’s also worth asking about their track record in filling similar roles, their approach to candidate care and the support they offer post-placement. The right recruitment agency should feel like a partner in your hiring process, not just a supplier.

At The Recruitment Consultancy, we work closely with Surrey and Sussex employers to deliver a personalised, transparent and results-driven recruitment service.

Read our useful guide to choosing the right agency or see our approach to working in partnership with employers.