Employers use recruitment agencies to help them find the right talent for specific roles within their business and whilst a generalist agency can help companies fill administrative and low skilled jobs, for anything more technical or managerial a company will usually work closely with a specialist agency.

Agencies that specialise in a niche market know the industry inside out and understand the kinds of skills their clients are looking for. They also have an excellent network of high performing candidates. Companies are willing to pay for this expertise to get the right person for the job.

Of course there are some recruitment agencies out there that don’t spend too much time vetting their candidates. This can result in a lot of wasted time for candidates and employers. Usually this is because the recruiters are on individual bonuses and are keen to put forward as many candidates as possible for each vacancy, regardless of quality. We prefer to pay our recruiters a higher basic salary and we have developed an alternative incentive model which is designed to reinforce a team environment. This means we are focused firmly on finding quality candidates.

Our recruitment process works slightly differently too. Once we’ve shortlisted a candidate after reviewing their CV we’ll arrange to speak to them on the phone. This gives us an opportunity to find out more about their skills and experience, the sectors they’ve worked in and the type of products they are familiar with. A CV can only tell us so much and we want to gain a real understanding of the individual’s talents and preferences.

Most HVAC sales roles require technical expertise and we go into quite a lot of depth when we talk to candidates about their product knowledge and industry experience. Added to that, we’ll be looking for a good track record in sales or at least an ability to negotiate at different levels to drive a project forward.

We also want to find out what the candidates themselves are looking for. After all, there’s not much point putting them forward for a job they don’t want to do, even if we believe they have the right skills.

This detailed vetting process is only part of the story. We also offer advice on interview technique, negotiating salaries and preparation. If we believe someone is right for a job we want to make sure the employer recognises that too.

Thornhvac is a leading HVAC recruitment company serving the UK’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning markets. Contact us on 0115 8714 777 or email jobs@thornhvac.co.uk.