Within the world of recruitment, we often see employee movements from boutique agency to big, vice versa and everything in between. We also see candidates and clients doing the same; partnering with big and boutique agencies alike. They are all different and operate in many different ways with the same desired end results.
We’ve spoken to a few recruiters from various sized agencies and here’s the top 5 reasons why going boutique may work for you:
- The Entrepreneurial Spirit
When your team is lean, budget is small with limited resources, this gives you more creativity to make a larger impact to the business. You have more control over the processes (and for some, even the to shape these processes), can wear many hats (providing an understanding of the entire business which is an advantageous life-long skill), greater autonomy and the green light to consider new things all the time.
- More Control, Less Red-Tape
When you have plenty of great ideas and initiatives, you’re more than likely able to action it much quicker at a boutique agency. Simply put, there’s far less hoops to go through and more often, you also get to work directly with the Founders which is fantastic exposure. As boutiques typically have fewer rules, this means greater flexibility for work/life balance.
- Going Above and Beyond
The recruitment industry is incredibly competitive and as each agency continues to build on their own USPs, so is the need to consistently value-add and go above and beyond for every candidate and client alike. While this is seen across the board, there’s an unparalleled level of hunger and determination from Boutiques to over-deliver on customer service.
- Specialist Experience
There are many successful large generalist agencies around, but the demand for specialists have been on an upward trend for years now. Candidates and clients want to partner with recruiters who really thrive on digging deep and understanding of highly specialized industries. This in turn, can create stronger long-term working relationships.
- Relationships Matter
As Boutiques are relatively smaller, candidates or clients often deal with one person to ensure a more tailored and personal approach. Employees often experience a close-knit working environment, one that feels like a “family” and the ability to bounce ideas off each other much more easily.
Having said the above, there are many advantages to a big agency too. It’s no surprise that some of the most impactful training (client management, products and services as well as ongoing development) come from big agencies. They also have much larger budgets and resources to work with, often with stronger brand awareness and a global reputation, bigger geographical presence and support for added exposure and proper infrastructures in place, just to name a few.
Bottom line is there’s something for everyone and there’s pros and cons to both. It all boils down to your specific needs at that point in your life. The only thing that is constant in life is change, and so will you. Choose where you will be happiest.
