Recruiter moving to Sydney? How to tell which agencies suck

So you're a European based recruiter looking to move your recruitment career to Sydney. How do you know which of the recruitment agencies vying for your attention are right for you?  Ending up working for the wrong agency can be detrimental to your career in Australia. Finding the right environment and the right culture for you is half the battle won.

The good news is that there are great agencies to work for in Australia - the key to finding the right one is to know the warning signs that show which companies to avoid. To aid you in this process, here are three things to look out for when you're hunting for your Sydney home away from home.

1. The interviewer doesn't ask challenging questions

An agency that doesn't ask you the tough questions is likely one that is desperate for people. They don't want to challenge you for fear of putting you off. This is a major red flag. Do you want to work for a desperate employer?  They may offer you the world but if they don't challenge you then they won't challenge anyone else, so you'll end up working with B players, and the likelihood of them delivering on their promises is slim.

Pick a company that challenges you in the interview process. You'll work with a better caliber of people. And make sure you challenge them in return with well researched and prepared questions of your own.

2. The company doesn't offer any formal training or onboarding

According to coaching and human resource consulting company House of Change, a formal onboarding process is very important for helping to ready a new employee, promoting better performance from the get-go, improving engagement and reducing turnover.

As such, if an agency does not offer training for new hires, this may suggest it does not invest in its employees and is not willing to provide you with the tools you need to do your job well. Starting a new job, especially in a different country, can be challenging, so you want to look for an agency that will invest heavily in you, at the outset, and on an on-going basis, to give you the foundations and tools you need to be a success.

Unhappy employees can be a big red flag.

3. There are hints of a toxic culture

Lastly, if you see signs of a bad company culture, you'll definitely want to avoid that agency. Employment specialist Monster highlights several things that reflect a toxic culture, including negative communication, a bad reputation, unhappy employees and a careless hiring process. If you see these things - stay away, the workplace may be a negative environment.

By paying attention to these warning signs and looking out for things like awards for culture, visable customer references, and low staff turnover, you will be better equipped to eliminate unsuitable companies and find the perfect Sydney recruitment agency to call home.

The Recruitment Company is recruiting now. We'll certainly challenge you, we're big on structured onboarding and thorough training, and pride ourselves on a great culture. If you're looking to bring your recruitment career to Sydney then check out our current vacancies, or get in contact with me for an initial chat.

We did a survey of the market and found that 87% of our industry is viewed as terrible or 'meh'. The important question is, #areyouoneofthe13percent if so, we want to talk to you