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The recruitment market is becoming incredibly competitive these days, especially in the UK, where hundreds of recruitment agencies are opening each year. If you want to stand out from the rest, you should know the best strategies to run your agency.

Remember, running a recruitment agency does not only require identifying and contacting candidates. You should be able to provide the best candidates for your clients and offer better career choices for the candidates. Below are some of the best ways to recruitment agency success.

1. Understand GDPR and How to Handle Data

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a set of rules that businesses must follow when it comes to storing and using the personal data they have gathered. As a recruitment agency, you will be handling personal data regularly, so understanding the GDPR and the proper way to handle the data and personal information of candidates is extremely important.

As stated on the new GDPR guidelines, candidates must first provide consent to recruitment agencies for their data to be collected, stored, and passed on to third party companies or clients. This applies to general information and sensitive data, such as criminal records and disability information. Failure to comply with the GDPR could put you at risk of being fined £20 million or 4% of your annual revenue, whichever is higher.

2. Be an Expert

The first step to setting up a recruitment agency is to identify your niche and focus on becoming an expert in that niche. You could operate as a recruitment agency that's focused on IT, veterinary, hospitality, or something else. If you want to stand out from your competitors, make sure you excel in your niche.

For instance, if you are planning to set up a Veterinary Recruitment Agency, then you need to understand the ins and out of this industry. It will be much easier to build connections with veterinary clinics and hire potential candidates if you are familiar with their industry.

3. Be Resourceful

One way to keep up with your growing competitors is to be resourceful, especially in terms of technological advancements. In fact, technology and recruitment should go hand in hand. The constant developments in technology have created a positive impact on the way recruitment agencies operate these days.

The best way to optimise your recruitment process and improve client experience is to utilise different recruitment tools and technologies, such as applicant tracking systems and a platform that can compile data profiles and automate responses. There are several other tools out there. Make sure you invest in something that can benefit your agency the most. 

4. Think Outside the Box

In any given industry, one way to stand out is to think outside the box. It simply means to think creatively and choose the path that your competitors will be less likely to take. There are many ways you can do this. For instance, when contacting potential candidates through social media, use eye-catching and customised messages to catch their attention. 

Another thing you can do is to set up an HR recruitment podcast that focuses on your niche so you will become an authority in that field. This will make you look more appealing to clients who are looking to hire employees in your niche.

5. Marketing 

Marketing is very important in any given industry. And in this digital age, the best way to market your brand is to rely on digital marketing tools such as Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). 

SEO refers to the process of improving the visibility of your website for relevant searches on the Internet. This can be done by using keywords that are specific to your niche. Consider hiring an SEO specialist if you want to stand out from your competitors online. The SEO specialist can optimise your recruitment website for niche keywords to make your website more visible to potential clients.

This guest blog was kindly provided by Tom McLoughlin of Growth Recruits