The REC, or the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, is the UK’s only professional organisation dedicated to the recruitment industry. In the UK, there are estimated to be over 1,375,000 temporary workers working in the country every week, and each year, recruitment agencies place more than 787,000 of these temp workers in permanent positions. With so many people working through temp agencies, it’s incredibly important that these agencies be a member of REC.
Why? There are several reasons. Currently, the REC has over 8,000 member recruitment agencies, and that number is always growing. The organization seeks to lobby the government on behalf of temporary workers, provide strategies and new standards to its members, and assist recruitment agencies in expanding their services. REC, which officially formed in 2000, also provides educational seminars and training for agencies. This helps recruitment agencies by providing an outside view of their processes and by providing a number of guidelines, strategies, and materials.
For those looking for temporary work through a recruitment agency, there are several reasons why they should choose an agency that is a member of REC over one that is not. REC requires its members to follow a number of standards, so you know you’re working with professionals who are going to do all they can to find you work. As part of the REC, these agencies will also be very informed on the newest changes and happenings in the recruitment industry, and this information can often be used to find you a job. Also, unlike non-REC member agencies, if you feel like your recruitment agency has not served you to the best of their ability, you can hold them accountable with the REC. The organization will investigate all complaints and take any appropriate action.
REC realizes that not all recruitment agencies are going to operate the same. Those that focus on placing employees in engineering positions, for example, will have different needs than those who specialize in the medical industry. To that end, REC has created thirteen different focused sector groups that work to create a network specifically for their industry. This is yet another way that REC guarantees their member agencies have the latest knowledge, the best practices, and the most well-connected professional networks out there.
More information about REC, including free information on finding jobs and recruitment agencies, can be found at http://www.rec.uk.com/home.
