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When schools struggle to fill positions, an education recruitment agency might seem like the perfect solution with someone else doing the legwork to find and shortlist the right candidates. However, there are a number of reasons that suggest teacher recruitment agencies might not be the best way to recruit new talent. Keep reading to find out why. 

What teacher recruitment agencies do 

Teacher recruitment agencies work like any other recruitment agency in that they find and screen suitable candidates, however they work exclusively in the education sector (or a wider agency has an education department).  

They will typically have a pool of candidates that have registered with the agency as actively seeking work. They may also have access to passive candidates that aren’t currently looking for a new role but are open to the right opportunity.  

Candidates will usually provide information such as qualifications, experience, preferences, location and career goals to be matched with the right role. Schools also register with the agency, providing their requirements and individual job descriptions.  

Here’s how it works step-by-step: 

1. The school and candidates register with the agency 

2. The agency sources suitable candidates for specific roles 

3. The agency screens candidates to compile a shortlist 

4. The school selects a number of candidates for interview 

5. The agency may help with scheduling and organising interviews 

6. Interviews are conducted 

7. The schools make their decision and extends an offer 

8. The agency communicates the results with candidates and may provide feedback 

9. The agency may assist with negotiations and initial onboarding process 

10. The process begins again from step 2 for each new hire 

Learn more about how education recruitment agencies work in our dedicated blog on the topic. 

5 reasons why you shouldn’t hire an education recruitment agency 

Whilst education recruitment agencies might sound positive and like it might save time on recruitment and the hiring process, there are a number of important disadvantages to consider before getting started. 

Cost 

Agencies work on a risky ‘no win-no fee’ model meaning that they will usually charge fees for their services, significantly increasing recruitment costs for schools. If a candidate is successfully placed, it can cost schools up to 20% of the candidate’s salary.  

Loss of control 

Schools have to place a high level of trust in their chosen agency as they have no control over shortlisted candidates. They have to trust that the agency only selects suitable candidates but also aren’t overlooking those with potential.  

Misalignment and miscommunication 

If communication isn’t clear from the start, there may be misunderstandings on requirements that results in the wrong candidates being selected and delays in the process. 

Dependency 

Relying on agencies means that schools may neglect to develop their own, more cost-effective hiring solutions that are exactly tailored to their requirements and can be utilised time and time again for a fraction of the cost of using an agency. 

Time and effort 

Whilst, on the surface, it might seem that agencies can save schools a lot of time and effort, it can take a lot of time to manage the process. Schools first need to brief the agency and provide detailed requirements, then they need to manage the shortlisting process, interviews, feedback and debriefing – for every open position.  

An internal recruitment process would cut out a number of steps and therefore save schools a great deal of time when recruiting.  

Learn more about the pros and cons of hiring an education recruitment agency in out dedicated blog on the topic.