If you're a contract project manager reading this article while in line at a recruitment agency, you should just walk out the door now.
The nature of employment today means heading to a traditional recruiting firm just doesn't cut it anymore. As contractors rely on a steady flow of short term roles and opportunities to stay employed, you can't afford to sit around and wait.
Instead, you should consider joining a professional circle in your industry, such as a project management network. EDGE PLUS is one example of such a network, and relies completely on word-of-mouth referrals to match Australia's most talented project managers to the hiring managers who need their skills.
So why exactly are personal recommendations and referrals so much more powerful than traditional recruitment methods?
It's all about trust
It's a well-known concept in marketing – consumers are more likely to purchase a product based on the personal recommendation of a trusted acquaintance, rather than being sucked into a mass media advertisement.
The same applies in job hunting. Which option would a hiring manager find more appealing – an unknown candidate put forward by a recruitment agency (who is mostly out to make money by any means possible), or a trusted recommendation from an exclusive network of the country's top project managers?
Members are only able to join EDGE PLUS through invitation or personal recommendation from existing members, and are matched to jobs through personal referrals. As all members are thoroughly vetted by EDGE PLUS before joining, hiring managers know they can be trusted and will have no qualms about sourcing contract talent from the network.
A referral from the EDGE PLUS network therefore provides the trust and credibility you simply won't find at a recruitment agency.
