Recruiters can be a great way into jobs you'd never hear about otherwise, especially full-time roles at manufacturers, suppliers and bigger teams. They can also fill your inbox with things that don't fit. Here's how to get the good part without the noise.
What a motorsport recruiter actually does
A recruitment agency is paid by the hiring company to find people for its roles. They search for candidates, check you're a fit and put you forward. When you're hired, the company pays the agency. Some agencies also supply people on short contracts and pay them directly.
That means a good recruiter wants you to get the job. It also means they're working for the company, so it's worth knowing what to ask.
You should never pay to be found work
In the UK, employment agencies generally aren't allowed to charge you a fee just for finding you work. There are narrow exceptions in a few industries, such as some entertainment and modelling work, but they don't cover race mechanics or engineers. If anyone asks you to pay to be put forward for a motorsport job, walk away.
Questions to ask before you share your details
- Who is the client? They may not name them straight away, but you should know the series, the location and the kind of role.
- Is it a real, open job? Or are they collecting CVs for roles that might come up later?
- What's the pay and the contract? Salary range or day rate, how long it lasts, and who pays you.
- Will you send my details anywhere without asking me first? The answer should be no, every time.
- What happens next, and when? A good recruiter will tell you how the process works and keep you updated.
Stay in control of your details
Your CV and contact details are yours. Only send them for a specific role you're interested in, and ask the recruiter to confirm before they share them. If you're put forward for a job without being asked, you can end up competing with yourself when a team hears about you twice.
How Racefolk handles recruiters
On Racefolk, recruiters can only find and message you if you switch on "Recruiters can find and message me too" on your profile. It's off until you choose it, and you can turn it off any time.
Every job and message from a recruitment agency carries a Recruiter label, so you always know who you're talking to. Recruiters can only start a limited number of new conversations each month, which keeps it useful rather than noisy. If you reply to a recruiter's job yourself, that recruiter can see your profile, because you chose to reply.
Get the good ones working for you
- Keep your profile specific: series, cars, the jobs you did and who you did them for.
- Tick the kinds of work you want, so recruiters with full-time roles know you're open to them.
- Add your notice period if you're in a job now.
- Reply with a clear yes or no. Good recruiters remember people who are easy to work with.
Make your free crew profile and choose whether recruiters can find you.
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