How to Effectively Engage a Recruitment Agency
Your business is expanding and requires additional resources or perhaps you are in a position where you need to fill a vacancy due to a recent departure. It may seem a straightforward process to the resource.
But have you thought about the time it may take you or one of your team to advertise the vacancy, the volume of CVs that you may receive that need to be reviewed, how to properly vet and canvas candidates, carry out assessments, interview and reference check to name a few considerations?
Unless you have a dedicated in-house resource and easy access to a large pool of candidates it is always worth considering outsourcing to a specialist recruitment agency who will manage the process end to end on your behalf. This not only reduces search costs but will also eliminate additional workload for you or your in-house team.
Decision made. What do you need to consider to now engage effectively with the recruitment agency and ensure you secure the best talent for your business?
Always remember your chosen recruitment agency should have the same objective as you: to find that perfect candidate who has the skills and experience required and is the right fit for your business.
Prepare a Brief
Be prepared. You know your business best. Educate the recruitment agency so that they understand your business, the role itself and the team fit. Write a brief that gives a proper overview of your business – the more information you can provide the more the recruitment agency knows exactly what you are looking for.
Assess the Recruitment Agency’s Credentials
Request references and examples of recruitment projects they have successfully worked on within your sector, the typical length of the recruitment process, the pool of candidates they have access to any type of clients they have worked with.
Understand their Process
Ask the selected agency to thoroughly explain their recruitment process. In many cases, the agency will conduct a detailed meeting with you to determine the needs of your business, the company values and culture and, in some cases, may wish to speak with some of your employees regarding the actual work environment.
The information gathered will be used by the recruiting agency to draft a job vacancy, vet candidates and prepare suitable interview questions. Recruiters have the skills to help minimise future attrition by vetting candidates before the hiring process commences so that the right candidates are interviewed for the vacancy.
By asking the right questions at this early stage and understanding the process, you can appoint an agency with confidence and assurance that they understand your business, the skillsets for the role(s) to be fulfilled and will carry out a smooth recruitment process to deliver the right candidate for the vacancy.
Set Realistic Expectations Regarding Candidates
Draft a list of ideal qualifications, experience and skills in mind for your vacancy. Using years of industry experience, a recruitment consultant will work with you to identify which of these skills are really in the current market conditions and what else you can expect a candidate to bring to your business.
The benefit of engaging an agency is that they not only advertise vacancies online but also actively seek out candidates who may fit the job description and they feel would be that perfect fit.
Negotiate Salaries
An agency can also help you benchmark proposed remuneration against other businesses in your industry by using resources that offer guidance on current industry salary trends. They will moderate on your behalf to agree on an acceptable remuneration package and avoid unnecessary negotiations and delays further down the process with potential candidates.
In Summary
In summary, select an agency that is willing to invest in your business and develop a relationship with you.
The more your recruitment agency understands your business, your goals, the working environment and the expectations you have of your staff, the better the contribution they’ll bring. They will also know how best to appeal to candidates and what sort of approach is best to secure the right person for your vacancy.
South West Recruitment Experts
At Alexander Mae, we are focused on recruiting the highest calibre of candidates for our clients and working with our candidates to ensure each person is placed in the right role.
If you are considering recruiting and need a recruitment partner that fully understands your sector inside and out and has a pool of fantastic candidates please click here, email [email protected] or call: 0117 9055035
