Tag: outsourced recruitment

1. Four Valuable Lessons I’ve Learned as a Recruiter

   February 29, 2024 3:27 pm

   I established my own search agency over 20 years ago and over the course of my career, I’ve encountered a multitude of experiences that have shaped my approach and taught me invaluable lessons. Here are four key takeaways that have significantly influenced my journey as a recruiter, that I hope will be of interest:

   1. Communication is Key

   One of the most fundamental lessons I’ve learned is the importance of effective communication throughout the recruitment process. From initial outreach to final negotiations, clear and timely communication is essential for fostering positive relationships with candidates and clients alike. Whether it’s providing feedback after interviews, managing expectations regarding job roles, or simply keeping candidates informed about the status of their application, transparent communication builds trust and credibility. Moreover, active listening plays a crucial role in understanding the needs and aspirations of both candidates and hiring managers. This allows you to tailor your approach accordingly and ensure alignment between all parties involved.

   2. Adapt but Focus

   The recruitment landscape is constantly evolving, driven by technological advancements, shifting market trends, and changing candidate expectations. As a recruiter, adaptability is not just a desirable trait but a necessity. Embracing new tools and methodologies, staying updated on industry best practices, and being willing to pivot strategies in response to emerging challenges are all critical aspects of staying ahead in the game. But be smart, not all new techniques and technologies are all they are cracked up to be and some may well have little impact on your ability to achieve your goals. Don’t always believe the hype – evaluate what will increase your effectivity and enable you to deliver better results. Don’t be afraid to dismiss products and new technology which will have little or no impact on your success.

   3. Build Meaningful Relationships

   Recruitment is not just about recruiting; it’s about connecting with people and making a positive impact on their lives and careers. Building meaningful relationships with candidates and clients goes beyond the transactional aspects of the job; it’s about understanding their goals, motivations, and aspirations on a deeper level. Taking the time to cultivate genuine connections will foster long-term partnerships built on mutual respect and trust. Commit to working with people that value you and what you do, and this will help you achieve a high success rate.

   Furthermore, maintaining a strong network of professionals within the industry not only expands opportunities for sourcing top talent but also facilitates knowledge-sharing and collaboration, enriching your own growth.

   Keep in mind that your relationships are with people and not necessarily with organisations. Always treat your candidates as customers – they could turn out to be your next client.

   4. Know your value and don’t be afraid to walk away

   There will be times when hiring managers or candidates don’t value you and what you do.  These are unlikely to be people you can help so it’s better to walk away.

   Don’t work on roles you are not confident that you can successfully appoint to. Why would you? It’s a waste of everybody’s time and effort and will ultimately damage your reputation and affect your ability to achieve a high success rate.

   Make sure you trust the client and ensure they are serious about the recruitment process. I’ve had the occasional experience of being asked to work on a role when it was obvious it wasn’t going to work; either because the client already had a candidate in mind or were struggling as an organisation and so would be difficult to work with as a recruiter.  Always ask yourself, is this is a suitable opportunity with a suitable organisation that I should recommend to my candidates?

   Stay true to your principles and focus on how you can increase your success rate getting as close to 100% as you can.

2. Outsourcing recruitment, is it worth it?

   March 21, 2023 10:55 am

   

   “Working together”

   And what to look for when considering working with an external partner

    

   With budgets increasingly squeezed, organisations are having to make tough decisions on which services to outsource or fulfil inhouse. Using an inhouse team to recruit rather than outsourcing to a recruitment agency might sound a quick way to save money but it may not prove cost effective for all your recruitment in terms of time and money spent.

   As well as ongoing salary costs, internal teams also need constant investment in terms of training and development, holiday, sick pay etc. Out sourcing means you can tap into the experience and resources of a professional team as and when needed, without the ongoing costs or the need to manage or develop the individuals involved.

   Specialist recruitment agencies offer a valuable resource and can deliver real value for money when compared with inhouse teams by:

   • Providing access to a much larger pool of talent, including passive candidates who may not actively be job seeking (and so would have missed a job advert). This greatly increases the chances of finding the right candidate for the job, particularly hard to fill roles.
   • Handling the entire recruitment process, from advertising, producing recruitment packs, dealing with applicants, sorting interviews to handling the offer and let downs. This allows the HR team and the hiring manager to focus on other tasks.
   • Demonstrating expertise, to ensure the right candidate is recruited. Highly experienced and skilled recruiters with a deep understanding of the sector can quickly identify the most suitable candidate and advise on salary expectations and market conditions.
   • Reducing the risk of hiring the wrong person (and the resulting lost productivity and wasted recruitment and training costs), by using rigorous screening processes and sector knowledge to ensure that candidates have the necessary skills and experience.
   • Providing flexibility, with the ability to tap into the expertise and services of an agency as and when needed, which is particularly useful during periods of growth or downsizing.
   • Increasing brand awareness, through a targeted advertising campaign, professional recruitment packs, via social media and by engaging with people in the sector, an agency can help increase brand awareness and improve the reputation of an organisation.
   • Working in partnership, well respected and successful agencies ensure that HR and the hiring manager are engaged throughout the recruitment process in order to effectively work on behalf of an organisation and ensure its cultures and values are represented at all times.

   Unfortunately not all recruitment companies are equal and you need to ensure any agency you work with understands your organisation and is able to recruit to the roles you need. The agency and its staff should illustrate a solid track record of delivering results within your sector and have a proven technique for sourcing the candidates you need. Make sure you get an insight into their recruitment and marketing strategy before appointing them, so that you can make sure their approach is going to be suitable for your business and the roles you need recruiting to.

   It is also worth remembering that this agency will be representing your company and your brand so you need to be confident that the individuals working on your behalf will be professional and effective ambassadors. Often the consultant that is your contact in the agency may not be the person actually engaging with potential candidates. You need to be comfortable that the individuals in the agency recruiting on your behalf will benefit your team.

   Choosing a well-respected, specialist recruitment agency should pay dividends in terms of saving you time and money and enabling you to attract and recruit the best candidates.