Are you an employer considering using a recruitment agency to assist with hiring new staff? The term “recruitment agency” can sometimes hold negative connotations and I’m sure there are plenty of ‘horror’ stories out there. More recently though, there are now many businesses turning to recruitment agencies and there is a definite shift to more of a partnership between the two. Now, of course I am going to a be a bit biased but there are some major positives that good recruitment agencies can do for you.
Access to a wider pool of candidates
When it comes to recruitment, there is no one blanket approach or ‘one size fits all’. It takes resources and time. Agencies already have a massive head start as they’re constantly recruiting. For instance, there are a lot of passive candidates out there who aren’t scouring through SEEK and applying for your job ads. It takes skill and experience to approach these kinds of candidates and persuade them to consider your role – this is where an agency can help.
Additionally, a good recruitment agency already has a network of skilled and engaged candidates ready to go whenever you have a vacancy. Going through an agency should mean that you only have to see candidates who have been selected to match all pre-requisites that you are looking for and are worthy of your time.
Knowledge of the market
Good recruiters will have their fingers on the pulse of their specialised industries/markets and can give you a clear insight into what’s happening. They will have details regarding where to find available talent and how to reach out to them; salary levels; available skill-sets and any hiring complexities that may come with a certain role.
Save time and money
Using an agency is quicker than hiring internally and in the long run, can be a cost-effective solution for your business. Recruiters collate and analyse CVs, conduct reference checks, administer assessments and filter through job seekers with the best interview techniques so you don’t have to. Once you build a partnership with a recruitment agency and they understand your business, goals and plans, they will hire the right candidates for you in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
Of course, recruitment agencies are just better at recruiting in general – it’s what they do for a living.
Recruiters do this day in, day out and are able to quickly carry out the arduous tasks of screening CVs; following up with candidates; conducting interviews; negotiating salaries so it gives you more time to deal with more important issues within the business
Employer branding
Recruiters understand just how important employer branding is not just specifically to recruitment but to the business as a whole. Recruiters will not only represent your organisation professionally but will also ensure that candidates get a thorough understanding of what the culture is like and the brand as well. This is something that is so important in this day in age. A recruiter will back your business every step of the way. If a successful candidate is counter offered or offered another role, a recruiter will handle and control the negotiations and persuade the correct candidate to choose you.
Most companies have their own motivations for using recruitment agencies. For some it may be for short term needs or temporary staff, for others it is a way that they can keep up to date with the market so that they can have access to good talent that they would otherwise miss out on.
There are many reasons and benefits for using an agency. Let us know your thoughts and reasons for using third party recruiters.
Georgia Narayan
Consultant