Recently, I have noticed an increasing trend toward internal recruitment. It is hardly a surprise. Since the recruitment industry has continued to grow, there are plenty of experienced agency recruiters who are looking for internal recruitment roles. Once these recruiters secure an internal role, they take with them a strong network of candidate contacts and the experience to recognise top talent when they see it. Furthermore, they know where to look to find it when the applications are drying up.
Additionally, with the advances in AI such as LinkedIn and other recruiting platforms and software, an individual or small team can speed through large numbers of applications.
With these points in mind, you might wonder why any forward-thinking company would choose to use agency recruitment anymore.
Why use agencies?
Frankly, the first reason is as simple as the power of resources. Recruitment agencies have one, self-sustaining function. The profits we make do not need to be allocated to other business areas. Our budgets are recruitment centered meaning that our advertising budgets are recruitment specific. We have the money to spend on multiple platforms – including AI.
True, our fees might seem expensive, particularly when compared to free advertising. Yet it is worth considering what you get for that fee. Quite often, agencies work on a free to the point of placement basis. As a result, you are getting the recruiter’s time and resources. You are also getting the recruiter’s industry knowledge.
Agency recruiters must stay on top of recruitment trends and industry updates in order to map the market. For example, national salary surveys will provide a good indication of average salaries. However, they will not be able to give you a truly competitive salary rate. More than this though, when you recruit through an agency, you keep your roles confidential by advertising under the agency’s brand name rather than your own.
As a result, your competitors have a more difficult time in snatching the top talent from your grasp by advertising at a higher salary band. Given the fierce 2019 market for candidates with the right skills, this element is becoming increasingly relevant.
In the long run though, perhaps the strongest cost consideration is that a miss-hire can cost far more than a recruiter fee.
We do this all day long…
Secondly, to return to time, agency recruiters recruit all day every day. This sounds obvious but what does it really mean? In real terms, CVs that do not contain the right keywords will still be considered by agencies. We understand that candidates who have been with the same company for 3 years or more have not had to prepare a CV or for an interview for a long time! At present, AI cannot distinguish between a CV that is irrelevant and one that doesn’t do the candidate’s skillset justice. A recruiter can.
This is because we work to represent the client and the candidate. We have the experience to recognise a CV that is relevant but does not fully represent its owner. Furthermore, we have the time to interview these candidates who do not look great on paper; we have time to offer them consultation on how best to showcase their skills on their CVs.
Another time consideration is the time it takes to compile a shortlist of candidates who are all ‘top talent’. Agencies have to compete for roles with companies. Therefore, they cannot afford to provide less than top quality shortlists.
The shortlist will often be compiled in a matter of hours. Although this will depend on the level of role. But again, a consultant will be able to advise you how niche the skillset is and, as a result, be able to give you a good indication of how long it will take to recruit in line with the job description/skills/salary you set.
Post-pre-screening…
We do not have time to get back to every applicant at the first application stage. However, once that shortlist is submitted, we do have time to give feedback to every candidate whose CV has been reviewed by our clients. We also have the time to provide feedback to those candidates who have been interviewed. We care about your brand reputation as it helps to build our own, therefore, we want candidates to know how great your brand is and we strive to keep your reputation up to the standard you expect.
An essential part of using an agency is the communication and feedback that you, as the client, gives. Afterall, it is your brand integrity that we are all trying to protect. Recognising the importance of a two-way relationship that enhances the recruitment process is essential, especially if you want to attract the top talent your business needs.
Still not sure an agency is right for you?
Call us now on 0203 814 3600 and we’ll be happy to provide you with more information.
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