Why Use a Recruitment Agency?
‘Should we use an agency?’ is a question that commonly appears on both the minds of job seekers and companies who are looking for their next hire. There are many methods to carry out the recruitment process and every company will be different; recruitment agencies can be a powerful string on that bow to aid in this process.
To help with the age old debate, I’ve collected a number of reasons why approaching a recruitment agency might be the right decision for you and your recruitment/job seeking needs.
For Clients/ Employers:
Helps to ensure you are getting the best person for the job
Starting with the obvious. The simplified mechanics of recruitment is finding the suitable candidates for a position and selecting the correct individual to add to your team. Recruitment agencies are specialists in sourcing the best candidates, tailored to your individual requirements as a company.
This goes beyond simply matching a candidate with the correct skills. I’m sure everyone has experienced candidates who on paper are absolutely perfect, providing no doubts that they could walk in to the position day one and excel, but that doesn’t mean they are the best candidate. The best candidate will not only have the right skills, but have the right motivation and personality to positively impact your business long term.
Specialist Consultants
Often the purpose behind the title Recruitment CONSULTANT can sometimes be forgotten, viewing recruiters as merely a means for sourcing candidates. Recruiters are also experts in the field of recruitment, and often specialists in a particular industry as well—with access to market knowledge that may be inaccessible otherwise.
Using a recruiter will allow you to get honest and open feedback to tailor the role to make it more “fillable”, such as giving you advice on current market rates for salaries in a particular field or advising you on market conditions that may make recruitment more difficult.
Someone to positively advocate for your brand
When a recruiter sets off on a hunt to find you the perfect candidate, they will spend a large amount of time speaking to potential applicants about your company and selling your brand to dozens of candidates at a time.
Recruiters will always work to get a good understanding of your company’s “brand”, the way you work, your company goals and visions, and your culture, so that we can take that information and become an advocate of the company. This will help to spread positive messages about your company and grow awareness at the same time.
Advertising costs consumed into fee
One massive benefit to using recruitment companies is that all recruitment costs are collated into a single fee, which you only pay if you successfully recruit the right candidate. Oftentimes you will have to pay good money to advertise directly on the job boards, as well as the time required to manage the candidates directly—all with the risk that the money may be wasted if the right candidate doesn’t come along.
Using an agency will allow all those costs to be tied together, without the risk of losing out on money if no one suitable is found. Instead, the recruiter can ensure that you have a streamlined process without the risk, tailored individually to your personal requirements.
Expanded Service Proposition
Many clients will hire an agency solely to help them fill a position they are recruiting for, while ignoring all the other free additional services that can be requested. To take a sample from the Rise Service Proposition (this is provided on request), a recruiter can also assist with 350+ technical tests (plus a facility for bespoke testing), salary benchmarks, competitor analysis, talent mapping and more.
To get the best value out of your recruitment package, it is worth making use of these additional services. Speak with your dedicated account manager and they will be able to talk you through the available options.
For Candidates/ Job Seekers
Provide Specialist Advice to Help Secure a Position
As a candidate, it can often be daunting to begin a job hunt, particularly if you have worked within the same company for a long period of time. Speaking with a recruiter is a great way to get advice from specialists who are experienced in helping candidates secure a position.
A recruiter will be able to provide you advice when it comes to writing your CV or personal statement and tailoring it to a particular job. They can also talk you through interview processes and give advice to help you come across well, ensuring you get the job that you want.
A Representative to Chase Feedback and Communicate with
The reality of recruitment is that oftentimes a hiring manager may have a hundred things to do and to manage, with recruitment only being a small part of their role. With a high volume of applicants it can leave you with frustratingly little feedback and no direct line of communication.
Having a recruiter with an established relationship with the hiring manager can be helpful to chase updates and offer you a line of communication for feedback.
Email Alerts and Other Job Opportunities
No matter how diligent you are with searching the job boards, it can be incredibly easy to miss great opportunities. By signing up with a recruitment agency, recruiters will talk through exactly the kind of role you are looking for and use that information to match you to a wide variety of positions tailored to your specific requirements.
You can sign up for email alerts that will notify you of any roles that might be suitable that come up, or a consultant might get in touch to discuss alternative positions they have. This will allow you to maximise your applications for suitable positions and give you a greater chance of securing you’re your dream role—potentially in an area you’d not previously considered.
Post Placement Care
What happens if you complete the interview process and start with a brand new company only to find things aren’t quite what you hoped for? Often this can be a daunting prospect, as you might be too worried to approach your managers directly to discuss sensitive topics.
Having a recruitment consultant, you will not be abandoned once you have secured the position. They will regularly check in once you have started to see how you are settling in and to discuss any issues that you might have, suggesting and advising on any solutions to problems that have arisen. It is always beneficial to have a confidential specialist to speak to if you are worried or concerned about anything, no matter how small.
