How do you even begin to find the right recruitment partner? We have drilled down your search to seven key questions you need potential partners to answer.
Get the answers to these questions, and the daunting task of hiring an agency becomes much simpler.
What to ask
- What expertise do you have with recruiting in my industry?
- Who will be managing my account?
- What planning and strategies will you require to start working on a role?
- How do you manage your client communications?
- What current trends and recruiting issues should I be aware of?
- Do you expect your rates to be higher, lower or about the same as other agencies we may consider?
- What are your expectations of me in this partnership?
What expertise do you have recruiting in my industry?
While an ability to effectively match technical skills and culture fit are critical, it is the agency’s knowledge of your industry that is most important. Does the agency attend your industry events? Has it filled positions for your competitors? Do they know who your competitors are? If it is not one of the key contributors to your industry, find an agency that is and partner with it instead.
Who will be managing my account?
It is essential you know who will be working with you and their expertise. What happens when they are on annual leave or leave the business? Will there be someone who will be fully up to date with the account and seamlessly take over if needed. Does the agency resonate with your brand? Do they have the same integrity and vision? Could you see the recruiter working for the company you are hiring for?
When you are establishing a working relationship with an agency, you will need to spend some time getting acquainted with each other.
What planning and strategies will you require to start working on a role?
As a client you need to understand the agency’s expectations, how work will be managed, the approval process and what to expect in terms of general timelines and deliverables. Experienced agencies will have a well-defined process in place to get both the client side and agency side up to speed in a timely manner.
How do you manage your client communications?
It may seem like you are sweating the small stuff, but when you’re evaluating an agency you should inquire about how the agency manages client communication. Make sure that you understand and feel confident in the agency’s processes. It may be that the communication will change at different stages of the process.
What current trends and recruiting issues should I be aware of?
Choose an agency you trust as a strategic advisor for your company. Your agency should provide you with useful and enlightening information that makes you smarter, even before you hire it. Did you learn anything new the first time you met with a representative? If not, continue your search.
Do you expect your rates to be higher, lower or about the same as other agencies we may consider?
Don’t just buy from the recruitment agency with the lowest price or markup. It’s important to make an informed decision based on value and not solely on cost. Research shows that if your organization makes a bad hiring decision, it will cost you up to four times more than if you had just hired an agency with expertise in filling the needed position.
However, if an agency is higher in cost than its competitors, it should be able to explain and illustrate why. Pay for concrete value and true differentiation, not clever marketing, or a persuasive sales pitch. Choose a staffing agency that provides you with permanent and temporary employees you cannot necessarily access yourself and invests in training the talent who will be working with you.
What are your expectations of me in this partnership?
A high-performing relationship with an agency won’t happen without your investment of time and resources, too. Partner with a recruitment agency that you trust enough to allow it access to learning about your business and culture. The success of a partnership is rooted in valuing each person involved—clients, job candidates, and the hired recruitment agency. With this commitment in place, hiring an agency and developing your flexible workforce strategy can be a transformational component for your organization’s growth, flexibility, and sustained success.
Visit www.ebtalentspecalist.com to learn more or follow us on Twitter; @emmabtalent Facebook; @emmabtalent or LinkedIn; Emma Brady Talent Specialists
Direct dial Emma on 07961766949