Does this title ring true to you?

I speak to clients repeatedly about how much time is taken up dealing with recruitment “agencies” who’s policy is; lets throw enough $%*& and hopefully some of it will stick.

Approximately 75% of the hiring managers we speak to have this issue.  How do you avoid this? Cut recruiters out altogether? Certainly if they are wasting your time with inappropriate CVs / profiles and seem to have no grasp of what your company is all about.  The trouble is; it is a candidate short market and the forecast is that it will continue to be this way for the next 18-24 months, at least.

So what do you do?

A recruitment consultancy rather than “agency” can have a massive impact on the success of your business, but you need to be careful in how you select them and also be aware of how to get the best out of them.

Apply the following rules when considering a suitable recruitment provider…

1. Most importantly pick a consultancy not an agency
   A consultancy will spend time getting to understand your company and role in detail. Make sure that the provider in question wants to spend AT LEAST 30mins on the phone taking a full brief and also arranges to come down and meet you in person.
2. Invest your time initially to ensure you maximise return
   Make sure you spend the time to give the provider the full details on your requirements, not spending the time at the beginning will cost you hours of time later with inappropriate CV’s and interviews.
3. Meet face to face
   Your provider should be pushing for this ASAP. If they are not, this is a warning sign. It is important that they FULLY understand your requirements. Meeting face to face is a great way to build a deeper understanding and rapport. It allows the provider to match people to a company’s culture not just a job spec.
4. Use only 1 or 2 chosen providers.
   If you want to get the maximum out of the relationship it is best to use one provider exclusively (obviously provided they are delivering). If a provider knows you have a role on exclusively then it means that they can allocate more time to that search. I would not take on business on an exclusive basis unless I was 100% certain we could deliver.  Our reputation is on the line!
5. Use a provider you trust 100%
   If the provider has taken the time to take a full brief and has come down to meet you in person then you should have a good idea of whether you trust them or not. Only select the one you feel genuinely understands your needs and ultimately the one you trust.
6. Be aware of fee level
   Of course we all want good value for money, but the key in that statement  is “value”. Most consultants within a recruitment provider will be paid on commission. They will naturally spend more time on the roles that will give them the greatest return on the time they invest. Be aware that if you pay a very low fee you may only attract the recruitment “agencies”.
7. Choose a provider that closely matches your values
   If you really want to get the most out of your recruitment provider you need to work in very close partnership with them. To maximise that synergy you need to select a consultancy that closely matches your own company values. If you are a highly customer service focused company you need a provider that matches those values.

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