Why You Should Invest Time Into Your Recruitment Partner
Beginning a new recruitment campaign can already feel demanding on your time. The temptation to send a rough brief to multiple agencies and wait for the CV’s to roll in is understandable, but taking the time to invest in one or two good agencies will pay you back tenfold.
Invest time to save time
As mentioned, giving a detailed brief to an agency can feel like a time soak in an already busy schedule. However, not providing accurate requirements at the initial point will mean the CVs and candidates presented are not going to be relevant. A lot of your time will be spent sifting through CVs and potentially interviewing candidates that are below par. Choosing one or two recruiters to work with, spending time working through a description of the role and answering any questions will mean the candidates presented are going to be a much better fit. Don’t resent a briefing call - good recruiters won’t keep you on the phone longer than necessary and won't bombard you with pointless questions. This investment means higher CV and interview success rate, therefore less time wasted on incorrect candidates!
Invest time to save money
Time is money. This age old saying rings very true here; your time is valuable, as is the time of your recruiter. They understand the cost that having an unfilled position in your team causes and in an ideal world, that position would have been occupied yesterday. To ensure your recruiter works with the required gumption, your specifications should be clear and qualified, this way your recruiter will be confident to invest the time and get good results quickly. Getting the correct person into your team swiftly not only reduces the strain on the team, but also cuts the expense of an empty seat.
Invest time to get the best
It would be fair to say that the best recruiters will get the best candidates and as you grow your teams, getting access to the best talent will be the priority. Recruiters at the top of their game will work to a high standard and will have expectations of their own, when it comes to their clients. They will only work on vacancies where they feel their client is committed and the chances of them making placements are high; this is after all, how they make their money. If the recruiter you work with settles for vague descriptions, untimely feedback and dodged calls, the chances are you’re not working with the best in the industry and, in turn, are very unlikely to receive the best in your industry.
Invest time to build a partnership
If you have a recruitment strategy that is going to involve multiple hires, you should be looking to build a partnership with your recruiter. Creating a relationship where the recruiter acts as an extension of your company, knowing your culture and inner workings, means they will understand the type of candidate you desire.
To invest the time at the start of the relationship, bringing your recruiter into the fold, so they know the structure of your teams, your clients and future plans, means they can work more autonomously. They won’t require as detailed briefs, as they have likely recruited that position before. They can rule candidates out before presenting them if they know the culture fit is wrong. They can even offer people that haven’t been specifically requested because they understand your direction and believe this person could benefit your strategy.
Creating a partnership is creating the trust that your recruiter will find the best people. When working at its optimum, a hiring manager should barely have to review a CV before progressing because they know they will be relevant.
Whilst time is always short in a hiring managers world, investing in the correct recruiter will save time, money and increase the success of your hires in the long-term.
