There are a lot of decisions that business owners need to make, and one of the most important is hiring the right employees. It can be difficult to find the best candidates, especially if you don’t have the time or resources to do it yourself. That’s where recruitment agencies come in. They can help you find the best employees for your business, and here are five reasons why companies should use them!
What is a recruitment agency?
A recruitment agency is a company that helps businesses find the best employees for their needs.
Today’s job market is highly competitive and sourcing the right people to fulfil your company’s hiring needs is growing more and more difficult.
For a long time, the term ‘recruitment agency’ had many negative associations, however, in more recent years, companies are looking to recruitment agencies more than ever to aid them in securing quality candidates for their ever-developing business needs.
It has now become common practice for companies to view recruitment agencies as an effective go-between themselves and their next employee.
Rubicon Consulting is one such agency. We are a Talent management consultancy which helps companies to optimise overall business performance no matter the business challenge, giving them a competitive advantage by choosing the right people the first time!
Why use a recruitment agency like Rubicon Consulting:
1) Faster hiring and better quality candidates.
A recruitment agency can find potential candidates much faster as they usually have a comprehensive talent pool to source from, filled with people that have specific previous experience or skills in the roles, areas or industries you are looking for.
Due to their extensive networks and specialised contacts that are growing by the day, agencies can also reach passive, harder-to-find candidates that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to contact.
Essentially, this means that the candidates that agencies submit for your review are ones of the highest quality, having already been screened by industry experts and found to fit your specific requirements, saving you the time of having to review potentially hundreds of CVs sent your way via more direct recruitment methods.
2) More flexible hiring.
Depending on which recruitment agency you choose, a variety of services and solutions are on offer to suit your company’s hiring needs. For example, if your business model and needs require contractors or temporary workers then a recruitment agency is the way to go.
They will generally already have lists of contractors who they know will be able to start immediately and provide you with the specific skills you require.
They are also already set up to facilitate these employee types and everything that goes along with them i.e., dealing with the different payment avenues for Limited or Umbrella working and everything else that goes along with it.
3) Specialised recruitment experience.
Companies are always growing and changing. Your in-house recruitment team may need to source and conduct complex interviews for positions they may not necessarily be familiar with.
Using a recruitment agency with staff that specialises in sector-specific recruiting often have a better knowledge of technical roles, and the skills needed for them and are able to identify transferable skills others may miss.
4) Save time and money.
The obvious answer here is that by using a recruitment agency you will save your company both time and money.
Time in the sense that, as mentioned earlier, agencies will handle all of the sourcing, screening and interviewing for you. And money in the sense that they will also likely have access to free or discounted job boards and other candidate-sourcing tools.
5) Market knowledge.
As part of their everyday operations, recruiters are in conversations with both clients and candidates, utilising them to increase their knowledge about the sectors they specialise in.
This makes them a great source of relevant information, able to provide your business with valuable insight and advice across a number of areas such as market trends, salary rates, career expectations, current hiring challenges, and candidate feedback on your company, you may otherwise have never known about.
Now, more than ever, companies are recognising that it is the quality of their employees which has the greatest impact on the success of their business. So, choosing the ‘right’ recruitment partner for hiring your workforce is more important than ever!
Here are 3 Top tips for picking the right recruitment agency for you:
Do your research.
The recruitment agency you ultimately decide to partner with will depend on several factors including their specialist industries, the services they offer, what they charge and their success rate etc.
As there is such a large selection of agencies out there, it is important to take your time and investigate your options thoroughly.
You can do this by first looking at available case studies, checking testimonials and feedback from the clients they are working with, and then compare the quality of work with that of top competitors.
This should help you to narrow down your selection of potentials into a more manageable shortlist.
Interview prospective agencies to see if they are a good fit.
Once you have established your hiring needs and done your research, you should have a shortlist of potential agencies that may be the suitable recruitment partner for your business.
The next step is to screen them just like you would any potential candidate as it is vital to get a clear idea of whether the agency can provide the quality candidates you are looking for.
For this, ask questions related to things like experience i.e., industries and clients, services they offer, their processes, charges rates, terms of business and KPI e.g., placements percentages, time frames etc. The more information you can gather about the recruiter, the more confident you will be when making the final decision and selecting a recruitment agency to partner with.
Check your budget and the finer details.
Searching for the best recruitment agency is obviously natural, but it’s useless if you cannot afford the services.
With tighter budgets and having fewer resources available becoming a common occurrence, so finding the right recruitment agency for your business, the first time, is critical.
Many recruitment agencies provide high-quality candidates, but their charges can be comparatively higher compared to other agencies which provide almost the same quality of employees.
Making sure you check the T & C’s is an important aspect of the overall cost as well e.g. some agencies may offer a contingency to replace candidates that don’t pass the agreed probation period at no extra cost.
In contrast, others will charge you an additional fee. It is crucial to choose a recruitment agency that is transparent about all aspects of the recruitment process and offers a distinctive, consistent and authentic value proposition that meets your company’s needs and budget.
Verdict
There are many reasons to use a recruitment agency when hiring for your business. The most important thing is to do your research, interview prospective agencies and then check your budget and the finer details before making your final decision.
Whether you are looking for office-based staff or more specialist top-talent candidates, a recruitment agency can help to take the hassle out of hiring staff and free up your time so that you can focus on running your business.
Contact us at Rubicon Consulting today to discuss how we can help you find the right candidates for your business. One of our expert consultants would be more than happy to chat with you about your specific requirements.
Recruitment FAQs:
Still wondering if working with a recruitment agency is right for your business? Here are answers to some frequently asked questions that may help you make a decision:
What are the benefits of using a Solihull recruitment agency?
There are many benefits of working with a recruitment agency.
- Access to a larger pool of candidates: By working with a recruitment agency, you will have access to a larger pool of candidates than you would if you were to carry out the recruitment process yourself.
- Save time and money: Hiring can be a time-consuming process, and working with a recruitment agency can save you a lot of time and money.
- Expertise and guidance: Recruitment agencies have a team of experts who can provide you with guidance and support throughout the recruitment process.
- Business Support: Many agencies also offer additional business support services such as HR and training.
What is the average recruitment fee?
The average recruitment fee is typically around 10-15% of the candidate’s annual salary. However, this can vary depending on the agency, the role you are recruiting for and the level of experience required. Some companies charge a set fee, while others charge a percentage of the salary.
What is the difference between a contingency and a retained recruitment agency?
A contingency recruitment agency will only be paid if they are successful in finding a candidate for your vacancy. A retained recruitment agency will charge you a fee upfront, regardless of whether they are successful in finding a candidate.
How long does it take to find a candidate through a recruitment agency?
The time it takes to find a candidate through a recruitment agency will depend on the role you are recruiting for, the level of experience required and the number of agencies you are working with. It can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
Are recruitment services only for permanent roles?
No, recruitment agencies can also help you to find candidates for temporary, contract and interim roles. So whether you need staff on a permanent basis or for a short-term project, a recruitment agency can help.
Is there a way to job search through using a recruitment agency?
Yes. You can submit your CV here and we will help you find your next job!