{"id":4290,"date":"2016-10-06T09:00:30","date_gmt":"2016-10-06T16:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/recruitloop.wpengine.com\/?p=4290"},"modified":"2023-05-12T11:11:05","modified_gmt":"2023-05-12T18:11:05","slug":"7-things-to-be-aware-of-before-engaging-a-recruiter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zippia.com\/employer\/7-things-to-be-aware-of-before-engaging-a-recruiter\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Things to Consider Before Engaging a Recruiter"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019ve been in the recruitment game for my entire career. That’s over\u00a0two decades now.<\/p>\n

Yikes!<\/em><\/p>\n

While it’s true that as far as recruitment goes I’m (RecruitLoop is) doing things very<\/em> differently now compared to how things were\u00a0done\u00a0back in the mid-90’s. But trust me whether in the 90’s, naughties, or ‘nows’, I\u2019ve certainly heard my fair share of comments about what people really<\/em> think about recruiters (and our industry).<\/p>\n

Fortunately I\u2019ve got very thick skin.<\/p>\n

Sure there are times when your recruiter might not have been able to find you that needle in the haystack; that diamond in the rough; the perfect candidate. But if you were to dig a bit deeper, you might actually discover that in fact it wasn\u2019t your recruiter who couldn\u2019t find what you were looking for. It\u2019s that as a business owner, employer, internal recruiter or HR specialist, you didn\u2019t know exactly what you were looking for in a recruiter when you set about engaging them in the first place.<\/p>\n

1. What\u2019s their background? <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Of course I am not talking about whether they\u2019re an Aussie, Yank or a Brit! You should definitely find out how long they’ve been recruiting. If they are still relatively new to the game, perhaps they’ve come from your own industry sector; or even held a role similar to what you\u2019re after now.\u00a0Believe me it pays to find out as early as possible.<\/p>\n

2. Are you looking for a generalist recruiter or a specialist recruiter? <\/strong><\/h2>\n

If\u00a0you have the budget to engage an external recruiter, the big question then becomes whether\u00a0you want to work with a generalist or a specialist?<\/p>\n

That\u2019s entirely up to you. But\u00a0when you\u2019re not feeling well do you make an appointment to see\u00a0a General Practitioner or a\u00a0Specialist?<\/p>\n

A generalist recruiter is one who works on a variety of accounts, recruiting for a wide range of job functions, industry sectors and locations.\u00a0On the other hand a recruitment specialist focuses on a particular job function, industry or location and typically recruits up to higher-level jobs within a niche with less transferable skills such as accounting, legal, graphic design, healthcare, manufacturing, architecture etc.<\/p>\n

The main difference between a generalist and a specialist recruiter is in the quantity and quality of candidates they deliver.\u00a0Specialist recruiters<\/a> should be able to produce superior results for you.<\/p>\n

3. Does your recruiter have a proven track record? <\/strong><\/h2>\n

A good recruiter will have a solid reputation around town and amongst their peers. They should also have a demonstrated track record of successful placements in their field of specialisation (ideally roles similar to what you hope they will recruit for you). It shouldn\u2019t be hard to find out, because if they do, they will no doubt be happy to share their past success stories with you.<\/p>\n

Your recruiter should be tapped into their area of specialisation. They should be able to answer with authority any questions you might ask them on the subject. They should be familiar with the industry terminology and know all the key players. In fact, they should know many of the same people you do. Knowledge is power and that\u2019s especially true in recruitment. The more you know about your subject, the more accurate your decisions will be and the more positive results you will achieve.<\/p>\n

4. What\u2019s their recruitment process? <\/strong><\/h2>\n

There\u2019s a common misconception that when you brief a recruiter they will just do a quick search on LinkedIn, skim through their database or throw an ad up on to a job board. This couldn\u2019t be further to the truth (in most cases anyway!). But it\u2019s up to you to find out exactly<\/em> how your recruiter of choice plans to work on your brief.<\/p>\n

Never assume.<\/p>\n

Ask them questions; probe; leave no stone unturned. Yes \u2026 you should almost interview\u00a0them<\/em> before you let them interview on your behalf.<\/p>\n

A detailed recruitment methodology<\/a>\u00a0will ensure that a transparent and unbiased recruitment and selection process is followed; one that results in the appointment of the best candidate, based solely on merit and best-fit with your organisational values, philosophy, and goals.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Do they already have candidates in mind?<\/h2>\n

Your recruiter should have strong relationships with their top candidates, as these people are their bread and butter. Your recruiter should know what makes their candidates tick, what their general likes and dislikes are, their motivations, and temperaments.\u00a0By knowing their audience your recruiter should also be able to quickly highlight the aspects of your position that they know will appeal to their best candidates.<\/p>\n

However if they don’t already have candidates in mind you need to ensure they have a robust sourcing strategy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Knowing how to effectively source talent is now more important than ever before.<\/p>\n

Sourcing is so much more than simply specialized r\u00e9sume search and candidate name generation. Sourcing has turned into a specialised field of its own, and if your recruiter can’t explain the fundamental differences between their sourcing and recruiting strategies,\u00a0this should ring alarm bells.<\/p>\n

6. How well do they really<\/em> understand your needs?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Before they can possibly find someone to work in your business, your recruiter must have a good understanding of your organisation\u2019s structure and its goals. If they have successfully filled similar vacancies in the industry before, then they will know instinctively the kind of employee you are looking for. Does your recruiter actually intend to take the time to meet with you in person?<\/p>\n

And of course \u2026<\/p>\n

7. How much is it all going to cost? <\/strong><\/h2>\n

What\u2019s your recruiter\u2019s fee structure? Are they going to ask for a portion of the fee up front? Are they charging you a fee based on a percentage of the successful candidate\u2019s salary? Are they offering any guarantee<\/a> in the event the candidate doesn\u2019t stay for whatever reason?<\/p>\n

Perhaps they\u2019re charging you an hourly rate where you are paying purely for their time and expertise<\/a> as opposed to the outcome? (Yes this is certainly<\/em> an option!). If so, can they estimate approximately how long the process will take?<\/p>\n

Sure there\u2019s a lot to uncover before engaging a recruiter. But rest assured finding out up front will save you a lot of angst in the long run.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You wouldn’t hire a lawyer without asking them a few questions, would you? Well there\u2019s a lot to uncover before engaging a recruiter too. And rest assured finding out up front will save you a lot of angst in the long run.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":9802,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[74],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n7 Things to Consider Before Engaging a Recruiter<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There\u2019s a lot to uncover before engaging a recruiter. 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