How To Use A Recruitment Agency
Running a growing company can be difficult. And needing to increase headcount by 10% or more in a month makes it even harder. At some point, it makes sense to call in some expert help. So what if there was someone or a group of people who could help you scale? What if you knew that there are recruitment agencies solely built to give you access to top talent in less time? If you didn’t, now you know.
This article will further highlight the various ways to use a recruitment agency to accelerate your hiring process.
Who is a Recruiter?
Simply put, a recruiter is tasked with connecting qualified candidates to specific job openings. They work hand-in-hand with hiring managers of interested companies to find and hire the best hands for open roles. They can help create the job description and manage the application process between the employer and the potential employee. They also review resumes, set up phone and in-person interviews, submit job offers to selected employees, and sometimes, help with onboarding new employees.
Types of Recruiters
Recruiters can either be internal, in-house, work in an agency, or freelance. "Internal '' recruiters work full-time for a company, and only hire within that company. In-house recruiters work for a recruiting firm, which in turn will be hired by companies to help such companies fill up open positions. Also, agency recruiters —or contingency recruiters— are independent recruiters that don't work for any specific company, but are hired by various teams to scout for the best talents. They are compensated only after they find a candidate that will fill the role, and such compensation is usually a percentage of the candidate's salary. Finally, freelance recruiters help job seekers get in touch with clients who need contract work. These types of recruiters are common in the web development industries.
Who is a Headhunter?
A headhunter is a recruiter for hire, who usually fills executive positions or "head" of office roles, hence the name.
How Do I Choose a Recruiting agency?
Deciding to use an agency is the first step, congrats on taking it! When it comes to who you’re going to use, there’s good news - you have options. Ultimately the agency you choose will come down to what you’re looking for. Do you want someone to help you with multiple roles? Are you just looking for one high level hire? Would you like ongoing support? If you’re a large company (1,000+ headcount) filling one high level role - a firm focused solely on executive search should be prioritized. If you’re looking to hire a few roles quickly on a contingency basis (paying a commission per hire), you should judge the agency based on the quality of the profiles they provide. If you’re looking for ongoing, in-house support, look for the agency you get along with best and who most readily listens to your feedback - they’re going to make the best partners over an extended timeframe.
When Should You Use a Recruitment Agency?
1. Use a Recruiter When You Are Looking to Make Multiple Hires
It is advisable to use an agency recruiter when you are looking to make more than a hire per month. When researching for a recruiter, ensure that you conduct diligent research to confirm that the recruiters are adept in the industry of your choice and will be able to meet your needs.
2. Use a Recruiter When You Need to focus on Product and Operations
It is commonplace among agency recruiters to have relationships and contacts with candidates in the space you’re looking to hire. Therefore, chances are that they can fill your candidate pipeline quicker than you may be able to on your own, allowing you to stay focused on moving the business forward. This is also a great option when you're making more than one hire at a time in different areas.
3. Use a Recruiter for Expert Help
An agency recruiter can provide insight into the job market and potential profiles for a variety of roles. They are there to help and will work with you to determine the right set of criteria to narrow down your search.
4. Use a Recruiter When you need to scale after raising a venture round
Additionally, you may want to consider using a recruiter after raising a new round. Fresh venture funds can act like jet fuel for your organization, and that can be used to hire, scale and grow quickly with the help of a recruiting agency.
Conclusion
There are many advantages to using a recruitment agency. Oftentimes, they can help you scale quicker than you’d be able to alone. These agencies can also help you find and recruit candidates that may not explicitly be looking for work, but would be the ideal hire for your team.