Recruitment consultancies get a lot of stick, mostly deserved. However, there are a lot of good agencies out there who offer real value to their clients. Service offerings from agencies have become misconstrued and that has devalued their reputation as an industry. In this article we will discuss 7 benefits of why you should use a recruitment agency and how it benefits you.
The use of a recruitment agency is able to facilitate a need in a particular market and therefore become ‘specialists’ in their niche. Due to this focus on one discipline, talent acquisition specialists build up a wealth of candidates appropriate to their chosen specialist. To that end, recruiters will have an in-depth database of candidates which will not be so easily accessible to the wider market. This enables them to provide organisations with talent which their own internal resources simply cannot reach.
Internally, hiring is a secondary function of most roles, HR, Technical Lead, Managing Director etc. As such, bringing in new talent can be rushed and the best quality of candidate often neglected. Extending the hiring demands to an external source enables the hiring manager to do what they do best, their job. Agencies can offer initial screening to filter-out unsuitable candidates. They ensure that only the most relevant CVs sent to the hiring manager. All in aid of making the process as streamlined as possible.
This is where the term ‘recruitment consultant’ comes from. Due to them operating in a niche they can offer a consultative approach to their service. They are up to date with the latest trends. Qualifications and industry standards. And can guide both candidates & hiring managers alike through each hiring process. All while providing them with expertise when needed. This ensures that all parties involved are represented and managed correctly whilst receiving informed guidance & tips where necessary.
You may think to yourself, what is the difference? There is however a clear distinction. An applicant is someone who is interested in the role. They are not necessarily the right fit for the position. For example a mailman applying for a software engineer position when they have no experience in coding. Candidates on the other hand are vetted. They are screened and are more relevant for the role. Nothing wastes more time than going through inappropriate applicants; let recruiters do it for you.
Nothing sounds better than Free Brand Advertisement. Companies spend thousands on advertising, some even millions, so why wouldn’t someone love to get their hands on some free advertising. This is something the use of a recruitment agency can offer, albeit unconventional, word of mouth is the most powerful advert. A recruiter will speak to a candidate and sell the company, the brand and the way of life that organisation can offer. Within the connected world we now live in with LinkedIn and social media platforms etc, that information will be readily passed on at zero cost. Suddenly your brand is being spoke about to dozens, even hundreds of people. This, from a marketing point of view, opens you company up to far more candidates and potential customers.
The use of a recruitment agency can be an extension to your internal resourcing team. They embed themselves into your culture to understand who you are, why your business set up and all the bits which have followed. They want to represent you as if they worked for you. Having this outlook from your recruitment partner enables them to source the best candidates for your business not only technically but from a culture point of view. Correctly implemented, consultants gain a better understanding of your process, manage each process efficiently with little hassle on your end, streamlining the hiring period and enabling you to save MORE time. Have you ever been annoyed at someone for giving you 30mins of your day back?
This service offering can help you 2-fold. Firstly, the consultant will be speaking to hundreds of candidates a week and getting an understanding of what the average market rate is for particular roles. How does that benefit you? It benefits you because they can advise you on market rates for roles which you may be unsure on or cannot find the right candidate in salary bracket you’re aiming for. Secondly, they can outline candidates’ salaries early, they discuss current salary, minimum salary sought, current bonuses and allowances etc. Hiring directly can cause issues through the process because if the candidate receives an offer which is below what they were expecting due to it not being outlined from the outset, it can cause more candidates to be lost.
To conclude, agencies offer real value for their clients. It is simply malpractice which is where the stigma comes from and not what the entire industry itself.
Having reviewed the benefits, has this change your thoughts on recruitment consultants?
If you want to learn more about how we can help you hire IT staff for your business, you can reach out to the team on [email protected]
“After many years in a HR role, in Stephen and his team at Candour, I have finally found the recruitment agency that is totally attuned to what Phoenix as a company requires. Candour is my one-stop shop for technical candidates!”
Trevor Hutchinson, Phoenix Software
“Stephen did a great job of filling a Lead Software Engineer role that was proving very difficult. He submitted a range of quality CV’s quickly and followed our process throughout.”
Becky O'Farrell, Covea Insurance
“I’ve worked with Stephen for around a year and we have developed a good working relationship. The Candour team are always available so there is never a gap in communication. This is so important when time is tight and you need to find the best talent as soon as possible.”
Abigail Aldred, CNG
“When first speaking to Stephen, he had an honest interest in us as a company, not just what we needed experience and tech-wise, but the culture and the type of person we wanted to join. He gave frank and honest feedback to us and he filled the role in less than 2 weeks!!”
Sophie Elms, Arbor Education
“What makes them stand out is that they truly listen to what our requirements for the perfect candidate are. They deliver on what they promise, and I very much feel they are working with Phoenix Software to ensure the right person for the role is recruited.”
Clare Metcalfe, Phoenix Software
“I receive numerous pitches from recruitment companies. All promise, very few actually deliver. Stephen and the guys at Candour definitely fall into the latter category. They have become a vital part of our recruitment process and act as an invaluable extension of our business.”
Taryn Mitchell-Clegg, IDHL Group
“They have never failed to deliver and always goes the extra mile for their clients and candidates (having been a candidate for Stephen myself too). As a small business, Candour truly understands the importance of finding the right people and help you cut through the noise.”
Claire Penswick, CNG
“Stephen of Candour have managed to fill 3 QA Test Analyst roles for my team in Manchester. I was impressed by the quality of candidates they supplied.”
Isha Soni, Push Doctor
“Stephen and the team found a selection of good candidates in very short timescales, this gave my team good options and ultimately providing the person we were looking for.”
David Topley, TSYS
“Stephen has helped us to find very skilled resources for our open vacancies. I presented him with some challenges and he delivered extremely good candidates that we were struggling to find.”
Mauricio Farache, Piksel
“Stephen is laser-focused in understanding a requirement and then proactively identifying ‘best in class’ candidates. It’s clear that he puts in the extra effort to find only the best – whatever it takes – and this makes for a very effective partnership in any recruitment.”
Joel Albyn, Cap HPI
“Stephen consistently finds quality candidates that others seemingly cannot. This has been no more apparent than in the last few months where I have given him two very difficult technical requirements that he has filled in less than a week.”
Jonathan Hill, GameSparks
“If you are looking to partner with a recruiter who will actually add value to your business and do what they commit to doing, I strongly recommend Stephen.”
Gabriel Page, Amazon
“Stephen is simply one of the best recruiters in the business. He understands my needs as an employer and how to get results with the minimum of fuss. He gets you what you need, when you need it on time and on budget.”
Samantha Allen, SSP
“Over nearly 10 years I have been lucky enough to take on many Engineers that have been supplied through Stephen and his company. Many have been the most talented individuals that I have had the privilege to work with, and all have enhanced our business positively.”
Bruce Cass, Piksel
Candour Solutions market knowledge & advice in relation to market trends & recruitment processes, has helped us reshape our own process.
Rose Laksevics, Tes
