Whether you’re looking to fill a vacancy in your business or you’re a job hunter, don’t underestimate the power of a recruiting company!
These agencies have come a long way since the days of administering typing tests and only placing “secretaries” in temporary positions. In fact, there’s a big difference between a recruiting agency and a temp agency – sometimes they’re one in the same, but have different departments, but for the most part they’re commonly misidentified as the same thing.
A recruiting agency is often employed by the largest corporations because they have the skills, networks and ability to pinpoint the best candidates for the position — and then secure them. However, there are countless rumors swirling about recruitment agencies and some have been around for decades. If you’re in the position of needing to match the perfect candidate to the perfect job, it’s worth taking a closer look at these agencies.
Here are some of the most common myths about recruiting agencies and why you need to dig deeper.
1) “I can recruit myself…”:
You certainly can recruit candidates yourself, but have you ever wondered why even enterprises with huge HR departments still work with recruiting agencies? You can get tunnel vision, you have the same network, and it takes a lot of manpower to recruit. Improve your efforts and get more quality candidates quicker.
Recruiting takes two things companies don’t have in excess: A lot of time and specialized skills to dedicate toward just one vacancy. Even if you have an amazing recruitment team and/or HR department, they can’t dedicate the equivalency of a full-time job to filling each vacancy that comes up. A recruitment agency, on the other hand, can.
2) “They don’t specialize in my industry…”:
Actually, you probably can find a recruiting agency in your field and if not, these agencies often cast a wide net and can work wonders whether you’re an SEO professional or a dog groomer. For job seekers, including recent grads like Marie Faulkner, agencies got them a great job when their own efforts failed. She says:
“Working with the consultants at the agency has given me two extremely good opportunities to work for some of the most influential organizations”
…and that’s as a freshly minted grad.
As more and more “niche jobs” become standardized, recruitment agencies have kept pace. If you’re looking to fill a very specific type of job, a niche recruitment agency might be a better choice. However, it’s worth checking out if an agency has a specialist of department that focuses on what you’re looking for. You might be surprised by what you find.
3) “They take a huge commission…”:
Obviously recruiters get paid for what they do, and if you want the best recruiting agency on your side, that’s going to cost you. However, for candidates it’s totally free and the only person paying is the company that needs to fill a position. Break down the cost-benefit analysis, and ask yourself what the best workers are really worth. In the long run, those commissions aren’t as costly as you think.
ining, time taken out for background checks and interviews all add up quickly. In the grand scheme of things, it can cost several thousand dollars to hire a new recruit, so the commissions of agents are actually pretty comparable.
READ MORE: Just How Much Do Recruiters Earn?
4) “They don’t work…”:
A recruiter isn’t a magician, and if you don’t put in the effort then even the best agency in the world isn’t going to make a match. If you’re a job seeker, you can still bomb interviews or otherwise turn off an employer. As an employer, maybe you don’t really know what you’re looking for or your hiring team has a penchant for not making the best matches.
However, a good recruiting agency will know if you’re really ready to fill a vacancy or not. If you’re not, then they’ll let you know steps that should be taken before they’ll accept the task. A recruiter wants the same thing you do: the perfect fit for the position, and they won’t compromise just to make a quick fee. Everyone should be happy with the result as this is a symbiotic relationship.
5) “They’re too time consuming…”:
A recruiter can’t do all the work for you, and job seekers certainly have to complete profiles, go on interviews and work with the recruiter. There’s a lot of paperwork on the employer’s side as well. However, agencies streamline these processes. After all, it would be a lot more work to do this solo.
However, that’s like comparing making cookies from scratch vs. making them with pre-made dough. As long as the pre-made dough is high quality, it just speeds things up even though there’s a little work involved form your side.
Is a recruiter your magic bullet? Not necessarily, but they can certainly put you on the fast track to a successful recruitment.
Author: Larry Alton is an independent business consultant specializing in social media trends, business, and entrepreneurship. Follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn.
