Choosing a recruitment agency is one of the most important decisions you will take in growing your business. Hooking the right people can give you a crucial edge on your competitors. So how do you ensure that the agency can find you those people?
First you will need to determine the kind of position you want to fill and the skills and personal qualities it requires. Unfortunately, the "one size fits all" option is not applicable here. If you have a range of vacancies, you may need to work with more than one agency. If a recruiter claims it can fill every post in every discipline, keep your distance.
Discuss the brief
Having defined your vacancy, make sure the recruitment agency fully understands your brief and can tap in to the kind of talent pool you need. Ask the consultant to explain how he or she would assess a candidate's suitability for the position you need to fill.
Does your consultant ask you lots of questions and invest time in visiting your offices to find out more about your company? The best recruitment consultants will want to develop a long-term relationship with you and your organisation instead of snapping up a one-off opportunity.
You will also want to find out how they source and look after candidates. Some agencies pride themselves on developing innovative methods to attract the best people to their rosters, as well as treating them as valued customers instead of commodities.
If so, they will want you to know about it, and will be able to provide some detail of what they do: perhaps a loyalty reward programme, offering training, or maintaining regular contact with promising candidates.
Check out the agency
Ask a few questions about how the consultancy operates. Is there a money-back guarantee if they place someone with you who then fails to make the grade? As for the internal workings of the agency, find out whether the successes of the team are rewarded, or whether consultants are competing against each other.
To which professional organisations does the firm or your individual consultant belong? The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) is the recognised trade body for the industry, and members must meet certain standards of practice. Other organisations with codes of practice include the Association of Technology Staffing Companies (ATSCo), the Association of Professional Recruitment Consultants (APRC) and The Employment Agents Movement (TEAM).
Most importantly, do not select a recruitment agency solely on price. Recruiters that tantalise you with low fees will more than likely run a dirt-cheap operation where quality comes second.
DeeDee Doke is the editor of Recruiter magazine: www.recruitermagazine.co.uk
