Historically low unemployment means employers need to get creative in their approach to sourcing, interviewing, and hiring new talent. In this environment, staffing firms become the extra set of eyes and ears you need to find talent in unexpected places. These companies come with an established network of talent already in their pipeline, plus the expertise to find the resources your internal teams are missing.
The relationship you have with your recruitment agency is only as good as the process, workflows, and trust you place in the partnership. Here are eight ways to make it a winning relationship for everyone involved.
1. Understand the strengths that compliment your company.
You should know your recruiting firm partner well enough to understand what resources they bring to the table. Do they have a certain geographic set of connections to help your company? How well do they know your industry? Do they have the skills to run a technical screen?
2. Communicate regularly with your account manager.
Having regular discussions with your staffing team will help you improve the relationship. It will give them the tools they need to stay on top of market shifts, or subtle changes to the role itself. Proving regular and timely candidate feedback will help them on their searches and interview processes in order to make them more effective in their search efforts.
3. Partner with one search firm.
Find the one staffing agency to fit your company and run with it. Unless the agency doesn’t have the bandwidth to keep up with your requests, this will help you improve the relationship to the point where the staffing firm begins to act like a logical extension of your internal teams.
4. Teach the staffing agency about your culture.
Today, candidates look closely at cultural fit. The right culture fit can set a company apart from the competition, so why would you not engage the staffing firm to the point where they really understand the work environment? Understanding culture means the staffing agency can effectively “sell” your company to a qualified candidate.
5. Don’t just say “no,” tell them “why.”
Turning down resumes without providing feedback will not help the recruiting team be more effective. Many times, we see recruiters just throwing resumes at employers without honing their approach. Instead, review the resumes and take the time to speak with the recruiting team about why you like or dislike the candidate for the role.
6. Trust your recruiting firm for compliance advice.
The best-recruiting firms are employment resources, providing expert counsel about the legal issues surrounding employment. These issues could range from Visa approvals to HPSA scores and they are crucial components to any new hire.
7. Be honest.
In the same way, you want your recruiting firm to be honest with your team, you should also trust and share candid feedback. Share information on the workplace and team each candidate will be working with. Explain the strategic imperatives driving your growth or why the roles are currently open.
8. Be open-minded in your recruiting approach.
It’s a tough job market right now. Be open to candidate arrangements such as temp-to-hire or contract work in order to find more employees. Trust that your recruiting firm has your best interests at heart and listen to what they recommend.
UHC Solutions prides itself on working closely with our clients. Contact us to start the conversation.
