Hiring new staff is no easy feat. In fact, 55% of businesses said that hiring new employees is harder now than before the pandemic. That’s why more and more companies are opting for the help of a recruiter.
But guess what?
Not all recruiters are made equal. And hiring a recruiter is no walk in the park.
You could end up picking the wrong recruiter. And picking the wrong recruiter equals more stress on your plate. So we’re here today to help take the pain out of hiring a recruiter.
One of the best ways to judge a recruiter is on their past successes. Have they worked on similar roles before? Have they retained their clients for several years? Invite them to share any success stories with you.
Testimonials are a great sign that your recruiter can be trusted. Use their website, google reviews and LinkedIn to check out client testimonials.
You want to work with a recruiter who knows what they’re talking about. They should be able to share valuable insights with you about hiring trends. And they should also have sound knowledge about your industry too.
There’s nothing worse than vague fees. You want total transparency about how much each hire is going to cost. Find this out before tag-teaming with a recruiter. You’ll also want to get clear on the rebate policy in case your new hire throws in the towel!
A great way to put your recruiter to the test is to see what kind of questions they ask about your company and the role. It’s not enough for them to just ask for the job title and salary. To really sell your company, they need to ask questions about your culture, career progression and other perks.
The best recruiters maximise the use of technology. This could be video interviewing or personality profiling software. Whatever it is, find out what technology tricks they’ve got up their sleeves.
Every recruiter should have a clear hiring process. If not, they’re just stabbing in the dark. You want to hear a breakdown of their hiring strategy. How do they qualify the vacancy? Do they have a persona plan? What's their channel plan? Can they talk you through the screening and interview processes? A clear process leaves no stone unturned. It guarantees you the best candidates on the market.
Communication should be constant and clear from the get-go. If you’re struggling to reach your recruiter or you’re having constant miscommunication errors, steer clear.
There’s nothing worse than a recruiter that over-promises and under-delivers. Be wary of recruiters who just tell you what you want to hear. A harsh truth is better than a beautiful lie (ooh… now that’s deep).
Will your recruiter carry out reference checks? This may seem obvious. But believe it or not, not every recruiter ticks this box.
Most importantly, you want to have a good gut feeling. Has the recruiter been organised, reliable and honest throughout your communication? Or have you had a pit in your stomach the whole time? These qualities are so important. Without them, your relationship is starting out on a shaky foundation.
Finding a trusty recruiter to work with can be a daunting task. But it’s worth the effort once you find that needle in the haystack. Just remember to look for recruiters with a bulletproof process. And don’t forget about that all-important gut feeling.
If you’re looking for a five-star recruitment service, our doors at Fixed-Fee Placements are currently wide open for new business. And as our name suggests, we don’t give any mixed messages when it comes to fees. Contact us below to get the ball rolling.
Vanessa Ramkissoon | Recruitment Content Expert
