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It’s easy to find a recruiter…you probably get 10 to 15 calls from them everyday. The challenge is finding one who can be the right partner and can open doors to untapped talent pools.
How does a company find a recruiter who will not simply post the job description on a job board and then send all the applications over to the hiring manager? Take the partnership mindset. Think of the staffing expert as an extension of your team, working to find talent that fulfills the job requirements and supports the company’s mission and values. One where the recruiters utilize their expertise and resources to discover the best candidates for a job, not to drop off a stack of resumes for the hiring manager to sift through. Discover five ways companies can ensure they select a staffing expert that will be an indispensable asset during the hiring process.
Yes, asking recruiters for references is perfectly okay! Just like you would ask a potential employee to provide professional references, staffing experts should also be prepared with references. These references are not intended to be their managers and previous coworkers, but instead should be past clients they have worked alongside. The goal is to hear from the people who have hired the recruiter to decipher if they are indeed a great partner.
A staffing expert will have references specific to the same industry and job role a company is looking to fill. For example, if a company is looking to fill a software developer position at a blockchain company, a staffing expert will tailor their references to align with that specific role and industry. If the recruiter is unable to provide references or the ones supplied do not appear legitimate, it is probably best to continue hunting for a staffing expert.
Do They Fully Grasp the Job Description?
Job descriptions are the foundation of the job search; however, they often contain flaws. Job descriptions are also often vague, too short or lengthy, written by human resources (employees removed from the actual role), irrelevant to the actual functions of the position, and inaccurate. Staffing experts know this and will often probe to ensure they fully comprehend what to look for in a candidate.
Staffing experts may work with a company to rewrite the job description entirely or ask a list of questions to
The reason staffing experts will always ask questions about the job role and description is because the majority of the time, there is valuable information to uncover and details to clarify. For help on spotting a staffing expert based on what type of questions they ask about the job description, check out our podcast episode about uncovering hidden secrets in the hiring process.
Recruiters might guarantee candidates for your job, but that does not mean the candidates provided will be a good match for the role. It is now standard practice for staffing agencies to collect resumes and applications and pass them along to the company, without ever talking to a candidate. This leads to more work for the hiring manager, as well as a longer process.
This is because if a company brings those candidates in for an interview, numerous issues may arise that could have been avoided if the recruiter had screened the candidates first. Examples include a candidate not being able to communicate or verbalize thoughts effectively during the interview, or finding out in the interview that the job role requires 50% travel. These examples occur frequently and therefore waste the time of the person being interviewed and the hiring manager, which ultimately leads to the company losing money due to a delay in the hiring process.
Staffing experts will screen every candidate, ideally with a video or phone interview. This ensures “surprises,” like the examples above, are controlled and less likely to occur. Therefore, feel free to inquire about the screening process the recruiter has set in-place before they recommend candidates.
One of the most common dilemmas when utilizing recruiters is receiving the same candidates repeatedly because recruiters are sourcing candidates from the same places, such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and Monster. Mark Bassett, Director of Executive Searches at eNamix, says, “Recruiting firms are often fishing in the same pond. Recruiters have access to the same job boards and networks. Therefore, if a company is working with multiple recruiters to fill a role, they are often sent the same candidates from the different recruiters.” This leads to a limited number of candidates that are genuinely fit for a position.
eNamix differs because it has built and maintained a private network of working professionals. Its database contains thousands of professionals, and eNamix’s staffing experts can source candidates for clients that other recruiters do not possess access to. eNamix also engages with their secondary network, which Bassett explains as, “People you know, that know people.” Essentially referrals from trusted people. This allows every candidate eNamix sources to be unique and skillful.
Inquiring about how recruiters source candidates prevents companies from receiving the same candidates repeatedly and illuminates if the recruiter has distinctive procedures in place to discover top tier talent.
When relationships between clients and recruiters are non-exclusive, it may be helpful to use two or three recruiters. This way, hiring managers can test the waters with different recruiters. Hiring managers may discover a staffing expert quicker this way since they are working with a few recruiters at once. Therefore, they can enter exclusive agreements with the particular staffing expert with which they had a phenomenal experience.
However, using more than two or three staffing experts at one time may cause more stress for the hiring manager because they will have to communicate and work with multiple agencies. Lastly, if utilizing more than one recruiter at a time, it is crucial for hiring managers to still apply the tips above to ensure they acquire the right representation.
Staffing experts are there to make hiring easier for the client. They specialize in discovering top talent that fit flawlessly into your organization and job opening. This is done by having the experience, tools, and resources to find the best candidates. The next time you are deciding which recruiter to choose for filling a vacant position at your organization, do not be afraid to apply these tips to detect if they are a staffing expert and if they are going to make an excellent partner.
As always, eNamix is here to answer any questions you have about the recruiting process. Feel free to reach out to info@enamix.com for more information or to speak with one of our staffing experts today!
