Maven has put together a list of Top 10 Qualities to Look for in a Recruiting Firm.
Trying to find the right candidates for your company’s open positions is one of the most costly and time-consuming aspects of running a business. In a perfect world, the ideal candidates would come right to you, allowing you to focus on running your business. However, sometimes you need help locating and vetting candidates. That’s when it’s helpful to outsource your recruiting needs to a firm that specializes in your industry. Here are the top 10 qualities to look for when choosing a recruiting firm.
Solid, Consistent Communication
Your recruitment firm should be in constant contact with you every step of the way. During the initial phases of working with a recruiting firm, they will communicate with you to find out who you are as a business and what you want out of a candidate. They’ll know what types of skill sets a candidates should have and make sure that they fit your work culture. They’ll also always keep you informed on the day-to-day checkpoints of where they are in the hiring process.
Timeliness
It’s important for both you and the recruiting firm to understand the time expectations you have in the hiring process. Establishing your goals for when you want to get certain positions filled, when you need to have a job posted, and how long the interview process should take. The right firm will understand that you need to save time, and will work to get you the best candidates as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Do They Knows How to Represent You
In order to attract the best candidates for your position, the recruiting firm has to present your company as a desirable place to work. A firm who showcases the best aspects of your company will garner a better response from potential candidates.
Has a History of Success
You want to hire a company with a history of success, so they can help you be successful too. A staffing firm should be able to give you statistics of their successes, and be able to talk about why and how they were able to get those numbers. They should set you up for success by giving you realistic expectations for your staffing needs.
Encourages Repeat Customer Business and Referrals
One of the best ways to find a recruiting firm is to reach out to your business network and see whom your colleagues recommend. Companies should want to use the same staffing firm over and over as new positions become available. Look on the recruitment firm’s website for testimonials from reputable local businesses: referrals such as these are indicative of past successes and repeat business. Don’t be afraid to ask for some past references.
Knows Where to Find Candidates
There are many platforms out there to post your jobs and try to reach candidates: LinkedIn, Indeed, Monster, etc. The right recruiting firm is going to know exactly how to use each platform to attract the candidates you’re looking for. They should be able to navigate all of these platforms to strategically target your niche candidates.
Specializes in Your Business
If you’re an IT company, you need to hire an IT staffing firm: simple as that. The same principle goes for accounting, engineering, and any other field. A good staffing company won’t know how to fit your needs if they don’t understand the basic technical aspects of the positions that you’re trying to fill.
Understands Your Culture
The right recruiting firm will understand not only the technical aspects of your company, but also the culture of your workforce. A candidate may have all the right specifications for the job, but if his/her personality isn’t compatible with your team, he/she won’t be a good fit for your company. A recruiting firm has to understand the importance of your company’s culture in order to find candidates with personalities to match.
Allows You to Focus on your Core Business
The right staffing firm is going to take on all of the responsibility of finding the candidates you need for your business, allowing you to focus on running your core business. If too much of your company’s energy is expended on locating candidates, then less energy will be spent on daily business needs.
