How to pick a recruiter
If your company needs guidance throughout the process of identifying and hiring qualified candidates for open roles, it may be time to consider hiring a recruiter.
You might be wondering: what exactly can a recruiter do for me? To put it simply, the goal of a recruiter is to find (and ultimately help hire) the best candidates for open jobs. Recruiters typically assist with one or more of the following tasks: sourcing potential candidates, screening and interviewing candidates, coordinating interviews and follow ups, negotiating offers, maintaining records, and tracking data. Recruiters are usually employed in two ways: in-house for a specific recruiting agency, or on a contract basis for specific roles. In addition, regardless of how they are employed, successful recruiters typically take responsibility for staying up-to-date on industry trends and best practices in recruitment.
Now that you know how a recruiter could help your business, here are five steps to pick the right recruiter to fill your open jobs:
Determine your needs: To select a recruiter, you first need to clearly define what you need/the type of candidate you are hoping to find. Take some time to think about the specific skills and experience that are needed for the open position. It’s important to factor in company culture and values as well.
Research potential recruiters: Researching a variety of recruiters and/or agencies before selecting one can help you find the best fit for your organization. Some recruiters specialize in specific industries or job functions- putting in the effort to conduct research will be worth it to help you find recruiters who have experience placing candidates in similar roles or industries.
Check references and reviews: It’s never a bad idea to check a recruiter’s references- and even reviews from similar clients- before deciding to work with them. This can give you a sense of the recruiter’s skills and reputation.
Consider the cost: Before selecting a recruiter to work with, make sure that you’ve considered the cost of working with a recruiter (and whether or not it’s a good option for your budget.) Typically, recruiters charge a fee for their services that may be a percentage of the candidate’s salary or a flat fee.
Meet with potential recruiters: Once you have a solid list of potential recruiters to work with, schedule phone calls or meetings to explain your needs (which you determined in step 1). This meeting will also help you to get to know the recruiter better. You’ll have the opportunity to ask questions and evaluate whether or not the recruiter is a good fit for your organization.
If you take the time to complete these steps, you’ll be able to find a recruiter who can help your organization succeed by locating candidates to fill open positions (ultimately resulting in a solid team!) A final piece of advice: don’t forget that the recruitment process is a partnership. To build and maintain this partnership, make sure to communicate clearly and openly with your recruiter so that you are both actively working towards the same goals.
