| Life is hard for businesses looking to recruit new | | | | where to find and how to attract employees of |
| staff at present. There is a worldwide skills shortage | | | | particular skills types. If you are unable to attract the |
| and online job advertisements are at a record high. In | | | | employees you want yourself, you may require the |
| response, the recruitment business is booming as | | | | services of a recruitment agency that has good |
| employers look for external assistance to ease their | | | | industry contacts and can headhunt the appropriate |
| plight. | | | | staff you require. |
| The question is, when should you use a recruitment | | | | Whilst most recruiters are sales professionals (not |
| agency and when should you go it alone? | | | | employee selection specialists), some agencies hire |
| Recruitment agency fees are expensive and you | | | | staff with extensive experience in a field (e.g. |
| want to be sure you are getting value for your | | | | electrical engineering) and teach them how to recruit |
| money. | | | | and place. Recruitment consultants who themselves |
| The first thing it is important to understand is that | | | | have the particular skills and experience you require, |
| most recruitment firms are really just job advertisers | | | | are generally better able to understand and assess |
| and do not undertake employee selection for you as | | | | what it is that you are looking for. This means that |
| well. There are some agencies that do and if you | | | | the quality of the short listed candidates that are |
| require this from them this should be an important | | | | provided to you to assess will be higher. |
| part of your selection criteria when deciding which | | | | Many employment markets are so large that for a |
| firm to use. | | | | business to initially screen all applications for a position |
| Given that most recruitment firms don’t | | | | would be so time consuming that it could result in lost |
| provide selection services, if you are able to write an | | | | business whilst this process occurs. This is particularly |
| effective job advertisement or have other arenas | | | | the case in large cities such as New York and |
| through which you can source potential job applicants | | | | London, however this problem also occurs in cities |
| yourself, such as through word of mouth from your | | | | within the EU where applicants readily apply for and |
| current employees or through other contacts; or via | | | | move to new jobs right throughout the region. The |
| signs in your place of employment or local area, then | | | | use of recruitment firms in this instance can save |
| you will save considerable amounts of money by | | | | considerable time and stress provided that correct |
| undertaking all of your employee recruitment and | | | | selection and screening procedures are utilized. |
| selection process yourself. | | | | Similarly, if you do not have the time to undertake |
| A recruitment firm can offer you great benefits if | | | | the recruitment and selection process yourself and |
| you are looking to hire staff for short periods of time | | | | the cost to your business in lost business or business |
| and also wish to use the recruitment | | | | development opportunity during the recruitment |
| company’s services as an outsourced | | | | process is more than the cost of utilizing a |
| employer. The recruitment firm will charge you an | | | | recruitment firm, you should definitely consider |
| hourly or daily rate for the contractor and also act as | | | | outsourcing your recruitment. If you choose to go |
| the worker’s employer and will be responsible | | | | this route however you should insist that your |
| for insurances, salary, superannuation and all | | | | chosen firm undertakes the whole process for you |
| employee benefits. Although this is generally more | | | | and uses scientific selection methodology. |
| expensive than if you act as the employer yourself, | | | | At the very least your recruiter should undertake |
| there is just a single invoice to be paid rather than | | | | background and reference checks on your behalf and |
| the workload associated with an additional employee. | | | | use behavioral based interviews. Otherwise you will |
| Also the recruitment firm takes all the risk and you | | | | end up having to put in just as much time and effort |
| can ask for replacement staff at any time if the | | | | yourself anyway to assess the applicants they send |
| employee is not working out like you hoped or if you | | | | you. If not, the effect of your outsourced employee |
| no longer require their services. This can be | | | | selection process will be just as effective as taking a |
| particularly useful if you require particular skills for only | | | | lucky dip from a hat. And you will have to deal with |
| a short period of time, for example you need an | | | | the consequences, which could not only include you |
| accountant to help you out at tax time or a | | | | being stuck with a less than productive employee, |
| receptionist to fill in whilst your regular employee is | | | | but even a disaster. I can assure you that the time |
| on leave. Using a contractor through a recruitment | | | | and effort required to performance manage a poorly |
| firm can also often be cheaper than using a | | | | performing employee or one with a bad attitude is |
| professional services firm. | | | | much, much more than would be required to |
| A recruitment firm can also provide you with benefits | | | | undertake a successful selection process in the first |
| if they are expert in a particular industry or employee | | | | instance. |
| market. They may have specialized knowledge of | | | | |