APLAZ
Employee Recruiting Services.
Employee recruiting services are available to help you build your candidate pool. However, these services are often misunderstood.
Like any other business service, there are organizations that specialize in recruiting employees for your business. They operate under a number of different names including recruiting firm, headhunter, contingency recruiting firm and retained search firm.
Don’t let all the different names confuse you.
Employee recruiting services really boil down to two types of organizations. The first type attempts to find candidates for your open position and only gets paid if you hire one of the candidates they refer. These firms operate on a “contingency” basis and generally are referred to as headhunters or contingency recruiters.
The second type of employee recruiting firm is the retained search firm. This organization charges a fee that is paid in installments regardless of the results. This is not to say search firms don’t deliver because mostly they do.
Recruiting Fees
In both cases, the fee you pay is a generally a percentage of the new employee’s compensation. Percentages run from 20% on the low end to 35% on the high end. Although all of these firms will tell you the fee percentage is fixed, that is simply not the case. You can always negotiate different terms.
Choosing A Recruiting Firm
Before you can choose an employee recruiting service firm, you need to have a clear grasp of your need. In addition, you need to understand your sense of urgency and your budget. Using a recruiting firm can be one of the fastest options but it is also the most expensive option.
Have a clear profile of the person you need to satisfy your business. Have the budget to pay for the service. And, be prepared to devote the necessary time to work with the recruiting firm so they can successfully present you with candidates.
With all your preparations completed, it is time to determine whether to work with a contingency firm or a retained firm. Retained firms are generally best used for very senior positions or positions where discretion is critical and when you have the budget available. Contingency firms are generally used for all your other positions where you have chosen to use an outside firm.
Start, your search for a recruiting firm by checking with peers, friends, suppliers and anyone else in your your professional network. The best way to find a good recruiting firm is by way of referral from someone who has had positive results.
Next, you can check with your industry association to see if there are firms that specialize in your industry. It is critical to work with a firm that specializes in your industry. You want someone who knows the players and doesn’t have to start from scratch.
Once you have found a firm, check references. You are about to make a sizable investment so you want to be as certain as possible about the firm you choose.
Finally, it is time to negotiate the terms of your agreement. Every employee recruiting firm has a standard contract. That is only the starting point for your negotiations. Everything from the percentage fee, the terms of payment and the guarantee are open to discussion.
Some firms will be more willing to discuss terms than others. Remember, you are the customer. The terms needs to work for you.
Guidelines For Working With Recruiting Firms
There are a couple of guidelines that will help you get the best return on your investment in employee recruiting services. First, give them all the information and access they need so they have what is necessary to get the job done. Don’t ever have an adversarial relationship with your recruiting firm.
Next, give them the feedback they need to narrow the search. Recruiting is not an exact science and the better feedback you give them the better candidates you will see. But, DO NOT ACCEPT SHODDY WORK.
Don’t let a recruiting firm just throw resumes at you and hope something will stick. You are paying a serious amount of money and you need to expect a professional job. Every candidate you see should be closer to exactly what you need.
Don’t hesitate to move on to a different firm if you are not getting the results you are paying for.
Finally, conduct your own reference checks. It is always best to speak with references yourself. It is too easy for things to get lost when your recruiting firm is involved with references.
In conclusion, employee recruiting services can be an excellent source of candidates for your open positions. Choose a recruiting firm (headhunter or search firm) when you have the budget but do not have the time or expertise to recruit on your own.
For more information on APLAZ Employee Recreuiting, contact an APLAZ business service specialist at (650) 557-3797 or click the contact button: