Try as we might, there is only so much you can truly convey with a piece of paper; or, in this case, a 2-page document…
Putting together a job description is a good place to start when you’re looking to hire, but in this competitive job market, just sending out a generic description and hoping for the best won’t really cut it anymore if you’re looking to source the best talent. And, while this may seem like a time-saver in the short term, the reality is that you will only be doing yourself a disservice in the long term. Taking the time to convey the specifics of a role you’re hiring for in detail is crucial in creating a smoother hiring and interview process, and also provides an opportunity to collaborate, align expectations, and ultimately find the very best of the best for your organisation. So, I’m going to explain how taking the time to have a conversation with a recruitment agency can transform your hiring process.
Efficiency and Cost
As a recruiter, being given the opportunity to verbally communicate with a hiring manager will always allow you to glean far more detail and understand the role at a more granular level. It allows you to understand the nuances of the position and allows you the opportunity to clarify any ambiguities that there may be within a generic job description: a hiring manager will be able to provide context and insights that are difficult to capture in a short, written document, and by allowing your recruiter that insight, they will be able to source you the right candidates with much greater ease. As well as this, it’s worth keeping in mind that agencies can thoroughly vet candidates on your behalf, checking references and backgrounds to ensure they meet your standards. While sending a job description and waiting might seem efficient, it can lead to wasted time reviewing unqualified applicants. Engaging with an agency can help you find the right candidates faster, saving you both time and money.
Culture Fit
Culture is one of those things that is very difficult to describe on the phone, let alone in a job description. Every business’s culture is different, and finding a candidate who will slot into your business is no mean feat. Taking the time to discuss your company’s culture, values, and team dynamics in detail is invaluable. By doing so, your chosen recruiter will then be able to focus on finding candidates who not only match the job’s requirements but who also align with your organisation’s ethos.
Passive talent pool
Recruiters aim to find the best person in the market, not the best person on the market: agencies will have extensive networks and talent pools already available to them. By speaking to them about your requirements in detail, they can then work to tap into passive talent that may not respond to traditional job postings. Moreover, your chosen recruiter may already have warm candidates who would be the right fit for your role and can start lining up interviews off the back of your discussion, offering you an even smoother process and turnaround.
Collaboration
When you choose to utilise a recruiter, you are not only able to use their sourcing skills, but also tap into their knowledge of the hiring market within your region and specialism. Since they are working the job market all day, every day, they can provide you with invaluable feedback and suggestions on what types of candidates are available on the market, what the average salary rate versus experience level for those candidates would be and give you a realistic estimate as to the timeframe for finding a candidate at that level; all of which can have an impact on your hiring decisions. Building a relationship with a recruitment agency can be a long-term investment: they can become your trusted talent partner, helping you navigate changing staffing needs over time.
Ultimately, the benefits of taking the time to outline your requirements in a greater level of detail will always pay off in the end: with time to hire increasing steadily over time, it’s important to streamline your search wherever you can, and finding higher quality candidates at an earlier stage of the process is key to ensuring this. Particularly in such a competitive market, where candidates will have multiple offers on the table and enticing them to leave the security of their current position is increasingly challenging, enlisting the help and advice of a specialist recruiter will make all the difference in securing the right fit for your business.