Savvy business owners and HR professionals know that effective hiring takes thought, planning, and resources. And many of these companies come to rely on outsourced recruiting firms to fill open positions. They find it an extremely effective way to hire full-time staff to increase productivity and improve their work environment. One of the main reasons being professional recruitment agencies give them immediate access to the best candidates with all the necessary skills.

The more they work together, though, the more the relationship with an outsourced recruiter can resemble something of a partnership. Merriam-Webster defines “partner” as “one associated with another, especially in an action”, and “partnership” as “a relationship involving close cooperation between parties” – which is a good description of the interaction that develops between recruiters and their clients.

The best recruitment agencies recognize the collaborative nature of the work they do, and go out of their way to nurture this to provide the greatest value to their customers by acting as a strategic partner. Here are some of the ways they seek to achieve that.

Gain an Understanding of Their Clients’ Needs and Goals

A recruiting firm cannot succeed without first getting to know your business, your needs, and your hiring goals. That way, when the agency comes across an employee who would fit in well with your staff and add much-needed skills and expertise to your workforce, they can recommend and send that valuable person your way. Over time, this relationship will save you precious time and money, and your workforce can become increasingly specialized matching your unique needs and goals.

Looking Out for Their Clients’ Best Interests

A recruiting firm’s success depends entirely up on the success of its clients. It behooves a recruiter to think of themselves as an extension of their client’s business. They need to see the world through each of their clients’ eyes and always be thinking about ways they can help their clients be more successful through the services they provide. This can go beyond just presenting well-qualified candidates, and extend to sharing insight and advice about (among other things) staffing best practices, HR management, and industry trends.

Provide Access to Quality Qualified Employees – Fast

Perm recruiters know they need to be ready when you can call them. This means not only quickly returning your calls. It means always having a stable of qualified candidates at the ready that are suitable for your organization. The best recruitment agencies are always recruiting – not just when you call with an order. They will have already done the pre-screening, so when you call with an open position, the application and interview process has already been completed. This significantly speeds up the hiring process.

Provide Access to a Larger Network

If a recruitment agency does not immediately have a candidate with precisely the right skills you are in need of, they have networks with other recruiters who might know of just the right person. This extended network helps you to mine a larger percentage of the qualified personnel who might not even be in your geographic area. It’s a win-win situation for the job seeker, the recruiter, and most especially for the hiring manager who successfully gets that position filled.

Doing business with a supplier that views themselves as a strategic partner can provide much more value than one that has no vested interest in their customers’ success. The best recruitment agencies, working to achieve common goals, can give you solid, candid advice about hiring, just as your own in-house advisors. A professional, competent recruitment agency, serving as a strategic partner, can become a natural, and beneficial, extension of your own organization.