What to Look For in a Recruiting Firm

Regardless of whether you run a multi-national corporation or a small company, you have to get the right permanent staff if you want to be successful. Although you can recruit employees at your own company, the best thing to do is to hire a professional, reliable recruiting agency, which can help you get the staff you need without facing any hassle.

Things to Consider when Choosing a Permanent Staffing Agency

A good recruiting firm not only helps you find the right candidates for a job, but also ensures that the entire hiring process goes as smoothly as possible. If you wonder how you’re going to find a really professional and reliable recruitment service provider, take a look at the following paragraphs that explain exactly what to look for in a recruiting firm.

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• Reputation: Most probably, you want to work with a recruiting agency that is able to attract quality candidates. Hiring knowledgeable and experienced staff allows you to offer your customers the services they expect and create and maintain a positive reputation for your company.
• Retained versus Contingent: Unlike a contingent recruiting agency that typically provides long lists of candidates who may or may not meet your expectations, a retained agency looks for and screens candidates, presenting a shortlist of the most appropriate candidates for particular positions.
• Compatibility: To find employees who best fit your needs and expectations, the consultant working for a recruiting agency should understand your company’s vision, the market in which you operate, and the cultural and technical aspects of the roles you’re recruiting for. The professional can assess your real business needs and understand exactly what you’re looking for only if he or she meets you in person at your office.
• Screening Process: To make sure that a recruiting firm can save you time and money, while assisting you in finding the staff you need, check its screening process. The best agencies offer streamlined, cost-effective solutions that bring you the most suitable candidates for the positions you have available. In addition to checking the methods a staffing firm uses to find and select perm staff, ask questions about fee structures and timelines.
• Customer Satisfaction: To explore how a recruiting agency ensures customer satisfaction, look for online reviews and forums. Many employers and job seekers are ready to offer you details about the recruiting service providers they work with.
• Mission Statement: When reading the mission statement of a recruiting agency, check if it subscribes to rigorous codes of practice. If you find indicators of commitment to high ethics and performance, you can be almost sure that the agency is reliable.
• Reference Checks: Similar to hiring regular employees, it’s imperative to check references before enlisting the services of a recruiting agency. This means to move beyond the marketing language of the agency you intend to hire and check what its customers are saying. Additionally, if a business partner you trust recommends a particular agency, take the time to compare that agency with other similar services before making your final decision.

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Finding the perfect recruiting agency isn’t easy, but it’s worth the effort. Working with a professional recruiter will make a noticeable difference in choosing the right perm staff for your business because he or she can help you reduce your time to hire, increase quality of hire, and mitigate the risk of a bad hire.