This article originally appeared in the September 2021 issue of Security Business magazine. When sharing, don’t forget to mention Security Business magazine on LinkedIn and @SecBusinessMag on Twitter.
Let’s face it, it is tough out there right now! More hiring authorities than ever before are turning to third-party recruiters simply because they are not getting candidate flow needed to support their growing organizations. If this sounds familiar and it is your first foray into the world of outsourced recruiting, there are a few things to know before going external.
1. Fully vet a recruiting partner. When engaging a recruiter, it is imperative to select someone who knows the space, has a strong network of candidates, and who is willing to spend time with the hiring team to get a true sense of company culture fit. If this is unachievable with significant ease, the recruiter is probably not a great match for the organization.
Bottom Line: This is non-negotiable. An external recruiter is the first point of contact that is representing the company.
2. Do not engage multiple search firms. The more resources, the higher the chances of getting the fill, right? Despite what agencies might say to obtain a search, recruiters are all playing in the same sandbox. Typically, there is not a magical unlimited pool of candidates for a search. If there is, that is not a search a recruiter should be working, as a simple job board could probably net a pool of candidates that are qualified for the role. On the other hand, sometimes, a specific need arises – whether it is a lead technician certified in a certain product, or a salesperson from a competitor – and there are only so many options in each region.
When executed poorly, hiring multiple agencies will net some bad results, as they will call the same candidates, tell different information, and ultimately make an organization look desperate to make hires. On the other hand, because most recruiters operate on a contingency basis, many will not work searches that they know other agencies are engaged on, simply because they do not want to run a race against the clock. Savvy recruiters will work the searches with the best chance of placement.
This can all lead to a search becoming more about speed and quantity as opposed to quality – something a hiring manager would not want. In reality, the outcome will be managers inundated with a stack of resumes that are unqualified; or worse (and more likely), radio silence, with no resumes and multiple vacancies.
Bottom Line: Engaging multiple agencies can potentially damage an organization’s reputation, company or brand, or there is probably not enough work being done on your search.
3. Form a true partnership. Hiring managers need to think of the relationship with an external agency as a partnership – not a vendor relationship. Remember, this is a service that you are paying top dollar for, and there is nothing more important to a company than its people.
Human resources can be involved to help streamline processes, but that is just one piece of the puzzle. Communication from hiring managers direct with recruiters is crucial to the success of the search. The less room for interpretation between parties, the better.
Going external carries both cost and time saving benefits. A recruiting partner knows that time is of the essence with all the competition on the market and ultimately, keeps the momentum and urgency required for successful outcomes. This type of push and pull relationship can only be built on trust and true partnership.
Standardizing company-wide on the right recruiting partner can bring a lot of other value that many companies are probably not even realizing. On each search, a good recruiter will be able to conduct research on public opinion, market compensation comparisons, and even provide marketing along the way. Without a true partnership, this is pertinent information you will probably never gather.
Bottom Line: Pushing a recruiter to the HR team is fine for most communication. For best results, however, for each search, recruiters must be in communication with the hiring manager for initial calls and feedback on interviews.
Ryan Joseph is an Executive Recruiter for Recruit Group (https://recruitgrp.com), with a focus on security industry operations, sales, and sales leadership. For help with your security recruiting efforts, contact her at [email protected] or call (954) 278-8286.
