The REAL Reason Your Recruiter is Hurting Your Business. Don’t worry; I’ve been a recruiter for a long time, so I understand that our profession doesn’t always have the best reputation. But let me clarify something: not every recruiter is the same, and some of the problems you face with your recruiter can be fixed once you understand the underlying reasons for their shortcomings.
The Flawed Idea: “Contingency” Contracts
One of the worst concepts in recruitment history is the “contingency” contract. This is when recruiters take a brief for a role from a client, knowing they’ll only get paid if they find a candidate that gets hired. On the surface, it might seem like a good deal for you, the employer.
However, the reality is that this model often leads to mediocre results. Recruiters are incentivized to race against each other to present candidates as quickly as possible, sacrificing quality for speed. As a result, you end up with candidates you “like enough” to hire rather than those who truly shine and become long-term assets to your business.
A Race to the Bottom: Quality vs. Speed
When multiple recruiters are involved, the race to find candidates quickly intensifies. This can lead to an influx of average candidates presented to you in a short amount of time, but it doesn’t guarantee the best fit for your business.
Even when working with a single recruiter, the contingency-based payment structure may limit their time and effort invested in each role. They may have to juggle multiple assignments simultaneously to balance the ones that pay with those that don’t. Consequently, this often results in presenting shortlists of average candidates, leading to suboptimal hires and subsequent disappointments.
Breaking the Cycle: A New Approach to Recruitment
Contingency recruitment is not in the best interest of recruiters, candidates, or your business. If you want to experience higher quality results, it’s time to consider a different approach.
This involves:
- Comprehensive Job Briefs: Provide detailed and clear job descriptions to recruiters to attract the right candidates.
- Wide-ranging Market Searches: Conduct thorough searches to explore all potential talent pools and identify hidden gems.
- Deep Candidate Assessments: Assess candidates meticulously, focusing on their skills, experience, and cultural fit.
- Highest-quality Shortlists: Present you with top-notch candidates who have the potential to make a significant impact on your business.
By adopting this approach, you’ll notice a significant difference in the caliber of candidates your recruiter brings to the table, leading to better long-term outcomes for your organization.
Ready for a Better Recruitment Experience?
To find out more about how you can transition to a more effective recruitment strategy, contact our USA office at 332 600 8926 or our UK office at 0203 983 4415, or write to us at [email protected].
It’s time to break free from the limitations of contingency recruitment and embark on a journey towards finding the best talent that will drive your business growth and success.
