Should Your Business Leverage an HR Partner for Recruitment?

Hiring has long been seen as the responsibility of the human resources department, but more often than not, managing hiring strategies is only one of many hats worn by HR professionals, managers, and business owners whose days are already packed. But hiring new employees is so critical to a business’s operations, it can be a hard process to entrust to someone else. A search management service might be the time-saving and results-driving solution you need.

Recruitment Expertise

Wide Pool of Experience. When you work with an HR company who provides search and recruitment services, you’re getting a partner whose business is recruitment. For most companies, hiring is a peripheral process to the business’s main goals, necessary but not directly influencing revenue growth. Talent search management companies specialize in seeking out great new employees for their clients in a wide array of industries, so they know what works and what doesn’t. They also have an entire team of recruitment experts, rather than one or two hiring managers found at all but the largest companies.

Target Industry Connections. Because they work with different companies in different fields, search management professionals have built up extensive lists of connections and contacts that they can leverage to find the best fit for their clients. Many people who may be qualified for a position and ready to switch jobs are not actively searching for new opportunities, and it’s these people that search management teams can access for your search.

Access to Better Tools

Applicant Tracking Systems. Similar to customer relation management systems, applicant tracking systems (ATS) help recruiters organize and optimize their recruitment strategies. They can be used to screen resumes, vet candidates’ online presence, rank applicants by user-defined criteria, or just organize contact information and notes without the need for paper and filing cabinets. It’s important to note that while a good ATS can work wonders for your time-to-hire and cost-per-hire, they don’t replace a good search team — and search management companies know exactly how to leverage them.

Hiring Assessments. An in-depth study on the usage of hiring assessments found that businesses using hiring assessments were 36% more likely to be satisfied with a new hire than those who don’t. But assessments aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution, and access to them can be pricey. HR recruitment professionals who have access to and experience with industry-acclaimed assessments can help you find only the best candidates.

Compensation Planning Tools. Tools that help you compare and plan compensation for an open position is useful throughout the recruitment process. Presenting applicants with an estimated salary range, benefits package, and other compensation options that are accurate and competitive may attract more people whose goals are in line with your company’s. It can also help with putting together a formal job offer that helps your chosen candidate make their decision.

Training Materials. Recruitment doesn’t end after your new hire accepts your job offer. Recruitment companies with a background in HR can not only find the right person, but also help with onboarding them so that your hire succeeds. They can access onboarding software, tools, and materials that may be cost prohibitive to many companies.

More Time, More People

Your People. Hiring takes time – about 42 days on average, per position, to be exact. With everything that HR professionals need to manage, including strategic business goals and initiatives, it can be almost impossible to find the time to give recruitment the attention it needs. By bringing in help on the time-consuming pieces of recruiting, as well as the strategy behind the entire process, you can focus on the non-hiring needs of your business while still working towards the hire you need.

Their People. Partnering with a search management professional doesn’t mean your team is off the hook, however. The recruitment professionals that you work with should take the time to get to know your business, including the people, culture and goals. Like any great partnership, the lines between “their” people and “yours” begin to blur, making your search team a collaboration of ideas, knowledge, and capabilities all geared towards finding you the best possible employees.

Hiring can be a struggle, especially if you don’t have the time or resources to devote to an in-depth search. Partnering with an HR company for your talent search and recruitment needs can make sure that you get the strategic process necessary to find great employees.