www.rec.uk.com

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT RECRUITMENT CONSULTANCY
FOR YOUR COMPANY

Tim Nicholson is Chief Executive of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), the industry body for recruitment companies. REC has 5,800 corporate and over 7,500 individual members across the UK and has specialist divisions operating in almost all market sectors. 

"When I was asked to comment on how companies recruiting staff might go about choosing a recruitment consultancy, my first thought was to go right back to basics. Perhaps first of all, the question 'Why choose a recruitment consultancy?' needs to be answered. After all, there are lots of companies out there 'doing it themselves' who would never dream of using a professional recruitment company! Would they have anything to gain by changing their approach?

I believe the answer is 'yes' and that the services offered by a reputable recruitment company are more varied and wide ranging than most people imagine. Good candidates are in an enviable position. They are in a sellers' market, with the number of jobs available outstripping the number of candidates. This means they are in an excellent position to negotiate remuneration packages that would have been unheard of five or six years ago. 

Hence the role of recruitment consultant is even more vital to give advice and support on salary and packages, how to recruit the right people and most importantly, how to retain them across a highly competitive and aggressive market.

I hope this shows that recruitment consultancies are not just a CV broking service - but offer advice, help and support in a variety of areas. Consider, for example:

Developing a job description - Some companies tend to the view that if one person leaves, another person with the same skills set should be recruited, based on the same job description. However the job may have changed or there may not even be a job any more. This is especially true of IT positions, in which things are changing all the time. A recruitment consultant will help you to identify key skills and areas of responsibility with a view to putting together a job description which will save time later. REC recommends that everyone involved in the interview process and in the same team as the new recruit should see and agree that job description so that it is clear what type of person is needed. 

Skills/competencies - a recruitment company will help you break down the job description into key skills and competencies. It might be a good idea to 'weigh' these according to their importance, in case a compromise is needed on the skills that a candidate has. Also it's worthwhile thinking about any skills or training which could sensibly be offered to bring a candidate who is lacking some of the skills, up to speed quickly. This enables you to take advantage of the widest possible market of suitable candidates. 

Pre-screening - most people have horror tales to tell of the vacancy they advertised which elicited so many applications that simply opening and processing the CVs took days of management and admin time! Although that is not so likely to happen in today's market, a recruitment consultancy will have access to its own database of candidates, and should be able to advertise and source candidates more effectively. Recruitment consultancies use a wide range of recruitment sources - including the internet, and research has shown that using a recruitment consultancy usually results in a job being filled more quickly than other methods. Having sourced candidates, they will present you with a suggested shortlist, based on your selection criteria and they will also set up first and second interviews.

Advertising - it is worth remembering that if you decide to advertise, a recruitment company will probably have an existing relationship with the publication and may be able to get you better service and preferential rates.

Feedback - much is made of employer feedback to candidates, but equally important is candidate feedback to employers. Most candidates would never tell a prospective employer why they don't want to work for them, but they will frequently tell a third party, such as a recruitment consultant. This information can be vital for employers keen to get the best staff in a competitive market place.

Market knowledge - chances are that most employers aren't experts about the recruitment market. A specialist recruiter will be able to tell you how things are going at the moment, about any shortages or surpluses of skills, current salary levels, career expectations and candidate availability.

Having decided that a recruitment consultant is for you, there are several things worth considering in order to make the relationship as productive and professional as possible.

Draw up a shortlist of consultancies - there are several ways of doing this. It usually pays to get a specialist recruitment company, for all but the most junior vacancy. Word of mouth is often the best guide, but you could also look in the trade press to see which companies are advertising vacancies. And it's important to build a relationship with the recruitment consultancy or consultancies you decide to work with. Make sure they visit you and listen to what they have to say - a good recruitment consultancy isn't just there to fill an empty chair - they are in business to offer solutions to HR problems.

You should always make sure the companies you are considering are members of REC. This gives you the assurance that you will be treated within the REC code of practice and that the consultancy you use will behave in an ethical manner towards both you and your candidates. 

These are the sorts of questions you should ask:

• how long have they been in business? - heritage and reputation aren't everything, but equally you want to know that the business is established and understands its market

• how they will source candidates for your vacancy?

• what's their experience of placing similar roles? Ask for details of other positions for

• which they have successfully appointed someone (not just assignments they have had)

• how do they train their recruitment consultants so that you can be sure they understand what your company needs?

• what are their contacts within the industry? - make sure they really know about the sector in which you work

• what time scale they would put on recruiting candidates for your vacancy?

• are they prepared to understand your business - and demonstrate this understanding through the quality and style of applicants?

• will they discuss your vacancy with candidates and get their agreement for CVs to be submitted in advance?

If you feel that you need some input on the HR side - perhaps in terms of drawing up a job description or taking an overall look at your business - then it makes sense to use a recruitment consultant who has a strong background in that area. 

Equally if you are looking for a top level person and/or have had problems in the past finding suitable candidates, consider using a search and selection company. Because of the time and money spent in sourcing suitable candidates, search and selection companies will usually only work on a retained basis. 

Once you have found consultancies you are happy with - then stick with them. Personalities are really important and a consultant you can relate to and work well with cannot be underestimated - ultimately people buy from people. There really isn't much to be achieved by continually shopping around. If you have chosen good consultancies they will work hard for you and much more so if they feel they have a realistic chance of placing someone. If they know the vacancy has been placed with ten consultancies, they will spend less time on it - it's human nature."

REC is the governing body for the recruitment industry in the UK. REC members are required to abide by Codes of Conduct and Code of Practice and to certify on an annual basis their continued adherence to these codes.

www.rec.uk.com