Conference News April 2021 | Page 40

40 Recruitment

CHOOSING THE RIGHT PARTNER

Robert Kenward , Fitability ® recruiter at YOU Search and Select , and chief cheerleader of The Hub , looks at how to choose the right recruitment partner
ast month I shared advice about DIY recruitment and how to do it properly in-house , so this month I ’ m focusing on how to choose a recruitment partner . Buckle up people , this ride ’ s a doozy .
Research Before you even pick up the phone , do some research . Consider who you ’ ve used previously and what they did that you liked and what they could have done better . Ask your team who they ’ d recommend and look online and on social media ; who is working in your space ? Who is doing good things ?
Left : Recruitment expert Robert Kenward
Consider how well each agency is aligned to your brand .
Chose five agencies and ask them for information highlighting their proposition . Take an interest in how they treat you through the early stages ; Are you being looked after ? Are you dealing with the same person or are you passed around the team ? Are they being pushy ? How does the experience feel to you , because that will be how the candidate first feels , too .
Interrogate Give each agency a 30-minute appointment to hold a ‘ chemistry meeting ’; tell them that you ’ d like to know more about what they do , and that you will be free to answer their questions . Give them time before the meeting to research your company and to send over questions , then see what they do next . Do they call you repeatedly ? Do they send over multiple emails from multiple people ? Or do they ask clever , intelligent questions designed to really interrogate and learn more about what you really need ?
Have a few questions ready ; ask them about the last three placements they made and how they could have improved the process ; ask what they have that other agencies don ’ t and ask about their specialty . Don ’ t rely on client testimonials on a fancy website .
Find out who your contact would be and if they will stay with you throughout the process . Ask them why they want to work with you and what they know about your business . The chemistry meeting is a two-way interrogation , and also gives them the opportunity to find out if they want to work with you .
Commit Whoever you chose , you must give them proper access to you for a full briefing – don ’ t just send them a job description and expect them to start working . Ask them what they need from you before they can start on www . conference-news . co . uk