Chris FieldsI will be the first to admit, in the past, I was not a big fan of recruiters. My interactions with many of them were not positive. Some seemed like politicians, promising eager jobseekers the world, getting their hopes up, only to tell them that someone else was selected. You know the old bait and switch sales pitch, “You’re perfect for this position, and this will be an easy match.” – Rubbish. However within the past 2 years I’ve built some great relations with some fabulous recruiters, who have explained to me what it’s like to be an effective recruiter and what recruiters REALLY do.
Just like anything else, there’s good and bad. Some recruiters are rude, callous and focused on placement to get paid. Recruiters, authentic recruiters, who take pride in their work and care about their clients do a lot more and human resources should definitely invest in recruiting expertise. They ask potential clients relevant questions that relate to the job and not superficial questions that have no merit or place in the screening process.
Most jobseekers view recruiters as one step above a temporary job placement service. Many organizations add recruiting to the laundry list of functions they demand from the human resources department. HR Generalists, Specialists, Coordinators and Assistants have been tasked with the responsibility of handling the recruiting. In the multiple hat wearing organizations it becomes all the more important to get other employees to help you recruit.
Depending upon organizational size and needs, it may be okay to have human resources incorporate recruiting into the administrative process. Most companies with anywhere from 50-100 employees will invest in recruiting through either a corporate recruiter and/or a recruiting technology; either way someone has to create a strategy that best fits the employment needs.
As we discussed here on SmartRecruiters, “Recruiting Really is the Most Important HR Function.” It’s imperative that companies optimize the talent selection process. Sometimes, that has meant external recruiters. Recruiters have a keen understanding for great ways to find the best people, and pitch a job opening. However, it may take time for the external recruiter to understand the nuances of the specific role, and possibly more importantly, the company culture.
With so much competition in the labor market, selecting the right candidate for attitude and aptitude is vital to organizational success. Poor recruitment practices can lead to high turnover, low productivity, loss of employee engagement and an overall toxic environment.
You want to eliminate the incentive of paying someone to place candidates simply for the sake of placement. Consider, corporate recruiters are paid a salary – not a commission – and therefore it’s not a game of the more placements, the better. Again, not all freelance recruiters are sharks, but if you go the freelance route be sure to research the person or firm and negotiate a contract that encourages quality over quantity.
If you don’t prioritize human capital in your mission and vision statements, your organizational planning will probably not unfold like you expect it to. Create a hiring culture.
Chris Fields is an HR professional and leadership guy who blogs and dispenses great (not just good) advice at Cost of Work. Connect with Chris on Twitter.
Lee Ann Prescott
