Are you secretly dreading the daunting task of finding the perfect candidate for your open position? Well, you’re not alone. According to a 2021 survey of recruiters and HR Managers by Jobvite, the “lack of skilled/qualified candidates and competition from other employers remain top challenges.” And while 50% of respondents from an SHRM survey said they outsourced their executive recruitment, knowing when and if they should do so for other positions remains less clear.
Let’s dive into the recruitment conundrum and explore the two paths that lie before you: outsourcing to a recruitment agency or hiring in-house using job boards.
Before we dig in, I want to say that the answer isn’t always straightforward. My goal with this article is to give you the insights and tools you need to make an informed decision. Taking a minute to plan your recruitment strategy can save you a lot of time and stress, and help you find the best candidate for your company. So, buckle up and get ready to navigate this maze like a seasoned pro.
Key Considerations: What You Need to Know
Senior or Specialized Positions
The level of expertise required can significantly impact your recruitment strategy. When recruiting for senior or specialized positions, the best candidates are often already gainfully employed with a company that treats them well.
Already happily employed, these potential recruits are not looking at job boards.
The Candidate Pool
There are, of course, exceptions. Another factor to consider is the existing candidate pool. A few years ago, there was an abundance of qualified HR professionals flooding the job market. In this case, a job posting may have been enough to find a large pool of great candidates.
Whether filling a senior, mid-level, or junior position, the size of the candidate pool is a key consideration.
The Takeaways →
- When hiring for senior or specialized positions, it is usually better to outsource your recruitment to someone who will actively headhunt for the position
- However, the size of the candidate pool should be considered when making a decision about posting the job or hiring a recruiter
Intangible skills needed that are hard to assess on paper
Ask yourself this: will a resume tell you everything you need to know about whether or not someone is a good fit for the position?
For an experienced admin assistant, it just might. For a new grad with no experience to share, it probably won’t.
Certain roles require intangible qualities that are challenging to evaluate based solely on resumes and cover letters. While job board postings can provide a broad spectrum of candidates, they may not adequately capture these elusive qualities. In such cases, the candidates will need to be personally screened over the phone to evaluate whether or not they have what you need.
Working with a recruiter who excels in assessing these intangibles can be a game-changer. If, however, you have the resources in-house to do a thorough phone screening of each applicant, then post the job.
The Takeaways →
- If you can get everything you need to know from an application, post the job
- If you don’t have the time to personally screen 100’s of candidates who apply for intangible skills, go with a recruiter.
The Game-Changers: Exploring Overlooked Criteria for Hiring Outcomes
Size and reputation of your company
The size and reputation of your company can significantly impact your ability to attract top talent. While larger organizations like Google have no trouble drawing in highly skilled individuals, smaller companies may struggle to compete for the best candidates.
When it comes to reputation, some companies have experienced challenges that have negatively affected how the market perceives them. I call this the ‘Glassdoor Problem’.
Recently, I worked with a well-established company that had been around for almost 100 years. They had a large group of tenured staff who had been with them for decades, often working in the same position.
The company leadership decided to undergo a digital transformation to improve their operations and performance. Understandably, this upset a lot of their employees who were now required to do things differently, to adopt unfamiliar technologies, and shake up a 30-year routine.
Despite being a great company with enthusiastic new hires, their Glassdoor ratings plummeted. The quality of applicants to job postings started to decline and they reached out to me for help.
During the recruitment process, I shared their story. I explained to candidates the history of the company, its challenges, and where they were headed. I helped them see beyond the negative reviews and look toward the company’s promising future.
The Takeaways →
- Lesser-known companies do not have people flocking to them for jobs and should consider outsourcing their recruitment to improve the quality of candidates.
- Companies with reputational challenges can use outsourced recruiters to help manage and improve their image and attract top talent.
Diversity
If diversity is a goal for your company, posting the job on job boards may not yield the desired results.
Studies have shown that certain demographics (often women and minorities) are less likely to apply for positions, even if they possess the required qualifications.
By solely relying on job board postings, you may unintentionally limit the diversity of your candidate pool.
“Men apply for a job when they meet only 60% of the qualifications, but women apply only if they meet 100% of them.” [source]
The reasons behind this are complex and beyond the scope of this article, but understanding this as a real phenomenon is important if you are looking to increase representation in your organization.
The Takeaway → If diversity is one of your company’s hiring priorities, then outsourcing to a recruiter is more effective.
Still not sure if the position is ‘postable’?
If you’re still not sure, post the job anyway and gauge the response.
Sometimes, a little experiment can provide valuable insights. If you have the time and capacity to sift through a large number of applicants, try posting the job. If the candidate pool turns out to be disappointing, it might be time to pivot and explore alternative avenues.
If you aren’t sure and decide to post the job anyway, keep in mind this can significantly delay your job search. Be sure to consider the cost of an open headcount before making your decision.
When posting your job on a job board, remember a few key tips:
- Craft a compelling job posting that grabs attention and clearly communicates your requirements.
- Avoid leaving the posting up for too long, as potential candidates may wonder why the position remains open.
- Lastly, don’t make the candidate jump through unnecessary hoops—not all positions need a cover letter. And PLEASE don’t make them fill out a questionnaire with all the same information that’s already on their resume!
It’s no secret that hiring can be stressful. By determining whether a job is “postable” or if outsourcing is the way to go, you can save time, money, and countless sleepless nights. You can tap into the expertise of recruiters who specialize in unearthing those hidden gems and possess the skills to assess the intangible qualities that set extraordinary candidates apart.
If time is of the essence and your team cannot afford to dedicate the time needed to source and vet candidates quickly, outsourcing to a recruiter can be a lifeline.
Still not sure? Book a no-obligation call to help run through your options and see which recruitment strategy is right for you.