In the ATG series, our staff at Talance Group answers questions that other recruiters tend to avoid, to aid in transparently guiding clients and candidates to successful professional partnerships.
Reasons to Use A Recruiter
You’ve used up all your bullets
The most common situation that a recruiter is sought out is when your usual sources of candidates are not getting you the resumes you want. Whether your HR team is falling short or your job posting is not capturing the right background, it might be time to call the expert.
Father Time
Time is one of your biggest assets and if you have very little of it, then you probably can’t execute the hiring process effectively. Plus, if you need someone immediately then you may want to consider using an experienced recruiter to move the process along quickly.
New To Houston/Limited Network
Connections are huge and recruiters often have deep networks and candidate pools. They say you have to live in a city for at least 5-10 years before you really start to know the ins and outs. Using a recruiter is a strong choice if you are “new” to the area.
No Risk Reward
Many recruiting firms operate only on contingent fees—that means you don’t pay if they don’t find someone. Plus, there is usually a guarantee on the candidate if they don’t work out in the first several months.
Short Term
Maybe the role you are looking for isn’t a permanent need at your company? Using a recruiter for finding great contractors is 100% recommended. Many firms often have a fully-vetted database of skilled professionals that can start immediately.
Reasons to wait
You Are Connected (and so is your company)
If you have well connected internal employees from Houston (use them for referrals!), then you may not need a recruiter. Hiring someone that a trusted team member has already worked with is always best. You will have a leg up with already knowing the strengths and weaknesses of what that person can bring to the table (without paying a fee to find out)!
No Budget
Sometimes it’s just not in the budget. Writing a $25,000 check to a recruiter for an employee hired at a base salary of $100,000 could be a bitter pill to swallow. Going without a key employee for a long time will likely cost you in other areas such as lost productivity or the strain it puts on other employees, but those don’t hit your bank account directly. As frustrating as that can be, no one should ever recommend putting a serious strain on cash-flow to hire a recruiter.
Internal Promotion
Companies often have stars within their ranks and that should be rewarded! If an internal employee gives you a “gut feeling” of greatness, then give them a shot! Internal promoting can be the most cost-effective if executed properly.
Bottom Line:
- Go With Your Gut – You know your business and industry—use that to your advantage. Don’t make a move you can’t live with.
- Ask – If you really are unsure then ask a trusted recruiter or business contact for their honest opinion. If they can provide unbiased direction you may want to consider their advice.
- Open Mind –Whichever route you take, keep an open mind and always know that results are not instant. Some of the best things take a little time.
If you have read this to the end and have gone through the suggestions to no avail, please give us a call at 713-357-9565. We want to give unbiased answers to your questions, whether you are able to hire us to help or not.
Happy Hunting!
