Recruiters come in all shapes and sizes. Choosing the right recruiter for your company can seem daunting at first but once you choose the right agency, everything will become easier.

Here are some tips for choosing the right external recruiting agency for your company.

1. Choose Between an Industry-Specific or General Recruiter

Leeron Hoory and Kelly Main quote “…the next step is to decide whether you need a specialized or general recruiting firm. Saffro advises considering a specialized recruiting firm for companies with a unique product or ones looking to fill a unique position. “Specialized recruiting firms generally have established networks of talent, understand the competitive landscape, have an understanding of industry jargon and a grasp on market compensation plans for similar types of positions’ she says”’

We, at Definitive Search Partners, always suggest a specialized recruiter.

2. Understand their recruitment process

“Your recruiter should be comfortable telling you where they source their candidates, how they identify the right talents, and how they interview them such as using a certified competency-based interview approach”. (LinqHR.com)

3. Communication…this goes both ways!

“When you engage a new supplier impart as much knowledge as possible. You chose them, so it is down to you to help them become a successful partner. Make sure your job profiles are accurate and take the time to pad out the contextual information, this is what sells the role.” (Undercover Recruiter). The recruiter may have a lot of questions at the beginning, this is because the recruiter is trying to understand your business and the person you are looking for. If they aren’t asking these questions, they probably aren’t going to bring you the right people.

4. Check the Experience of The Recruiter

CEO at SyaRose Technology Services Inc. President at Syanthy Healthcare says “The fifth and final step in choosing the perfect recruitment agency is to check the experience of the recruitment agency. Check the testimonials, feedback from the clients they are working with, for how long they are doing the business. To select the best final recruitment agency compare its quality of works with the top competitors work”.

5. Budget!

Have you heard a recruiter mention a retained budget and you immediately shot it down? Well, a retained budget isn’t bad. It puts your search as a priority! We all know the recruiting process takes a lot of time, and there is a cost associated with that. The cost is usually broken down into 3 parts; ⅓ upfront, ⅓ after a few candidates have been presented, and ⅓ when the employee starts their first day of work. Bonus: Most priority/retained searches come with a guarantee.

However, if the budget doesn’t allow for an upfront cost then a contingency search is the way to go!

If you are looking for an executive search firm that specializes in the construction, building materials, and roofing industries, schedule a call with us today!