Recruitment roulette: the biggest challenges facing recruiters today

With a stifling surfeit of choices, panic and paralysis can start to set in

The sheer proliferation of recruitment options available to anyone wishing to fill a vacancy can be overwhelming. From online advertising to traditional headhunters or peer recommendations, the market for recruitment methods is enormous and the many potential solutions can start to feel like part of the problem.

Spoilt for choice

What if I make the wrong choice? After all, how can I sort the wheat from the chaff when the pile is so huge? Optimising the correct combination of tools and services for each vacancy or job type is quite a science and it is definitely worth investing the time and money in a skilled recruitment and resource specialist to take this off your hands.

Inefficient recruitment management systems

Many recruiters fail to factor in the true time and monetary cost of each hire. The amount of time spent sourcing high-quality applicants and sifting out unsuitable ones is much higher than most people realise. Streamlining this process will save vast quantities of time and effort; for example, a well-designed recruitment management and tracking system will enable an employer to accurately measure what is working and identify areas for improvement.

Promoting a positive corporate image

Companies should seek to ensure all prospective candidates have a good experience when connecting with them, regardless of whether they are eventually hired. Remember the old adage: be nice to people on the way up, in case you meet them on the way down.

Pressure to fill vacancies at any cost

Some outside recruitment agency staff are incentivised to fill vacancies as quickly as possible with no regard to quality or suitability. The cost of an unsuitable recruit who leaves soon afterwards has been estimated by KPMG to be around double their salary. A high-quality recruitment specialist will employ thorough and detailed vetting methods to ensure the best possible candidate for the role.

Grabbing the talent

Getting quality applicants through the door first time round is surprisingly difficult. Advertising needs to be appropriately targeted and well designed and companies should work hard to network and build a pool of available talent long before the vacancy comes up.

Misconceptions about the cost of consultants

Many companies try to keep their recruitment budget down by scrimping on agency fees; however, the right candidate will earn the money spent on finding them many times over. Unless you can recruit the cream of the crop yourself, hiring a professional recruitment agency will save you money in the long run – as long as they are top-notch and experienced in your particular requirements.

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The British Institute of Recruiters is the Professional Body operating The Recruitment Certification Scheme

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