How to Pick a Recruiter – 5 Tips

Look For a Recruiter Who Specializes In Your Industry
Some agencies recruit staff for all industries while others take a more specialized approach. The latter is usually a better choice as they understand the needs of your industry and the type of people suited to it. A recruiter who specializes in your field can add value to your hiring process by being aware of a post’s needs without your having to spell out every detail.

For example, ErikJuhler.com is a recruiting agency that specializes in niche segments such as shipping and marine recruitment. Thus, if you need to find a permanent fleet manager, they will already know the post’s requirements.

What is the Success Rate?
It is always a good idea to work with a recruiter who has established their presence. Along with the number of years that they have been operational for, it is also important to look into how many people they have been able to successfully place in other companies. If possible, also try to find out how the people recruited by them fit into the company’s culture. It is not only important for them to have placed people successfully but also for those people to have stayed with the company. 

Who Do They Know
Recruitment is all about knowing people. One of the benefits of working with a recruiter is that they will be able to introduce you to applicants you might not have been able to get in touch with otherwise. Hence, it is important for a recruiter to be well connected. To get an idea of this, you could take a look at their linkedin contacts, social media followers and blog followers. 

How Much Time Can They Give You?
A recruiter will not be a part of your HR team but you will still need them to dedicate a certain amount of time to your company. Rather than hire someone who you have only spoken to on the phone or know via email, ask them to have a face to face conversation with you. If they cannot take the time out to do this much, chances are they won’t spend too much time screening candidates either. 

References
Before hiring someone to be a part of your team, you ask for references. So, why should it be any different with a recruiter? Ask the recruiter for references or get in touch with companies mentioned as clients on their website. Some things you should ask about include the recruiter’s reliability, ethics and standard of professionalism. 

Other News