Outsourcing your recruitment has the potential to boost your hiring process and accelerate business growth – but only if you choose the right agency. With a host of companies out there all vying for your attention, it can be difficult to know which one is right for you.
BMR Solutions is a specialist Bristol-based technical recruiter, connecting talented candidates with exciting opportunities and employers. With an in-depth understanding of engineering and technical industries and a vast database, we help our clients access the right talent with the right skills.
In this blog, our expert consultants break down what you should be looking for when choosing a recruitment agency.
What is a Recruitment Agency?
Recruitment agencies act as intermediaries between candidates and employers. Their purpose is to streamline the recruitment process for everyone involved, allowing employers to find top talent faster, and matching candidates up with jobs that might not be advertised elsewhere. Some recruitment agencies even go the extra mile and help businesses optimise their employer brand and value proposition, whilst helping candidates improve their CVs and prepare for interviews.
Are you a jobseeker? Check out our CV writing tips!
How Do Recruitment Agencies Work?
Recruitment agencies utilise a few different methods depending on the type of roles they recruit for and their specific business model. Typically, though, an employer will get in touch with a job vacancy and a rough description of the skills required and expected responsibilities. The agency will help them optimise this vacancy and then move on to sourcing candidates. This can be done in various ways. Some recruiters may search through their existing database to find matching candidates, some will post the job listing online and screen candidates, some will headhunt passive jobseekers (this is particularly common when hiring for executive roles), and some will do a combination of all three.
Read more: How to Write a Job Description for an Engineering Role: Step by Step Guide
Why Use a Recruitment Agency?
In a competitive job market, it can be difficult for employers to find and attract the right talent, and harder still to seal the deal. Doing so takes a lot of time and effort which would be better spent focusing on day-to-day business operations and growth. By working with a recruitment agency, employers can optimise their hiring process without having to invest all their time. Let’s go through the benefits in more detail.
Benefits of Using a Recruitment Agency
Saves Time
As we have mentioned, working with a recruitment agency saves you time. The agency will be able to use their connections and existing talent databases to source the right person much more quickly. They may even coordinate the shortlisting and interview process on your behalf, reducing the risk of unnecessary interviews and bad hires.
Access Top Talent
Recruitment agencies know where to look for top talent and have years of experience finding the right fit for a range of employers. They also usually have vast pool of candidates who are actively seeking roles like yours. Working with an agency provides greater peace of mind that your hiring process will be successful, and that you will appeal to new recruits as an employer brand.
Expert Support
With specialist job market insight, recruitment agencies can help you optimise your hiring process and tailor your job offering. They will have years of experience recruiting for roles like yours, and know what distinguishes a good candidate from a bad hire. More than that, they can even use their market knowledge to handle salary negotiations on your behalf, managing both parties’ expectations and making an agreement more likely.
Find out more about our service >
What Should I Ask a Recruitment Agency?
When choosing a recruitment agency, it’s important to take your time and find the right fit for your business. This has the potential to turn into a fruitful, long term partnership if you do your research, optimising your hiring process now and in the future. Below, we have provided some initial questions to ask.
- What screening and selection processes do you use?
- Do you have an equality and diversity policy?
- What are your terms of business?
- Are you an independent company?
- Do you have experience recruiting for my industry?
- What types of contracts do you recruit for?
- What job levels do you recruit for?
- Do you offer any guarantees?
What to Look for in a Recruitment Agency
Industry Expertise
Does the agency understand your business and the industry you operate in? This is vital for hiring in any sector, but particularly when it comes to technical and engineering recruitment. Support from an agency that understands the specific hard and soft skills required to thrive in these jobs will make it much more likely you will find the right person.
Need a recruitment agency that specialises in technical roles? Contact BMR Solutions today!
Tailored Service
The right recruitment agency should take the time to understand your business’ goals for growth and expansion. They should help you improve your job offering and description to attract the best candidates going, and tailor their service to suit your needs – delivering the talent you need when you need it, no expectations.
Read next: 7 Tips for Hiring Engineers Successfully? >
Accreditations
It’s also important to look for accreditations when choosing your recruitment agency. Memberships with the REC and FCSA prove that the company in question is reputable and dedicated to providing only the highest standards of service and professionalism.
Cost
The employer pays the recruitment agency’s fees, so cost will obviously be a factor in your decision. Generally, this is paid as a percentage of the annual salary of a successfully placed candidate and is usually around 15%-25%, but can be more for senior roles. It’s important to bear in mind, though, that all recruiters are not created equal, and a bad hire can be costly in itself. That’s why it’s important to make sure low costs don’t equal low standards. Luckily, at BMR Solutions, our service is cost-effective and high quality!
Guarantees
Nothing is more disruptive and inconvenient than a bad hire. If you choose the right agency, that is unlikely to occur. But, to protect yourself against this eventuality if the worst does happen, it’s important to make sure your agency provides a suitable guarantee. This may take the form of a waived fee or a replacement candidate and is often only available within a limited timeframe of between 30-90 days.
Location
Our final tip is to think about location. There are occasions when location does not matter – maybe it’s a remote position, or maybe you’re hiring a permanent senior staff member and are willing to pay for the right person to relocate. Often though, especially if you’re looking to fill interim roles fast, working with a local business will provide the most streamlined, convenient solution.
How to Manage Remote Engineering Teams Successfully >
Bristol’s Leading Recruitment Agency for Engineering & Technical Roles
BMR Solutions have over 30 years’ combined experience recruiting for engineering roles. We understand the qualities and skills required by businesses in technical industries. Whether your vacancy is shop floor or executive level, we will tailor our service to your needs and find an exceptional candidate every time.
Get in touch today!
