How Picking your Recruitment Partner, is just like Picking your Life Partner…

When it comes to finding the ideal recruitment agency to work with, you need to think of it as though you’re choosing your life partner! There are key attributes you should be looking for, so you can live happily ever after…

COMMUNICATION IS KEY

A good marriage is built on solid communication. Telling the other person how you’re feeling, and listening to their needs. Your recruitment agency should do exactly that too. As your chosen partner they should listen to the needs of the role, and question you if they don’t understand exactly who you’re looking for. Throughout the recruitment process they should be communicating with you, so you understand the response they’re having, the quality of candidates and identify early on any issues that are arising.

IT’S ALL ABOUT TEAM WORK

Working as a team is essential to the success of your recruitment campaign. To keep the process as efficient as possible, you need to ensure you have all the necessary information upfront, and work back and forth with the agency to let them know your thoughts on each candidate. You need to find a recruitment agency that can work with you, and understand the culture and processes of your business. For example when it comes to signing off on your final decision, the agency need to understand if you have a certain procedure to go through, and keep the candidate warm whilst they wait for confirmation.

IT’S SHARING YOUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE

If your partner dreams of a retirement in sunny Spain, whilst you have visions of an adventurous trip around the world, then issues could arise! With your recruitment partner you need to make sure they understand what your business is trying to achieve, and exactly what you have in mind for this position for the future.

IT’S BASED ON TRUST…

No marriage can succeed if there isn’t trust there, and you really need to trust your recruitment agency too. At the end of the day they’re representing your business both online, and face to face when they meet with candidates, so you need to ensure you’re happy with their approach. You need to feel confident in their expertise and understanding of the role you’re hiring for, to ensure they are shortlisting the right people and inviting the best candidates for interview.

So next time you choose a new recruitment agency, don’t make a quick decision, consider it carefully, and find the perfect partnership for the future!

Peter Forshaw, Managing Director, Maxwell Stephens