Top 10 things to look for in your recruitment partner

Before you get going, we recommend suggesting you consider asking the following questions:

· Do you know your recruitment partners goals for your open roles?

· Have you seen an outline of goals from your agency so they can hit your targeted hiring dates?

· Do you trust your recruitment partner to the point of not worrying about their quality of candidates?

If you can't say "yes" to all of these, then you really need to think about whether your current partner is right for your company. To have the right partnership in place, you need to know that they will be looking out for you, not forcing their people through the process that are not the right fit. This is a guide to help you see what you should be looking for in an agency as a partner to your business needs:

1. Knows your company

Good: A great recruitment partner will be the expert in your industry and know the ins and outs of the size of your company which will support them in targeting the right candidate for you. To ensure a candidate is a proper fit, your recruitment partner should vet all candidates appropriately, including obtaining copies of skills and certifications and emergency contact details.

Bad: If your recruitment company hasn't taken the time to meet with managers or get to know you or the company, it could be that their focus is on getting the next candidate or client to partner with them, which rings alarm bells.

2. Understands your business needs

Good: Understanding where your business needs lay is vital to forming to perfect relationship with your recruitment partner. A true partner will get on board with what you are trying to accomplish in the immediate vicinity and your future business goals.

Bad: In our experience, some partners don't take the time to know what your business goals are and worry more about what they will receive in revenue than finding the right candidate to suit your business needs.

3. Always trying to get better

Good: A great recruitment partner will take the time to meet with you to go over your needs. They'll also seek feedback after interviews to ensure they are targeting the right pool of candidates and looking for ways to improve their service.

Bad: If you find that your recruitment partner puts the same type of candidate in front of you after you have said no, or they continuously have excuses for why things are not a success, we recommend looking elsewhere!

4. They listen

Good: A good recruitment partner will take the time to hear what you want and need; we wouldn't expect them to pressure you to make rash decisions but instead set up timetables to get adequate feedback and work together.

Bad: If you're finding that you're providing answers to the same questions and offered shortcuts, it seems your recruitment partner isn't listening! Providing the right candidate doesn't mean pushing every candidate, regardless of needs, in front of you constantly. Sometimes, waiting for the right candidate can be vital, and your recruitment partner needs to understand that too.

5. they're a subject matter expert in their field

Good: Our experienced team often find themselves talking to our clients for hours on end about their field. We know the core sectors of construction and engineering like the back of our hands and will go above and beyond to showcase our knowledge in the field by breaking down a position to find you the right candidate.

Bad: If a recruitment partner works across several skill sets and doesn't understand what they are recruiting for, you won't have the same quality of candidates as to working with an agency that knows what they're talking about.

6. You can rely solely on them

Good: A top agency will deliver the right candidate in their committed timeframe. You shouldn't have to look elsewhere or pump your own energy into recruitment, as that's what they're there for, right?

Bad: Many recruitment agencies begin to waver in their commitments when they're struggling to fill a vacancy; they have erratic success with you, and they rarely keep you up to date with their progress and results, which is frustrating, to say the least.

7. They will follow the process that was promised to you

Good: A decent agency will create a bespoke service for you. They will stick to their vetting process and will not skip steps that would lower the bar on the quality of candidate for you.

Bad: We don't recommend an agency that hasn't met with their candidates or do not perform reference checks. Often, these agencies will send you a high-volume amount of candidates so you can do the screening instead of them. How lazy is that?!

8. They separate themselves by supplying a higher calibre of candidates

Good: Your ideal agency will always exceed your expectations on the candidates they supply.

Bad: If you ever find yourself looking through CV's to find the same candidates that your recruitment partner supplied that has also applied directly, then it's time to worry. We would expect a reputable agency to have a pool of qualified, experienced candidates on their books and only their books.

9. They're an ethical company

Good: If your recruitment partner supplies a candidate with the same experience as the resume advertises, and they educate the candidate about your company to make sure they are walking into a role they are excited about, you know you've hit the jackpot and they're worth keeping on board!

Bad: A poor agency will misrepresent candidates by adding experience that is not accurate, and they will coach the candidate to say things that are not accurate to their experience. This will come to light pretty quickly at the interview stage as you're the experts and know your field.

10. Persistence

Good: We ensure we're in contact with you the right amount of time but not disrespectful and annoying. We understand you're busy and will set a map of communication timelines out in our initial onboarding when working with a client.

Bad: Stay clear of aggressive agencies, at the point of calling your managers 7 to 9 times a day to try to get more business or feedback. Employing the right team takes time, and your recruitment partner should understand this after all.

If you've found our tips helpful and are now in a position to either change recruitment partners or commence working with one, get our touch with our team today via info@brsjobs.co.uk