You have an open position in your company and you‘ve decided to use the knowledge and expertise of a recruitment agency to save time and money, source qualified candidates, take advantage of deep market knowledge, and reduce risk. But first, you have to figure out which agency is right for you. Following is a list of tips for choosing a recruitment firm.

Determine Your Needs and Challenges: Meet with your team and list your company’s hiring needs and challenges. Prioritize these needs, then use that criteria when deliberating on prospective agencies. 

Ascertain the Type of Agency Needed: There are many styles of staffing agencies, such as generalists (recruit for any position), specialists (recruit for specific industries), micro-specialists (serving a niche-within-a-niche), and executive (recruit for only top-level positions). Which is right for you? Partner with an agency that has expertise in your industry as they will understand the skills and experience you are looking for in candidates.

Do Your Research: Look at the agency’s social media presence, including their LinkedIn or Facebook profiles. Note their guarantee period and terms, and determine if they belong to relevant professional associations. Have individual recruiters obtained professional certification? When was their most recent fill? Do they have passive candidate networks? What are their strategies for discovering new candidates?  Do they have a rich pipeline of job seekers? Do they have access to candidates you do not? How large is their database? Do they already have candidates for your position in their database? How will they keep you up to date on the search?

Interview Prospective Agencies: Ask about the recruitment process and how they attract candidates. How long has the recruiter been with the company? How do they assess applicants before they are presented as a potential hire? How long is the search likely to take? How many candidates will they present for you to interview? Is the recruiter committed to making an ideal placement for you? Be sure you understand exactly what you are buying and how their process works. 

Try Before You Buy: Found an agency that you like? Ask if they will recruit for a current position before you commit to a long term contract. 

Are you ready to work with a recruitment agency to solve your hiring challenges? Consider Equation Staffing Solutions. Our goal is to find you the talent you need. We provide deep industry knowledge, the latest recruitment technology, extensive market research, a nationwide network of recruiters, and open dialogue with clients and candidates. Contact our office today.