What’s the question I hear all the time from hiring managers? “Where is all the talent?” With low unemployment rates within the professional sector, hiring managers are naturally struggling to identify candidates for their open roles. Most of the workforce is busy with their current job and not searching online for work or attending networking events because they are busy working.
As a leader of Talent Acquisition, I’m consistently asking my team to recruit passive candidates. Passive candidates are individuals who are currently working and not actively looking for a new job. This is a challenging task because finding and reaching out to passive candidates takes a lot longer than simply opening a requisition and looking through the applicants. Some recruiters neglect to focus on passive sourcing because they simply don’t have the time. Recruiters are bogged down with administrative duties, following up with hiring managers, attending meetings, and other tasks that distract them from finding the best talent in the market.
“WHERE IS ALL THE TALENT?” – is a question Chris Dardis, VP of HR Consulting gets all too often.
I offer a suggestion to all HR and TA leaders out there, if your team isn’t looking at passive candidates then consider bringing in a recruiting specialist that can help fill your passive candidate pipeline.
Here are 5 reasons that hiring a contract recruiting can provide your existing team with a boost:
1. Tap into Pre-existing Networks
A contract recruiter will typically have industry expertise and contacts which will allow them to deliver instant value and reduce ramp-up time. Contract recruiters will usually have experience with other clients recruiting for a specific function or skillset. IT recruiters will rarely spend time on sales roles and sales recruiters will rarely spend time on IT roles. Depending on the tenure of the recruiter you bring in, they will bring with them a specific network which they have been growing for years.
2. A Contract Recruiter Can Focus Exclusively on Recruiting
The contract recruiter does not get distracted by meetings or other company bureaucracy tasks. I would recommend making a contract recruiter feel part of the team but leave them out of corporate meetings that will distract them on their core duty. The more specific you can be with your expectations of them, the more results they will yield.
3. Reduce the Number of Recs Your Recruiters Have
The number one complaint we hear from corporate recruiters is, “I can’t do passive sourcing because I’m juggling too many recs.” By adding a contract recruiter, you can instantly reduce the average number of recs per recruiter. If you have a team of 3 recruiters and they are handling 30 recs each and add 2 contractors, you can eventually cut their rec load in half and allow them time for passive sourcing.
4. Get Insights on Your Process
While recruiters are working on filling roles for you they can often be a set of fresh eyes regarding the current talent acquisition process. Use these professionals to gain insight. Ask them, “How does our process compare to other clients you’ve seen?” or “What roadblocks are you encountering that I just don’t see?” Some of their insight can help you improve your candidate and hiring manager experience.
5. Variable cost
Yes, adding a contract recruiter will cost you money… but only for in the short term. When the contract recruiter has accomplished your goal you’ve set for them, they are gone. No exit interview, no unemployment to handle, no Cobra conversation—all that is left are new hires and a happier recruitment team.
If you haven’t used an interim resource it can be a little intimidating, but if you trust the agency you are working with to provide you someone that is high quality and low hassle, the contract employee can make a tremendous impact.
Related Post: 5 Tips for Working with a Recruiter to Hire Talent ➢
