Tips & Guides

Understanding and mastering the headhunting industry

As an internal recruiter, you have been tasked with finding talent for the different departments and hiring managers. At times, it may be necessary to engage the talent of an external recruiter. Here are some points to consider when making the decision whether to go external or not.

Speed-when time is of the essence, using an external recruiter may make sense.  External recruiters are in constant recruitment mode whereas internal recruiters often have other human resources tasks to manage and in different departments.

Specialization-if what you are looking for is highly specialized, turning to an external recruiter who works either in your field or job type also makes sense. If you seek a generalist, an internal recruiter can source candidates quickly and may not need the services of an external recruiter

Culture-Transmitting the culture of your organization is best done by people already within your company. The exception is when you have worked with an external recruiter long-term, they are able to meet candidates that will fit within your environment because they have worked several times in the past and understand the subtleties of your culture.

Cost-If cost is a factor, then working with an internal recruiter makes the most sense. You should factor in certain information though. If this is a revenue bearing position, how long will it take your internal recruiter and how much will that cost the company? If your internal recruiter has delivered quality candidates and quickly then the internal recruiter is the way to go.

Internal recruiters who have embraced external recruiters as their partners have been able to build a symbiotic relationship where everyone wins. External recruiters who listen to their client and don’t waste their time become valuable as suppliers.

The key to success is the person. Find a recruiter with whom you work well and deal with them honestly and this should lead to long term success for all involved.

by Dawn Williams, President of Sirius Personnel

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