Why price shouldn’t be the main factor when choosing a recruitment agency

Approaching external recruitment agencies for the first time can be daunting. How do you know which is the right agency for you? How much should you pay? How quickly can you expect to find someone? How can you tell if they’re reputable?

We are in an era where high customer services levels and excellent performance from providers is paramount to success and expected by clients.

In my experience, companies consider many things when choosing a recruitment agency. One of these, and often the biggest factor, is price. It’s not unusual for the cheapest quote to get the job but in the longer term this doesn’t always work out as good value.

When choosing a recruitment agency, it’s important to understand what services you are being offered. There is a vast difference in the service offerings between different providers and if value for money is a focus for your company it’s useful to understand what options are out there.

This will help you make an informed decision on whether it’s better to spend a little extra or if the basic package is right for your business.

Like any service, shopping around will ensure that you find the best quality to match your budget. With that in mind here are some of the key things to consider and question when speaking to recruitment agencies.

What to consider when engaging with a recruitment agency

Have they worked with businesses like yours before?

Companies should be looking for a dedicated specialist recruitment agency who have a history of success. This means that they are properly established and have the capability and financial resources to service your business needs. A good recruitment agency will also have a track record of clients and be able to provide you with relevant examples of how and where they have assisted similar businesses

Are they experts in your industry?

This level of understanding for your business and industry will enable you to make a hire faster as specialist recruitment agencies will usually have a pipeline of similar candidates that they have been speaking with.

They will also have relevant market knowledge on salaries, the industry, what candidates want etc. that you may not be aware of. This type of agency will also manage your expectations such as how soon you can expect to start receiving applications and provide an approximate timeline for filling your role or roles.

What will the hiring process look like?

A good agency will take you by the hand and walk you through their hiring process from setting up your account, to recruiting and finally placement.

They will be clear when communicating the expectations on their side and won’t rush you to sign off on any T&Cs. They will take the time to run through a breakdown of all the costs involved in the bill rates for temporary and permanent placements and ensure that they are fully understood. It is vital that you partner with an agency you can trust.

What kind of technologies do they use?

A top recruitment agency will have invested in their company’s recruitment tools giving them an edge on to their customers advantage. For example – within the Cpl Group we’re the first recruitment agency in Ireland to utilise AI in order to deliver the best talent to our clients more efficiently. A good agency should also be looking forward to the future to identify trends that may impact their businesses in order to adequately prepare for them.

Is your agency fully compliant?

This is an especially important consideration when working with a staffing agency. In labour intensive industries where requirements can be last minute, but the calibre of candidate must be high and have met all the necessary criteria, it is important to ensure your agency is compliant. This means that in the likely event you are being audited you can rest assured that your labour provider has got your back.

Partnering with a recruiter you trust is an important step for any business and should be a priority when picking an agency. This can take time and might not always be cheap, but it should never be difficult.

By spending that extra time researching your chosen provider you can be comfortable knowing that you are receiving the best service possible for your budget and company culture.

Flexsource are a Leading and Innovative Staffing Agency and are dedicated to helping our clients fulfil their requirements through Total Talent Solutions. If you’d like to manage your staffing needs with an agency like Flexsource, get in touch with our light-industrial team to start a conversation.