Our experience has taught us that companies are only as good as their people. There is no question that in an ideal world, job vacancies would be filled by individuals whose skills and experience provide a perfect match to the requirement of the role. Instead, companies have focused on recruiting ‘best fit’ candidates, and the labour market has for many years provided the right people in enough numbers to avoid the risk of talent shortages.
However, the latter half of 2021 has employers forced to face the worst talent shortage on record. There are multiple factors that have led us to this point. The Covid-19 pandemic reduced normal levels of job-seeking activity, due to market uncertainty, many of those who might otherwise start looking for new opportunities chose to remain in their positions, including many on furlough. The pandemic also prompted employees to evaluate their work/life balance, resulting in some exiting the job market entirely. Finally, Brexit combined with the pandemic, has resulted in many workers returning to their home countries and has stunted the arrival of new migrants due to travel restrictions and visa issues.
The shortage of highly qualified candidates and the rising number of vacancies are now increasing the pressure on employers, and that’s where we come in. Hiring through a recruitment agency helps you to identify and attract top talent, resulting in huge time and cost savings to an organisation, whilst producing extremely effective results due to our expertise, industry knowledge and resources.
Utilising a recruitment agency can have many benefits, especially in a candidate short market. Just a few examples are outlined below:
We have an eye for talent
Using a recruitment agency increases your chances of finding the perfect match. We have access to a large talent pool of pre-screened and referenced candidates, meaning you only meet with high-quality candidates that have been already carefully assessed and interviewed. Through best-practice interview methods, we can understand both our candidate needs and the requirements of your role, to make a great match.
We have a vast talent pool in our database and a network of connections to leverage, but if your ideal candidate isn’t someone we already know, the technology, software, and platforms that we have access to help us locate people with those hard-to-find skills you are looking for.
We do the leg work
There are many aspects of the recruitment process that are much faster when you go through a recruitment agency. From advertising, candidate searching, interviewing to negotiation, our expertise and dedication helps to speed up the entire process.
When it comes to getting your job out there in the first place, leveraging the skills and knowledge of a recruitment consultant, can help you create effective job descriptions and specifications. We create targeted job advertisements that attract the right candidates. We also bear in mind the various popular job board algorithms, which determine who and how many candidates get to see your role.
Then, instead of sorting through applications and CVs, we make sure that your time during the application process is spent wisely. We will only send over candidates that are well suited to your requirements, so you review only the most high-quality applications. When it comes to interviewing your shortlist, we handle the scheduling and preparation of candidates, so you don’t have to.
When you’re ready to make an offer, the last thing you would want as an employer is to then discover you are miles apart on the salary offered versus the salary expectations. Before entering salary negotiations, recruiters can help you benchmark remuneration against other businesses in your industry as well as ensure that applicants are aware of what’s on offer by acting as a medium and negotiating a salary and remuneration package that is mutually acceptable. When both parties are aware of each other's hopes and expectations from the beginning, you’re more likely to fill the position successfully.
Finally, we take care of all administrative activities such as contacting successful candidates and rejecting unsuccessful applications, as well as verifying applicant information such as qualifications and references.
All of this helps shorten your time to hire and allows you to focus your time and energy into your core business!
We save you a pretty penny
Some of the short-term cost savings include the elimination of costs associated with job postings; more than just the cost of advertising itself, using a recruitment agency eliminates the impact on current employees, who can then continue to carry out their normal duties without being interrupted by a recruitment campaign. Using a recruitment agency also reduces the likelihood and cost of hiring an unsuitable candidate for the job and having to readvertise.
Long-term cost savings include reducing the cost of training a new employee, as we will acquire candidates who already have the majority if not all the skills needed for the position. In addition, you will have the ability to reduce future recruitment costs through an established working partnership with our recruitment consultants who will now have a clear understanding of your business and can meet your future needs faster.
We know our stuff
All our consultants are experts not only in the recruitment industry, but in our chosen sectors. We have a deep insight into what is currently going on in the market, how best to reach out to available talent, current salary trends, benefits and bonuses expectations, hiring complexities, available skill sets, shortages, and much more.
For example, the first port of call that you could make if you were a hiring manager worried about current recruitment legislation would be us. We have a clear understanding of all the relevant requirements and legalities pertaining to the sectors we operate in and would provide you with the needed help.
If the above hasn’t enticed you already to try out a recruitment agency, reach out to one of our friendly team to find out for yourself why so many employers choose to recruit with us. The candidate short market presents so many difficulties, and coming out of 2021, that’s the last thing you need. We can help you navigate this market to achieve your goals efficiently and effectively. Contact us today with any recruitment needs or questions.
Sources: https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-employers-face-worst-shortage-job-candidates-record-rec-2021-09-09/