There usually isn’t any way around it: Hiring new employees is time consuming and expensive. These costs increase if you make a bad hire. Recruitment agencies can save you time and money in the long run. And if you choose a firm that specializes in the field where you're looking for talent, recruiting agencies can also increase your chances of getting the right employee on the first try.
1. Hire faster
It's possible a great potential employee may never come across your job posting. The best recruitment agencies have broad networks and keep the resumes of thousands of skilled local professionals on file. That's why, upon seeing your needs for a position, agencies can provide you with a candidate who's closer to the right fit than you could likely find on your own. They also save you the time of wading through a multitude of resumes from unqualified applicants.
In addition to seeking out your perfect employee, recruitment agencies handle the most time-consuming aspects of the hiring process, including the initial interview and skills testing. And because staffing specialists devote their workday to finding staffing solutions, they're able to move a lot faster. If you go it alone, the job search can proceed only as fast as your schedule allows. When you use a recruiting agency, you don't have to take valuable time away from your core responsibilities until you're presented with A-list candidates.
2. Decrease turnover costs
A recent Canadian Robert Half survey reports that business owners waste an estimated 52 hours on hiring and onboarding employees who do not work. And if you end up having to replace the problem staff member, the time it takes to find and train someone new amounts to even more lost hours.
Recruitment agencies help reduce turnover by vetting candidates before they even walk through your door. In many cases, recruiting agencies have worked with a candidate on a temporary or consultative basis before, giving staffing specialists a good idea whether the potential employee will be able to perform to your standards and mesh with the office culture.
3. Eliminate upfront hiring and training costs
Pre-employment evaluations performed by recruitment agencies can also help cut your overall hiring expenses. They cover a lot of the expensive legwork that can drain your budget. These expenses can really hurt a small or even midsize organization with a tight budget, limited manpower and limited human resources support.
Recruitment agencies also often offer their candidates access to a variety of resources and training opportunities so they can continue to hone their talents, gain updated job skills, learn field-specific regulations and stay current with technological advancements. This training ensures you get a capable employee with a wide-reaching skill set and industry specialization.
4. Reduce overtime
Recruitment agencies can help you save money during busy times, such as when you need skilled temporary workers to perform an audit, file taxes, initiate an IT upgrade or publish new marketing materials. Staffing specialists have a diverse roster of candidates who boast the skill sets you require to fill the gaps, which eliminates the cost of paying overtime to your full-time staff — and avoids burning out your most valuable team members.
The long-term benefits and savings of working with a recruitment agency can alleviate the strain on your organization in terms of time management and budget. Staffing solutions also afford you access to the cream of the candidate crop any time you need to add full-time or temporary help.
