Recruitment
As with most sectors in the sales industry, recruitment companies tend to divide the employment market into several areas, either concentrating exclusively on particular niche markets (business/technical area), or by having a number of specialist departments within the same organisation. Recruitment can roughly be divided into three types of processes. Many of the larger firms will have departments that cover all these areas.
Search & Selection (a.k.a. headhunting) - typically concerned with only the most senior candidates (salaries of £75,000+), where consultants approach candidates on the clients’ behalf, having researched the particular field. The positions are rarely advertised and even then only in specialist publications.
Contingency - relies on the consultancy's database to fill positions. The focus is much more on the number of positions rather than the quality and so tends to be at the lower end of the salary scale. The database is maintained by generic advertising and candidates submitted are often from the overflow of previous client adverts. Candidates are interviewed initially on a general basis when they register with the recruitment company.
Hybrid - The third type sits in between and is a combination of both practices. Where an advertisement is placed for a specific position and candidates are selected from any responses, including any previous candidates on the company’s database, and often through headhunting for some of the more specialist roles. Candidates are interviewed specifically for the position on offer.
A fundamental part of the whole process is the obtaining of information by talking to, and meeting with, both clients and candidates. The recruitment consultant needs to be the driving force, acting in a proactive, persistent and professional manner to understand their business area and the personalities involved.
Through discussion with potential and existing clients, a consultant can find out about each individual company (its business, culture, and current and future recruitment needs) as well as developing a loyal and powerful relationship to secure continued business with them. Since the recruitment sector is highly competitive and some clients can be very selective, or even sceptical, about the benefits of using recruitment companies, a key role is in selling your company’s benefits to them.
Consultancy work tends to involve a lot of telephone work, sourcing new candidates and clients, and at the contingency end of the market, many organisations rigorously monitor phone activity, some even setting daily targets, to ensure this pure sales function is being performed.
When talking to and interviewing job seekers, as well as finding out about their skills, experiences and ambitions, a consultant also needs to assess their suitability for different positions and company cultures. The more information a consultant has about an individual, the more likely a successful match and placement can be made.
A key part of the recruitment process is managing the expectations of candidates and clients alike. This is vital in order to avoid a scenario where either an individual applies to a role for which they are eminently unsuitable or a manager ends up demanding an unrealistic combination of skills and experience at a price which will fail to attract any qualified candidates.