If you own a small business, you might think that you have no need to hire a recruitment company in order to build your staff. Actually, there are legitimate reasons why a small business should consider hiring a recruitment agency. Most small businesses don’t have their own Human Resources department to handle their hiring campaigns, so for this reason alone, an external resource can be worth the money and effort it takes to go through the process of choosing the right agency for your company.
If you are looking to fill a specialised position, like an IT or financial position that requires specific knowledge and training, the hiring process can be even more complicated.
A point that was touched on in a previous post on onsmb.com regarding the ins and outs of hiring an accountant for a small business is that different types of accountant are very different. In a similar way staffing agencies specialise in certain industries in order to provide companies with the expert knowledge. You don’t necessarily need to go with a company that recruits in just one sector, but you should select one that has specialist experience in your niche. Express Group, for example, specialises in a number of industries. They work closely with specific sectors, including the financial industry. They can match any company with their ideal candidate, whether it be for a controller, manager, bookkeeper, accountant, or other financial position. This is because they have built wide and deep industry relationships over the years, and therefore have the networks in place to facilitate the sourcing process.
If the main reason of lacking an HR company isn’t reason enough to consider hiring a recruitment company, consider some of the other important points below.
When You Need a Position Filled Fast
Great employees are a rarity in the small business world so when you lose a key employee at an impromptu time, you may fall into a bit of a panic. Since staffing agencies keep large databases of potential candidates, and, as we have seen, have wide networks, you can have an open and critical position filled sooner than it would take to go through your own screening and hiring process.
When you choose to do the screening and hiring yourself, you or a manager will have to take time away from other responsibilities which can slow down the company’s production. A recruitment agency can dedicate their time to searching for a new employee for your company so you can continue keeping your business productive. They will also have more expertise screening candidates so the process will be done a lot faster than it would otherwise. This knowledge of the hiring process can also help ensure that the first person they send you will be the best fit.
When You Want Already Trained Workers
A recruitment consultancy can also help you if you need to have an employee who already has the necessary knowledge to jump into an open position without training or hand holding. Some staffing companies will put their candidates through training and testing in order to assess their knowledge and skills in a certain position or industry so they are ready to work when needed. This can free your company up in the long run since you won’t have to train a new employee from start to finish.
This is also an important element for positions that may be hard to find talent for. In these cases, the right candidates might already be at other companies making it unethical or even illegal to contact them. A hiring agency can contact these individuals without an issue and help you snag a high-demand person.
When You Need Background Checks Performed
Background checks and drug tests can be quite expensive and time consuming during the hiring process. When you hire a recruitment agency they usually handle background checks and drug tests of all candidates beforehand. This means that you can save money on doing your own tests and checks since the service is provided within the cost of hiring the firm. If your company or industry requires strict checks and testing you may have to do additional ones of your own since each firm has their own levels of thoroughness.
