Recruitment is a time-consuming and expensive process that has a significant impact on the productivity and efficiency of a business. Due to this, several companies now sign up to a recruitment agency, which will find the best candidates for the role.

A recruitment agency may work with the business from the start of the recruitment process to the very end of it. From preparing the job description and postings to filtering CVs and candidates and scheduling interviews, a recruitment consultant will identify the skills and experiences the company is looking for and make the recruitment process as easy as possible for them.

While there are many advantages to signing up to a recruitment agency, there are several things to consider before doing so.

Discuss pricing before you sign up to a recruitment agency

Recruitment is an expensive process and replacing employees involves several expenses. In addition to this, there is also a cost to hiring a recruitment consultant or agency and any business would want to keep recruitment costs at a minimum.

This is why it is important to consider pricing before you sign up to a recruitment agency. The charges of a recruitment agency depend on the services you acquire from them, especially if you require additional services on top of basic recruitment services.

Usually, a recruitment agency will charge in two ways. A percentage fee is where the recruitment agency charges an amount based on the starting salary of the candidate, with the payment made once the candidate is hired.

A retainer fee is another form of payment. This is when an amount is agreed upon from the beginning and a percentage is paid upfront and the remainder is paid after the candidate is hired.

Considering how much you will be required to pay for recruitment advice as well as other recruitment services will help you make a decision about signing up with a recruitment agency.

CV filtering process used by the recruitment consultant

A recruitment agency will filter CVs and candidates, providing you with the best skill and expertise to fill a vacant position in your organisation. They will consider your requirements and select the best candidates, making the process of picking a candidate so much easier for you.

A recruitment consultant is likely to have developed an effective filtering process over time, making use of the latest recruitment trends as well as software. However, it is always best that you know about the process used by the recruitment agency.

You should consider how the recruitment consultant handles the selection process, how they filter CVs, and what information they will be collecting from candidates. These are some of the key areas you need to consider before you sign up for a recruitment agency.

Experience of the recruitment agency

When signing up with an agency for recruitment advice and other services, you may want to know about the recruitment agency and their experience in the field. It will be important to consider the work done in the past by the recruitment consultant and experience they have with the recruitment process.

You should also consider the experience the recruitment agency has with your industry, type of organisation and even the job role. This will give you a better understanding of how capable the agency is in handling the kind of services you require from them.

Having considered the recruitment consultant’s past work, you can choose to sign up to the recruitment agency.

What will the agency do if the candidate leaves?

A recruitment agency may pick the most qualified candidates for a role but there is a possibility of the candidate quitting the company soon after joining. You must consider such situations before you sign up for a recruitment agency.

Usually, a recruitment agency will offer a partial refund of their fee if the candidate leaves within a certain time period but it is important to discuss this time period as well as the amount that is refunded before you sign up for their services.

These are some of the key factors you must consider before you sign up for a recruitment agency. Having a clear idea of these areas will help you make a better decision about the recruitment consultant you choose.