Hiring...should it be filled in house or by an agency?

Hiring...should it be filled in house or by an agency?

You might be shocked to hear this from an owner of a recruiting firm but here it goes...NOT ALL ROLES SHOULD BE FARMED OUT TO RECRUITING FIRMS.

One of the most common questions I get when speaking with my clients is why can't we find the talent you find for us? My answer is simple, time & resources! All a recruiting firm does is recruit, we are constantly speaking to candidates that could fill various roles and we are referred by candidates to passively seeking top talent that usually do not apply to positions online. We have time to actively recruit because that is all we do! It is not about putting up a job posting or sending a message and seeing what sticks; it is about networking, making calls, and doing research to hunt and find the best talent for each client.

Our clients, unlike us, have many other tasks and hiring is usually just one drop in their big buckets which makes it way more complicated to make a hire.

Having said all of that, it does not mean that some jobs should be farmed out right away to a firm. For most companies, every dollar counts and chances are you will need to use recruiters for those "hard to fill", executive level, hyper growth mode positions...so save your dollars for those roles and try these tips when you are trying to fill roles internally.

-Be on the look out everyday for top talent. Whether you are sitting in a coffee shop or going to a networking event be on the lookout and approach people you think would be a good fit for your company. You are probably thinking, this is nuts, I am not going to go up to a stranger in Starbucks and promote my company. You are wrong, you should be doing this! If you see someone who sticks out, who is put together, conducts themselves in a way you like, during an appropriate time, go up to them, introduce yourself and hand them your business card. Tell them they really stuck out to you and although they might not be looking now, you would love to hear what they do as you never know what opportunities your company could have in the next couple months AND that could match what they do! Remember, sometimes the right personality can learn the hard skills needed for the job.

-Check your Facebook, LinkedIn and any other social media sites for connections and reach out to them. Recruiting is about being proactive and hunting down what you are looking for, not waiting around to see what mediocre people come your way through a job posting.

-Speak at events and let everyone know what you do and about your company. Try and go to 2 events each quarter (networking, events around your personal hobbies or interest...). Meet new people and promote yourself and your company. The more you get out there the more people you will meet.

-Take a chance on fresh talent. Go to a top college in your area and recruit interns that have the potential of staying with your company long term.

-Give your employees a referral fee and start the recruiting process with your own top talent. Good people stick together. If you have an all star employee, ask that person if they know anyone for the role you are trying to fill. This will possibly not only land you another talented individual but you can praise your current employee by wanting to hire another individual with the same work ethics and drive!