Can’t find staff? This is the Age of the Recruitment “Consultant”

As a specialist in search and selection for Executive and Senior positions globally across the automotive aftermarket and allied industrial sectors, Kayleigh Bradley has matched hundreds of candidates with well-known, top tier companies over the past 10 years.

In this piece, Kayleigh discusses the significant benefits of partnering with an established recruitment consultant, such as Glen Callum Associates, and how a professional recruitment consultant can provide more than just a CV service to ensure companies gain and retain top talent for their business.

“As we sail past ‘Freedom Day’, employer confidence is growing with businesses conducting reviews of their current structures and assessing their staffing requirements. Job vacancies are at a high not seen since 1997 and exacerbating this, and creating the perfect recruitment storm, is a distinct lack of available talent, which currently stands at a 24-year low.

We’ve gone from a candidate-led recruitment market to an employer-led market and back again in less than 18 months. Without question the employment market is undergoing a transformation!

The pandemic has not only forced many businesses to change their entire structure in order to cope with new demands from their customers, but it has also shifted employee expectations.

We are currently experiencing a hiring market trend, whereby employers are now having to widen their appeal and convince the best talent to come and work for them.

This is in stark contrast to traditional candidate shortlisting, interviewing and candidates competing for a vacant job.

With the above in mind, what should be the number one solution for businesses needing to add to their teams?

You may have tried to recruit people yourself, but have you considered the benefit of using a recruitment consultant? A professional that isn’t just a CV provider but who can offer more than just a CV to your business.

We’re seeing companies work even harder to attract the best talent and by utilising the services of expert recruiters, such as ourselves, they are able to recruit in a more focused way than ever before.

There’s no doubt that over the past year, the remit of a recruitment consultant has expanded significantly. We are no longer being seen as a service that you only use when hiring for a role, but as a professional who businesses have a regular dialogue with to ensure they are kept up to date with the latest trends and the changing face of the industry.

So, what should you look for in a recruitment consultant?

A recruitment consultant should be a partner to your business, similar to your accountant. Whether in house or external they should always be there to advise on best practice. They should be there at every stage of your process, from creating your job specification, to knowing where to advertise, to offer negotiation and rejection handling. In this candidate-driven market, this can be an arduous task!

1. They should understand and advise on current market conditions, and they should be frank and honest.

A recruitment partner should be able to advise on the availability of staff for your sector and in general – it’s a recruiter’s job to know whether it’s a candidate-driven market or a client-driven market; to understand the current blockers to candidates applying for and accepting offers; and to be able to advise on how a client can give themselves the best opportunity to attract and secure talent.

Honesty is the best policy and while no one likes to give bad news, do not opt for a recruiter that will over-promise and under-deliver.

2. They should know the story of your business and positively impart your business and your role to candidates.

An important part of the recruitment process is engaging a candidate, this is done by talking to them about your company, its history, its people and its plans.

This is only achieved by talking to you and taking a thorough brief, asking about your organisation, your team members and your cultural fit – all of these aspects help you secure a candidate that wants to work for you and your business.

3. They can headhunt.

Sometimes the best candidate for your role is the one that was headhunted. Maybe they didn’t see the beautifully written advert and click apply? Maybe they didn’t even know they were looking for an opportunity?

In a candidate-driven market, the ability to headhunt sets recruitment consultants apart from their peers. There is a definite need to uncover that needle in a haystack, engage with them and tell them your story. Only this way can you be sure you are seeing the best talent available to you.

Job adverts have a place in the recruitment process, and hopefully always will, but with applications at an all-time low, opt for a recruiter that can add to your candidate talent pool by seeking them out.

When reviewing your recruitment partner, ask yourself if they can find the needle in the haystack, can they tell your story and sell your role and, most importantly can they consult, both with you and your candidates?

Ultimately can your recruitment consultant give you the best chance to secure that all important talent for your business?”

Kayleigh has been a Senior Recruiter for Glen Callum Associates for over 10 years and manages high profile positions globally within the aftermarket, gaining an excellent knowledge and experience for sourcing talent for some of the most recognised brands within the automotive industry.