Why cutting corners on hiring can cost you more than you think…
In uncertain and austere times, it’s understandable that organisations look for ways to keep budgets lean and reduce costs. One common response is to bring recruitment entirely in-house or take a punt on a free ad / job board, after all, why pay a recruiter when you can “do it yourself”?
On the surface, that seems perfectly rational. But after 26 years in specialist recruitment, I’ve seen how this approach can backfire. The truth is that while self-managing recruitment can save money in the short term, if you get lucky, it often leads to hidden costs, huge, missed opportunities, longer-term talent gaps and frustrating inconsistency in results.
Here’s why….
- The Candidate Market Has Changed
The days when candidates came through job boards or adverts are largely behind us. Today, only one in five candidates are ACTIVE job seekers. The remaining 80% are passive and gainfully employed — professionals who aren’t actively applying but may be open to the right opportunity if it comes their way.
If your hiring strategy relies solely on ads and job boards, you’re only reaching a small slice of the potential talent pool. The question becomes:
How do you engage with the other four out of five candidates your advert never touches?
- Top Talent Needs More Than a Job Ad
In challenging economic times, exceptional talent becomes even more risk averse. Top performers aren’t scrolling job boards, people without jobs are more likely to be, this is because top performers are focused on their current roles and need genuine encouragement and informed advice before considering a move.
Building those relationships takes time, expertise, and trust, something that’s hard to replicate without a recruiter’s established network that’s been built, nurtured and grown across a significant time span.
- The Market Is Complex & Fluid
Right now, companies are working hard to retain their best people, offering pay rises and enhanced benefits. This has created inconsistency in salaries and expectations across right the board. So how do you know if you’re competitive if you’re not talking to the market every day?
Recruiters who are immersed in the market daily understand these fluctuations and can provide valuable salary benchmarking and market insight helping you make informed, competitive offers when the time comes.
- Recruitment Is No Longer a 9–5 Process
Modern candidates explore opportunities when it suits them and their lifestyle, often late at night, on weekends, or between commitments with family and children. The hiring process must reflect that flexibility to be totally effective.
The recruiter / candidate ferris wheel is open 24/7 for business, so ensuring candidates are engaged and informed, no matter when or how they prefer to communicate is paramount in today’s market.
Before You “Go It Alone”, Ask Yourself:
- Do we truly understand how candidates are looking for opportunities today?
- Are we engaging with all the talent we want to attract, or just the visible 20%?
- Do we have the time to offer a great candidate experience?
- Does our hiring process reflect the kind of organisation we want to be seen as?
What a Good Recruiter Brings:
A strong recruitment partner doesn’t just fill vacancies, they create real value. They:
- Reach beyond the active job market to uncover hidden talent.
- Build and maintain networks for future hiring needs as they understand your business over time.
- Communicate consistently with candidates throughout the process.
- Provide clear, data-led advice on salary , expectations and real live market conditions.
- Manage the process and interaction end-to-end, helping clients navigate unseen obstacles that aren’t apparent to people dipping in and out of the market periodically.
Final Thought
Many of the clients I’ve worked with over the years came to appreciate the real value of what I do only after attempting to manage the process alone. The time, expertise, and time, relationships and trust required to attract top talent are understandably very easy to underestimate, but impossible to replace.
Because when it comes to hiring, one thing always holds true:
The bitter taste of poor quality is long remembered after the sweetness of a cheap price.
About me:
Maybe you would like to learn more about me and what I do or just gain an insight into what’s changing fast in our industry hiring channels. Feel free to reach out to me to learn more about how we can support you address future of industry hiring. contact:
📩 Glen Shepherd — Director, Glen Callum Associates Ltd
🌐 www.glencallum.co.uk
📞 01384 485274
