Specialized Recruiting
Should I only use an employment firm that specializes in the field of my open position?
Some employers or human resources generalists may think that it's best to seek out a staffing firm that already has a waiting list of candidates on file that already have specific industry experience. This is a myth that deserves to be dispelled. A professional staffing firm is able to recruit and qualify great candidates for any type of position. But, more importantly, a staffing firm should be able to not only recruit for a position – but for a company and its corporate culture as well. In other words, the candidates already on file with any staffing firm in Kansas City were not recruited for your specific position. They have skills, experience, education, and talents, yes, but they may not meet other criteria for the job.
For a staffing firm, success comes from finding a "perfect fit" candidate for a particular hire. This is an effort that is built on the dialogue and trust between the staffing firm and the employer-client. That's why so many staffing firms are keen to refer to themselves as employment partners rather than just a firm or an agency. If you are looking to utilize the experience and skills of a professional staffing firm to locate top talent in Kansas City (such as Staffing KC in Overland Park), consider the following questions:
- Do you trust the staffing firms you're currently using?
- Are they providing top talent – highly-qualified candidates with skills, experience, and track records that fit your job description and corporate culture?
To use the "needle in a haystack" analogy, a staffing firm is a company of recruiting experts that are quite adept at sifting through a mountain of hay for the needle you specifically require. A great recruiter at any Kansas City staffing firm will not simply send your company a stack of résumés from online job boards – this is something that you can get yourself from Monster.com or CareerBuilder.com without the assistance of a third-party staffing group. No, a truly talented recruiter at a KC staffing firm will thoroughly interview each potential candidate to help ensure they are a perfect fit for your position and your company. No hiring manager wants a hired recruiter to drop a load of hay on their desk with the idea that "there may be a needle in there somewhere." Although there are certainly some recruiters out there that think they've done you a great service by delivering a "smaller haystack" than the one you started with.
Going forward from there, make sure that you communicate your needs and wants, as well as business purposes and goals. This is how the "perfect client-agency relationship" is built. Once your staffing firm understands all these requirements, they can easily work through the haystack for the appropriate candidate to fill your position.
Interested in more advice from An Expert? Read “10 Most Common Mistakes in Hiring” by Roses Ammon, Staffing Kansas City Vice President.