Why use a Recruitment Agency?
Using a recruitment agency to fill positions in your estate agency may not be something you’ve considered before. If you are an internal recruiter, it could feel like employing an agency would be putting you out of a job. Equally, for employers looking to save money in this time of belt-tightening, paying someone else to sift through CVs may seem a little extravagant – right?
In fact, employing a recruitment agency to fill any vacancy from a graduate role right up to director level will help your business to grow, and offers so many more benefits than just CV screening.
Let’s look at some of the ways hiring a recruitment agency is worth its weight in gold for both internal recruiters, estate agency owners and their hiring managers.
It’s not about waving the white flag
If you are a hiring manager or an internal recruiter then using a recruitment agency can provide much needed manpower when your plate is full. It allows you to outsource some of the hard work and much of the admin associated with recruitment. This enables you to concentrate on your current staff and the bigger picture. Recruitment agencies will also handle the more uncomfortable parts of the recruitment process, such as liaising with rejected candidates.
It’s important to think of your recruitment agency as part of your team. Let them get to know you and your company, giving insight into key elements such as the culture and the candidate qualities that you are looking for. Build a good relationship and you will discover they will be able to bring you a higher calibre of candidates, handpicked for your business. This will lead to a quicker process, better hires and a stronger staff retention.
Good recruiters have a major influence on which companies candidates go to work for. They trust our judgement and industry knowledge. We have had situations where candidates were not even going to go for an interview, but having persuaded them to trust us they have gone, been pleasantly surprised, been offered and accepted the job!
Property Personnel will:
- Act as an extension of your team
- Interview and identify the most suitable candidates
- Handle rejections and candidate feedback
- Have an influence on the candidates’ decision-making
But what about the fees – can’t I do it myself?
You could argue that many of the topics discussed above are things you could probably do in-house. However, the efficiency offered by outsourcing time-consuming tasks such as writing job advertisements, screening applications, interviewing both face to face and on the telephone, shouldn’t be underestimated.
You get far more from agency fees than just time-saving…
Using a specialist agency means you are employing an expert in the estate agency field. They know the industry inside and out, and can advise on things such as salary benchmarks – all as part of the service. Not only is a recruitment agency able to help negotiate the best salary, one that is appropriate and in-line with current market conditions, but a good agency should also be able to advise you on exactly what you need to do to hire that top candidate that everyone else is after.
Recruiters have access to a wider pool of candidates
In fact, many of the best candidates are passive i.e. they are not out there actively looking for a job. They often surreptitiously register with specialist agencies, providing details on their dream role, should it become available. This enables them to get on with their current job knowing that should a great opportunity come along they will not miss out. By hiring a trusted agency, you have access to these candidates before they even know they’re looking for a new job!
Benefits for your company
There are also numerous benefits to you and your brand that come with using a reputable recruitment agency. By instructing an agency, a competitor is less likely to know that you have a vacancy and so cannot exploit a potential weakness. This confidentiality works particularly well if you are a larger company, as it dissuades unsuitable candidates drawn to your brand’s name. The thorough screening process means you will only see the very best candidates most suited to your company.
As a smaller business, you can benefit too. Whilst many large companies have a recognised employer brand, many smaller businesses don’t. A good recruitment agency can give potential candidates a real insight in to your business – the benefits of working for you, along with a great feel for the culture. A trusted recruitment agency will be able to represent you as an employer of choice.
By acting as a go-between, your recruitment agency can also get accurate feedback from candidates about your company regarding what they do and don’t like.
Using the same agency for more than one hire will mean the recruiters can build an even better understanding of your company, making the hiring process more efficient each time, and greatly benefiting your company culture. In closing, the benefits of using Property Personnel are many and varied. We provide invaluable advice to both parties throughout the recruitment process and, as a company, we go above and beyond the call of duty! Don’t just take our word for it though…contact us and find out for yourself!
