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Anyone can do a recruiters’ job can’t they? In the ‘fake it to make it ‘ environment it appears people can follow their dreams and do anything. This is empowering but can be frustrating, for example, when it comes to specialist recruitment requirements.
The temptation, of course, is that when budgets are straining at the seams recruitment can be the first to bear the brunt of cuts and savings. This is understandable. Yet the question I’d like to pose is: how much does this approach cost a company in the long term?
As a specialist recruiter you know that I am going to say that it has overt but also many hidden costs. But hear me out. There are some very good reasons for hiring a specialist. This decision will have a profound effect on the future health and growth of a company.
How much does a poor recruit cost business?
1. Think about the cost of advertising, recruitment agencies and all the associated paraphernalia when looking for new staff
2. Consider the time it takes to source suitable candidates. You might be using people who could be spending their time growing the business or focused on core business strategy
3. What is the true cost of gaps in staff that may be impacting on productivity and output?
4. Do you know the knock on effect on current staff if you recruit someone that upsets the team’s equilibrium?
In fact STEM recruitment shortages is currently costing £1.5 billion per year according to The Engineer
Before I begin my pitch think about what poor staffing actually costs you. No, I mean really think about it. Here are just three obvious examples.
Lack of specialist industry knowledge may mean they don’t possess the correct mind set or approach.
Poor experience may well mean they cannot cope with the fast paced stress and pressure of your niche
Poor performance can cost you money both in terms of the tasks achieved, lack of development, company growth and even reputation.
Lack of ability to keep pace with your competitiors.
These are the first things I think of when I imagine a scenario where the wrong person is appointed to a role.
What do your job descriptions look like? Impressive or embarrassing?
Even before this if you don’t have someone working alongside you to support your business in its recruitment drive how will you manage? When’s the last time you sat down and really thought long and hard about a job description? Are you really aware of what a capability statement might look like for example? An accurate, detailed and thoughtful job description will help weed out unsuitable candidates at a very early stage. It will also appeal to the person who has the experience and is looking for a specific role.
If your job description is generic you may find that your pile of applications is almost overwhelming. The temptation is to be ruthless through time pressures but have you ever wondered how many seemingly ‘left field ‘ applicants might have offered considerable added value for your business? If you don’t have time for the recruitment process then it’s likely not to fulfill your specific needs. It may also take a long time to recruit that can be quite damaging for morale, especially if people become dissatisfied about ‘plugging the gaps’.
Therefore may I suggest that you talk through your specific recruitment needs with a specialist? Personally I have been working in the food industry for years and can advise you based on this experience. So why not contact me and let’s have a no obligation chat about how you can fulfill your latest vacancy. In this instance it really does pay to talk.