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Stuart Gentle Publisher at Onrec

How can you use Technology to differentiate your recruitment agency?

By Darren Franks, CEO, TalentintheCloud Limited

We’ve all been there –  you walk into a client briefing and there are a dozen other recruiters sitting there with their shiny shoes and their branded folders. Instantly (and perhaps even subconsciously) you sink into the ‘job order taking’ mode and are afraid to ask too many questions in case one of your competitors takes advantage and scurries off with the information you’ve extracted from the client.

Why o’ why do clients do this?  Well the reality is the large majority feel that casting the net as wide as possible will give them the best choice of candidates.  They see contingency agencies as CV engines, churning out candidates who match key words that their hiring managers have told them to look for (it also avoids repeating the conversation with each of their preferred suppliers).

What if you were able to take your time? Conduct a proper search? Assess candidates for soft and hard skills and then present the client with a detailed shortlist comparing your shortlisted candidates against each other?

That’s ‘Executive Search’ I hear you shouting!

Well, not necessarily – I think this is how all recruitment assignments should be conducted, and there are Technology platforms exist that allow you, with some adjustment, to turn your service into a product.

But we’re not a Search firm and we don’t have experience of selling retained projects

This may be so, but what if you could sell retainers?  Would that spark your interest?  What if clients started to value (and PAY!) for your time?  Think about all those hours wasted on roles that never come to fruition.  Wouldn’t it be better spending that time prospecting new clients and demonstrating the value in retaining you?

Wait a minute – did he just say ‘demonstrating’?  How on earth do you ‘demonstrate’ a search to a client, this is a service not a product ??

Just think about this as a process…

  • You prospect a client and arrange an online demo of your system – instantly you’re differentiating yourself, how many other recruiters who have called this client have tried to badger him/her for a meeting?
  • You conduct a webex (or equivilant) and show the client how you will conduct the search. You show them the depths you go to, your methodology, the results it achieves, you then set them up on the system and generate a unique client code. Your client now feels part of the process and will start to understand why you need to charge them a retainer.
  • Next, you book a meeting with the client (either virtually or in person). You take them through a job profiling process where you really unearth thier needs – validating both hard and soft skills. You invite all the stakeholders to that meeting (which is explained to them when you do the first demo).
  • Once you have all the details you can then commence the search – of course, you’d also send them an invoice for this part of the process!
  • During the search process your client can log into the system and check for updates, even tweak the job profile and comment on candidates. How many of their other suppliers offer this?
  • Finally, when you are happy with the shortlist, you notify your client. They log on and can view the top 3 (or however many you choose) and visually compare them against eachother using charts, graphs & video interviews / introductions. They can request interviews straight from within the system.

Now that’s a differentiator!

What then are the options?

There are a growing number of platforms that specialise in these types of offerings. There are some that are more geared towards campaigns (multiple hires) and some that have a more ‘Executive’ feel, so you need to find a system and partner that works for your market / business. It may be that you can adapt your current ATS to give you similar functionality and you may choose to use a different set of tools to assess candidates that are more aligned with your market. Platforms exist where you can run all your candidates through a live assessment – and use Artificial Intelligence to test all sorts of skills. You then produce a detailed shortlist to the client identifying the top 3, 5 or 10 candidates who have passed a series of assessments.

Now that’s adding value to a client.

What next?

If you’re looking for ways to differentiate your business and see technology as an enabler, we offer independent, impartial and professional advice across the entire Technology eco-system.  We work with you to identify, evaluate and implement the best solutions to help grow and differentiate your business.

About the author: Darren Franks was the former CEO of an International Recruitment Agency before establishing TalentintheCloud. Living and working in the UK, Middle East and Africa he has gained considerable experience across a multitude of sectors, regions and industries. With a passion for HRTech and the Recruitment Industry, Darren launched the business to provide independent and professional advisory services to both agencies and corporates on all matters relating to technology within talent acquisition.