Will online recruitment spell the end of the recruitment intermediary as we know it? This is a question posed by a leading construction recruiter following a recent Institute for Employment Studies (IES) report[1]. The short answer is ënoí, according to Consensus Recruitment. 
Consensus argues that while the cost advantages of the internet to in-house teams must be acknowledged, the essential human element - plus the pre-selection screening - involved in successful recruiting through intermediaries must not be forgotten.
Welcoming the acknowledgement in the report that the growth in e.recruitment could be an opportunity for intermediaries rather than a threat, Martin Tyrrell, Director said: ëCandidates may be whittled down through a database, but finding the correct match takes specialist knowledge of a clientís needs and culture - something a computer cannot provide. An in-house team will do the job but intermediaries are often only paid when someone is placed with a new employer. Furthermore the economies of an agency mean they take a lot of the costs of recruiting upon themselves ñ at a big saving to the client.í
The report also advises recruitment intermediaries to consider the future need to focus on specialist skills and shared services with in-house teams. These issues have been addressed by forward thinking intermediaries. For instance, Consensus offers employer of choice programmes to clients through its affiliates. And a highly successful Inspiration at Work scheme looks to bring the best out of its employees through various incentive and motivational programmes.
The human element to successful recruitment
Will online recruitment spell the end of the recruitment intermediary as we know it?
