Establishing a relationship with your agency
To be able to establish a good relationship with your staffing agency, you have to picture them as an extension of your human resources department. Typically firms choose to work with staffing and placement agency’s at times when you might require a top-notch candidate, or you do not have the capacity to look for candidates yourself, or simply want to hand it over to specialists. It is crucial that you communicate your needs and expectations clearly and thoroughly. The better you communicate your requirements, the better the results.
Evaluating your needs
The first step, before even approaching a staffing agency, is to evaluate the exact needs of your firm. It does not matter if you are looking for a contract candidate, part time, full time – finding a stellar candidate starts by sitting down and identifying what you are expecting from that new addition. Once you have done so, it will be easier to communicate the specifics. You will want to share with your staffing expert the most critical requirements, including personality traits and the skills candidates must have in order to be successful. So, remember your agency will work off the information you provide. The better the information, the more accurately they can search their database and networks. So, if you have an urgent need, take the time upfront.
Communicating your short term and long term goals
Finally, after creating a great description of the ideal candidate, you should begin discussing your longer term goals. For instance, if you are searching for a field engineer at this particular time, but know that that you might require an onsite project manager in the near future; mention it. Not only will your staffing and placement agency be looking to fill our current position, but can also be on the lookout for your next “A” level candidate for future positions.
David Klein is a leading Executive IT Recruiter & Headhunter with over 15 years industry experience. As Manager of Recruitment Strategy for KDS Staffing, Inc., he has achieved industry-leading success. David has successfully led, trained and introduced many in the art of Executive Recruitment and Headhunting. If you or your organization would like to discuss hiring needs, contact David at 646-650-2833 or david@kdsstaffing.com.
