A staffing agency is faced with the challenge of meeting both candidate needs and client expectations during recruitment. Investing in the right recruitment and client management tools, as well as perfecting your recruitment strategy, can be extremely rewarding.
In this article, we will guide you through the three key facets of running a successful staffing business:
Fulfilling client expectations
Strategizing recruitment
Choosing the right recruitment software
1) Fulfilling client expectations
The best way to make sure your clients are happy is to give them exactly what they are looking for. The first step to thoroughly understanding client needs is to research their industries and ask questions about their ideal candidates. Then, you can work together to set benchmarks before you start sourcing.
Once you’ve clarified the client goals, you’ll want to set targets and deadlines and allocate resources for each job role. It’s best to create a recruitment strategy with timelines dating back from the target date to fill. A customer relationship management tool can help you collaborate with your clients and ensure that everyone is on the same page throughout the recruitment process.
Once you’ve selected your candidates, it is crucial to confirm that they are meeting client expectations. We recommend asking clients for feedback about the quality of hire and consistently analyzing key performance indicators (KPIs) to improve the process. Collecting client testimonials and sharing success stories can also be a great way to improve your business.
2) Strategizing recruitment
Every hiring pipeline is different, and there is no right or wrong strategy as long as it continues to improve your recruitment KPIs. That said, here are some key aspects that you should consider as part of your staffing agency’s recruitment strategy.
Build a talent pipeline
As a staffing agency, you must recruit proactively and build a talent pipeline. This way, when new client requests come in, all you need to do is match the right candidate with the right role. An applicant tracking system (ATS) can help you compile, organize, and store all candidate data. We recommend identifying hard-to-fill roles that you frequently hire for and building talent pipelines for these positions. Be sure to consistently communicate with candidates so that they stay aware of your offerings.
Diversify sourcing strategies
Proactive recruitment also involves getting creative with your sourcing strategies. For example, instead of just relying on job boards, you may choose to use social media platforms, employee referrals, or campus recruitment drives to source candidates.
Create a virtual recruitment strategy
The pandemic has proven to us that it is possible to recruit remotely. In many cases, virtual recruitment has even proven more convenient for both candidates and recruiters. A virtual recruitment strategy enables you to connect with candidates around the globe, record video interviews and share them with clients, and most importantly, save time and money.
Use candidate assessments
With a fully or partially-virtual recruitment process, recruiters may find themselves bombarded with a high volume of applicants. Pre-screening assessments can help recruiters identify strong candidates and filter out low-quality resumes. Candidate assessments can also help candidates understand whether they have the skills required for the role.
Take a look at Zoho Recruit’s assessment feature.
Be smartphone friendly
A simple and accessible recruitment process can reduce candidate drop-off rates. Ensuring that your website, email marketing, and application process are mobile-friendly is critical for optimizing your recruitment efforts. It can also be beneficial to make common mobile social media platforms a part of your recruitment strategy.
Read how you can start your social hiring journey.
3) Choosing the right recruitment software
There is no doubt that investing in highly-functional recruitment software will give you a competitive edge over other staffing firms. An ATS helps you track applications, create a talent pipeline, assess and pre-screen applicants, conduct background checks, and improve the candidate experience by facilitating better communication.
An ATS also ensures that you never lose track of candidate data. When you keep a record of all candidates that you source and interview, you can use them later on for other similar job openings.
Plus, automated resume screening reduces human error while entering data.
I completely agree that investing in the right recruitment and client management tools and a perfect recruitment strategy are major aspects that define the success of a staffing agency. Very informative!