…improve agency recruitment
| 01 Plan ahead |
Making an agency aware of your requirements several weeks in advance will allow it to find, interview and screen local candidates well in advance of them being required and ensure that the best candidates are found for your position.
| 02 Avoid cut-throat bidding |
When procuring any products or services the basic premise is that you get what you pay for. Why should this not be the case when selecting a recruitment agency? If an agency is allowed to make a fair and reasonable margin — which in some cases might only be a difference of 50p-£1 to the charge rate — time and resources
can be allocated for the required screening and vetting, the consultant is actually going to earn some commission from the assignment and it’s likely that more attention will be spent on ensuring the best candidate is assigned to you.
| 03 Ensure temp staff are properly supervised |
Most agencies won’t charge you if you let them know within the first 24 hours that they have sent someone without the required skills so it’s in your best interest to properly assess the workers as quickly as possible. Unfortunately it’s far too common for clients to complain about the standard of workmanship several weeks after the worker has finished. In this instance the worker has been fully paid and the agency is in receipt of signed time sheets and nothing much can be done about it.
| 04 Work with fewer agencies and review your supplier list annually |
Work on selecting the best agencies out there to work on a preferred supplier agreement allows the few agencies you work with a larger proportion of your work and therefore they are more likely to offer better terms, annual rebates and a better service. Review the agreement annually to ensure that standards are being maintained and the best rates negotiated.
| 05 Treat your recruitment partners with respect |
Once you have selected recruitment partners you should invite them to look around your offices, meet your managers and help them understand your business and its requirements. If you get closer to your recruiters and educate them about your business you will undoubtedly get a better service, enjoy better rates and be given first refusal on the best candidates.
By Dave Brooks, managing director, Bromak Construction Recruitment
