Why Hire a Talent Search Firm?

Finding people to hire has never been easier. Post an application on a job board and get dozens of responses in 24 hours. Search LinkedIn and to find a list of potential candidates in minutes. So why hire an outside Talent search firm? For many good reasons, actually!

Expand the talent pool

You may think you have online access to everyone you would care to hire, but this is simply not the case, especially for certain positions. For example, while sales people are pretty good at keeping their profiles up to date, production personnel are not.

Sometimes the best candidates are working at a smaller firm or their actual role is not clear from their online profile. Based purely on information available online, the person may not seem like a fit. But upon further investigation this person may be the one you want to hire.

In general, the best candidates are the ones who are not actively looking. They are happy in their career path at their current employer and need convincing to even submit a resume or portfolio. We have experienced this situation many times, but when we know the fit is strong, we are tenacious and will not give up until we see the process through to fruition.

Better communications & expectations setting

An expert in the search process will be able to help with communications and expectations setting. They will know from years of experience what is missing from a job description or search brief that could end up being a critical requirement. They will know what positions are available at what salary ranges and can help to set expectations for both candidates and hiring organizations.

And sometimes either the candidate or the client are just not good communicators. We can help bridge that gap. For example, for candidates, we have been known to curate their portfolios to fit the brand’s aesthetic. And sometimes after speaking with a candidate we are able to put forward capabilities that are not clear from their resume. For clients we often need to help position how attractive they are to the right candidates in terms of their growth in the market (and on the shelves of high-end stores…part of our ongoing brand research).

Put both the hiring organization and the candidate in the best/proper light helps increase the odds of making a good match.

Save time and effort

Time is the most precious resource we have. Timing is a close second. Clients who need a candidate to fill a lost position or to help during the time crunch of an upcoming show can’t use the typical process of trolling for resumes…it takes too long and there are no easy shortcuts. Using an outside firm to supplement the search will quickly bring existing contacts into the mix and – with dedicated resources – radically speed up the process.

Many of our medium or smaller clients don’t have dedicated talent acquisition staff and so really need extra personnel for a high-end or difficult search. But even our larger clients see the benefit of bringing us in on specific searches where time or top talent are of the essence.

Other Benefits of Involving a Third-party

Many candidates are very discreet and will not want to be seen as actively looking. They avoid job boards and hesitate to return calls or emails. A third-party with a reputation for fair dealing can break the ice in this situation.

Another critical phase is final negotiations between candidate and client. If one of the other parties is not a skilled negotiator, then the process can lead to mis-understanding, hurt feelings or irreparable damage to the search process. Having a mediator who knows the priorities of each side can navigate the discussion to reach a mutually beneficial resolution.