Today, many companies are struggling to find the skilled candidates they need to fill their vacant positions. Nearly three-quarters of employers have difficulties securing top talent, and 45% admit they are concerned about finding the right job seekers. As a result, many companies turn to outside resources to find the candidates they need to thrive. In fact, 41% of hiring managers cite access to job seekers with specialized skills as the primary reason they work with a recruitment firm.
Working with a recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) partner can be the ideal way to find top talent quickly. Not only can you streamline your hiring process, reduce time-to-hire metrics, and find high-quality candidates, but you also gain access to recruitment experts. An RPO partner can make it easier to navigate the complex hiring landscape, giving you an edge during times where the labor force is strained.
If your goal is to find an ideal RPO, you need to take care during the selection process. Choosing an RPO shouldn’t be done on a whim. Otherwise, you might not find a partner that understands your needs, strategic goals, and preferences. Plus, they can help reduce your hiring costs, a point that shouldn’t be overlooked.
If you are ready to find the perfect RPO partner, here are some tips to help during the selection process.
Know Your Hiring Needs
Before you start looking for an RPO partner, you need a thorough understanding of your needs and what you want to accomplish with the partnership. Does your company have a peak season where you need to augment your staff quickly and substantially, and you want an RPO to handle those workers? Are you looking for highly specialized project talent and need help identifying great candidates? Is your goal to augment your internal HR department or completely outsource all recruitment and hiring activities?
By understanding what you want an RPO to accomplish, you can focus your search on RPOs that specialize in those areas. That way, you have access to the right kind of support based on your goals.
Seek Out Industry Experts
While all RPOs understand the nuances of hiring, not all of them have the same amount of industry- or field-related expertise. Some RPOs are general, working with businesses in every sector to fill any job. Others are more focused. They may specialize in information technology, healthcare, manufacturing, or any other industry. In some cases, an RPO may concentrate on a handful of niches, having expertise across several select sectors.
Often, there is a benefit in seeking out an RPO that is an industry expert. They will be more familiar with the hiring landscape for professionals in the associated fields, as well as what it takes to excel in the jobs you are looking to fill. Additionally, they will have a large network of passive candidates that work in those sectors, giving you access to talent that may be hard to connect with otherwise.
Consider the RPOs Reputation
When you work with an RPO, their operations impact your employer brand. If an RPO is known for offering an exceptional candidate experience, their reputation will enhance yours. In contrast, if the candidate experience is less than ideal, that will harm your employer brand. Considering that 69% of job seekers won’t accept a position from a company with a bad reputation and that 98% of candidates who have a great experience will refer others to apply to open positions, the impact of an RPO on your brand shouldn’t be overlooked.
Before you choose an RPO partner, you need to understand the candidate experience they bring to the table. You can often gain insights by researching how job seekers perceive the RPO or the other companies the RPO assists. It’s also wise to ask for a full rundown of their entire hiring process and to follow up with any new hires to find out what their experience was like. That way, you have a solid view of what the RPO is doing and how it’s viewed.
Look for Flexibility and Customization
Every company is unique, including yours. Ideally, you want to find an RPO that offers flexible and customizable recruitment and hiring solutions. For example, you should be able to scale up or down with relative ease and without an undue financial penalty.
If an RPO is only offering one or a few options, then it might not be adaptable enough to adjust to your changing needs. However, when your RPO partner is flexible and offers customization, they can support your company over the long-term by shifting their approach or priorities whenever the need arises.
Ultimately, choosing an RPO partner does take some effort. By ensuring you select an RPO that is genuinely capable of meeting your needs, you’ll achieve better hiring results, making all of the time and energy spent worthwhile. If you are interested in learning more about selecting an RPO or would like to find out what an excellent RPO partner can offer you, the team at Cloutera wants to hear from you. Contact us with your questions today and see how choosing the right RPO can make all of the difference.
