Recruitment companies everywhere right now are scrambling to find companies hiring. The economy is in such a state that any lead will help to generate additional business and build confidence in existing clients. However, with so few jobs and so many searching for them, the prospects can be tough. So, there are a few things you should keep in mind when seeking companies hiring that can make the process much easier.
Getting an In
The first thing that many people attempt to do is get an in with the people working at certain companies. This can be hard for a recruitment firm that has not worked with a business before. They usually have existing channels through which they post new jobs. Sometimes these companies will not even announce they are hiring because they want to minimize response. Other times, companies hiring will only announce through specific channels. Becoming one of those channels is a primary goal for any recruitment firm.
Looking for Signs
Beyond just asking a company whether they are hiring or not, a recruitment firm needs to develop plans that will allow them to analyze businesses and learn when companies hiring are in need of new employees. This can be done in many ways. Measuring turnover in a given market is a good route to start with. If you know how often an industry loses employees, you can usually get a feel for how often you can get away with contacting HR departments for leads.
Having a Good Understanding of the Industry
If your company specializes in a given industry, great - you'll find companies hiring much quicker and more easily. However, if you are just learning to integrate yourself into a new niche or are trying to work within too wide of a framework for recruiting, you may quickly run into trouble. Make sure to know the industry, what the jobs require, and how to integrate your operations into the framework those HR departments are used to using. For example, if you are providing recruitment options to the Power Supply Industry, you would need to know that the POSS Test is an important influence on recruitment.
Staying Ahead of Competition
Because of the dearth of jobs on the market right now, staying ahead of your competition is the only way you're going to be able to ensure that you get immediate access to new companies hiring when they start hiring. Fall behind, miss a bulletin, or forget to attend a meeting and you're going to quickly fall behind. Be ahead by calling ahead of the curve, getting ins with the HR department and knowing the industry well.
In the end, if you know how to find and take advantage of companies hiring right now, you can become their dedicated recruitment option. However, if you don't demonstrate that you know what you're doing or that you cannot provide quality recruits for their positions, you may never again get a lead from that company, effectively ruining your chances within that niche.
About the Author
Michael Kelly is the managing director for Recruitment Alerts, a company that maintains databases of companies hiring on a consistent basis to provide ongoing results and up to date information on new recruitment alerts.
