A common belief is that hiring a recruiter is like throwing away money. I completely understand why this perception exists. Once a good candidate arrives at your doorstep, the recruiter's value might appear invisible.

However, it's essential to consider what it takes to get that candidate to your doorstep. Likely, it involved a substantial amount of hard work that you might not want to handle internally.

Here's why.

Don’t torture your tech lead!

Someone has to search for candidates on LinkedIn actively, sift through countless resumes, and dedicate hours to conducting interviews.

Perhaps you're fortunate to have an in-house HR department, but it's essential to consider whether they possess a deep understanding of the tech job market. They might not be able to distinguish Java from JavaScript.

As a result, the CV screening process will likely end up on your tech lead's desk, and they'll also have to handle the interviews. This can be quite taxing, especially in a company with pressing hiring needs. Your tech lead might already have a packed schedule, and adding the hiring task will increase their stress and create a bottleneck that slows down the hiring process.

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Stop wasting money on ads and CVtheques 

Job postings and subscriptions to resume databases or headhunting solutions, like LinkedIn Recruiter, can be expensive, and accumulating them can result in a hefty bill.

Your tech lead might be unfamiliar with these tools and likely strongly dislikes them. Your HR department may be aware of them but might not fully comprehend what to look for, especially when technical buzzwords come into play.

However, these tools come at no cost to your staff, and none of your employees need to manage them if you hire a recruiter who can handle them on your behalf!

Understand the Value of Market Knowledge

Recruiters keep themselves up-to-date with market trends, salary expectations, and competitive information. They know which companies have recently laid off skilled professionals and can help you secure these talents.

Additionally, recruiters have a keen understanding of what constitutes a realistic compensation package. Their expertise can save you money by avoiding overcompensation offers or the loss of potential candidates due to underpayment.

Avoid the cost of bad hires

A recruiter's expertise in candidate assessment and selection can result in higher-quality hires.

The cost of poor hires is estimated to range from 30% of the new hire's annual salary to as much as $240,000. While this number might seem substantial, it includes expenses related to training, the cost of rehiring for the same position, and the potential negative impact on the team, often referred to as 'the rotten apple that spoils the whole bunch.'

What sets madewithlove's recruitment service apart from generalist agencies is our comprehensive technical assessment. We ensure that you only meet candidates who have successfully completed the first two stages of our rigorous hiring process:

  1. An extensive interview that evaluates their motivation, technical knowledge, and interpersonal skills.
  2. A real-life, take-home coding challenge designed to solve a practical problem (no off-the-shelf multiple-choice questions). Or, a pair-programming challenge with one of our senior engineers.

When we present you with a candidate, you can be confident that they aren't just impressive on paper.

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Hire faster and avoid opportunity cost

The cost of a delayed recruitment process can be significant. Failing to fill open positions can lead to delayed feature releases, an overworked existing staff, decreased overall team motivation, a higher bug count, and reduced client satisfaction.

Recruiters boast extensive networks and candidate databases, which allow them to tap into broader and more diverse talent pools. When you're seeking candidates for specialized or hard-to-fill roles, a recruiter with industry-specific expertise can swiftly identify the right candidates, reducing the time required to fill a position.

Faster hiring translates to real cost savings!

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Protect your employer brand!

A positive candidate experience is crucial for building a positive image of your organization. The recruiter serves as the first point of contact for those you intend to hire. For those you don't hire, the recruiter might be the only representative of your company they ever encounter. Ensuring this experience is positive is paramount.

A professional tech recruiter can strike a balance between having candidates engage with your HR (who, while pleasant, may lack technical expertise) and your tech lead (who is a technical expert but often has more pressing priorities, potentially leading to rushed or unprepared interviews).

A professional recruiter can give each candidate the attention they deserve, contributing to the positive candidate experience that's vital for maintaining your employer brand's appeal to future talent.

Conclusion

While hiring a recruiter does involve a fee, the cost savings, enhanced hiring quality, and quicker time-to-fill frequently outweigh this expense, rendering it a financially prudent decision.

What's your perspective on this? Share with us your ongoing hiring projects!