It’s almost December and most of us are thinking about the holidays, but some stressed recruiters and companies are thinking about more pressing concerns. These concerns include general hiring shortages, but are particularly painful when it comes to hard-to-fill or upper level management positions that require specific skill sets. While recruiters may have been out posting jobs online all year and doing their typical outreach efforts, the fact is that they are overworked, overwhelmed and just plain exhausted. Recruiters do an amazing job with few resources and many open searches, but when it comes to sourcing for that one position like the Chief Marketing Officer or the Chief Nursing Officer, sometimes there aren’t enough hours in the day to really concentrate on that singular role.
That’s where direct search comes in! Direct search is usually a late game consideration, but we think you should consider it as soon as you understand the complexity of a role. Here are some baseline facts from Glassdoor that support the argument of proactively using a direct search firm as a recruitment solution:
- One in three employers are concerned voluntary exits will increase. (Harris Poll for Glassdoor, February 2015)
- $4,000 is the average amount U.S. companies spend to fill an open position. (Talent Acquisition Factbook 2015, Bersin by Deloitte, April 2015)
- It takes an average of 52 days to fill an open position, up from 48 days in 2011. (Talent Acquisition Factbook 2015 2015, Bersin by Deloitte, April 2015)
- 48% of small businesses report there are few or no qualified applicants for the positions they are trying to fill. (NFIB, November 2015)
- On average, each corporate job opening attracts 250 resumes. Of these candidates, four to six will be called for an interview and only one will be offered the job. (ERE Survey, 2013)
Let’s Talk “Averages”
First of all, after reading those statistics, consider the fact that you need to generate 250 resumes, spend $4,000 and lose 48 days when conducting an average search. The average doesn’t often apply when it comes to hard-to-fill solutions. The reality is that you are most likely going to pay more and spend more dedicated time on certain searches.
Direct search works because it puts all of the focus of a professional recruitment team on just a few searches rather than one individual trying desperately to concentrate on the multitude of diverse options given to them to complete. And, because it is so focused, it can reduce the cost-per-hire and the time-to-fill.
Consider the Every Day
Also noted in the data above is the quite scary fact that employers are concerned about voluntary exit rates increasing. With that rate going up, it means that in-house recruiters will have even less time to focus on their high level open requisitions. They will need to work on overall strategy and suggest options for retention. The fact is, recruiters are busy and they do need a hand from time to time if they want to increase their effectiveness.
Are You Qualified?
Recruiters know exactly who they want to fill a job, but with many open searches on their plates, they tend to throw a requisition out onto job boards and more active placement areas in hopes that the perfect candidate is looking at that precise moment. Yes, the boards may generate a response, but now there is a new problem – not enough time to screen in a real, quality-based way.
Direct search reduces the number of unqualified resumes filling the inboxes of recruiters by pre-screening, mini-interviews and more. By the time a candidate is handed over to recruiters by a direct search firm, you can be assured that they are at the very least, going to meet the expectations.
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Do you have a hard-to-fill position you’d like to consult with a direct search firm about? Consider contacting Mark Wedes, the head of Harger Howe Direct.
