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Word around the block is there's a more cost-effective way of doing recruitment, but can it bring the same quality of hires?
Embedded recruitment vs. traditional hiring
There are a few different ways companies can hire for a role. First, they can contact an external recruitment agency on a contingent basis, where an experienced consultant will look through their well-curated Rolodex of candidates to shortlist the best ones and hand them over for interviews. Similarly, companies might decide to keep this process all in-house - using their ‘in-the-know’ HR team to scour the web for talent, facilitate interviews, and handle onboarding.
While both have their advantages, embedded recruitment is the best of both worlds. Combining the expertise of an external recruiter and the rapport of an internal HR department, embedded recruiters cover the before and after of a recruitment strategy that makes it foolproof. From attracting the right talent with a well-positioned employer brand, to engaging them throughout the entire candidate experience journey, hires from an embedded recruitment model guarantees better results simply because it encompasses more of the process.
Time can tell
What separates the greats and the second-to-greats in the hectic cycle of filling a role in understanding and anticipating hiring needs before the levels of urgency (and burnout) come to a head. When a recruitment strategy is reactionary, the candidate pool is limited to applications from active talent in a short timeframe. Though this approach can be successful, it also narrows the chances of securing the best person for the job - the one that could really value-add and makes a difference to the business down the line. To be a competitive business running at its best, you need to have access to the right talent at the right time. Embedded recruiters don’t just avoid the lengthy hiring process that could drag on for months, they’ve prepared the talent pool with foresight so the best candidates are already known to them even before the hiring process begins. They regularly maintain relationships with ‘sought-after’ talent who might not be publicly on the market, but will be when given the right job and company.
Lean, mean working machine
So, you want to hire, how complicated can it be? Well, it’s more than just putting an ad out on the internet. It’s making sure you have an attractive employer brand, showcasing an accurate value proposition, having enough insights about the talent market, managing stakeholders, ensuring fair and effective interview practices…the list goes on.
If a company is only as successful as the people that make it up, then having a solid talent strategy to attract, engage, and retain the right candidate is crucial in futureproofing an organisation. An embedded solution provides this full talent acquisition strategy and delivery, without the massive headcount or cost. When consultants are embedded into the company, they can build deeper relationships with managers and staff - better understanding the top-end funnel of the process (like job expectations, salary benchmarking…etc) while streamlining the best possible candidate experience. Instead of pigeonholing an important task, hiring is enveloped into the larger human resources machine that defines a company’s culture and operations.
Too often, top talent will leave the company, especially a startup, in the first few months. This usually has nothing to do with the role or challenge of the job, but because something was overlooked in the hiring process. Implementing a whole hiring machine that includes training and coaching, for the hiring managers and new hires alike, ensures the process is moving towards the right path. Embedded recruitment utilises all these resources and more, acting as an extension of a company’s brand and ensuring top talent hires and stays at scale.