4 signs you should outsource your recruitment

​There are natural ebbs and flows in hiring across industries. Retailers need more employees during the holiday season; restaurants seek out more help during the summer months. It is the supply-and-demand tale as old as trade itself.

No one knows more about these growth patterns than professional recruitment agencies, particularly as the recent construction boom across New Zealand is highlighting strong demand for professional expertise during this period of intense growth.

New Zealand construction sector sees intense spike

Toward the tail end of June, construction rates across New Zealand had reached unparalleled levels – totaling 17.8 billion in the past year, according to a press release from the New Zealand Government.

Minister for Building and Housing Nick Smith reported that the construction sector was the most promising it's ever been.

"This continues the longest and strongest period of growth in residential construction in New Zealand history," explained Mr Smith.

Growth spurts, such as the one the New Zealand construction sector is currently experiencing, create an increased demand for skilled trade workers.

While some companies have in-house specialists dealing with recruitment, periods of high demand create particular difficulty for businesses looking to attract top talent. According to LinkedIn's Global Recruiting Trends 2016, the biggest hurdle to drawing top-tier candidates has to do with the ability to locate professionals in premier market talent pools.

In times like this, businesses should re-evaluate why they may need the help of a recruiting agency to fill open positions. Here are four key signs that you need the help of professional recruiters.

Many companies can have problems with strategic alignment among recruiters without even knowing it.

1. You have no in-house recruiting strategy

As for any core business function, strategy is key when it comes to recruitment. It helps ensure your team is all on the same page about what you want out of new candidates and when you need them.

Many companies can have problems with strategic alignment among recruiters without even knowing it, explained Richard Dunn, senior director at US recruiting agency Yoh , in an article for HR Dive.

"On the outside, recruiting may appear to be operating just fine, but inconsistencies in the recruiting process secretly impact the organisations' long-term ability to successfully attract and hire quality talent," says Mr Dunn.

Professional recruiting agencies can help streamline processes by applying industry best practices to take care of recruitment for you. This can result in speeding up your acquisition process while simultaneously providing a template for a new recruitment strategy.

2. Your internal recruiters are overwhelmed

It is common practice for companies to blend their HR and recruiting teams. However, these dual roles can cause staff members to get bogged down by competing responsibilities, especially in times of increased staffing demand. Imagine being responsible for finding a handful of new candidates, the onboarding of these hires – your to-do list would be virtually endless.

Leveraging the help of a professional recruiting agency can help alleviate some of these responsibilities. They can take on the pressure of finding candidates and even set them up so they are ready to start from day one. This, by no means, translates to eliminating staff, it simply means your team is freed up to focus on more strategic tasks.

3. Your hiring insights are limited

Spouts of increased demand can come on unexpectedly. In these scenarios, businesses must be able to increase the quantity of hires while still securing quality professionals. This requires an advanced level of industry hiring insight.

A recruiting agency in your industry is positioned to act fast with large databases of skilled workers at their disposal. This, combined with seasoned experience in the given industry, ensures these agencies can quickly find you the best hires, limiting downtime associated with the recruitment process.

4. Your business in continually growing

The construction boom in New Zealand doesn't seem to be going anywhere soon. According to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) 2015 National Construction Pipeline report, forecasted that between 2013 and 2020 94,000 housed would be built in Auckland alone.

Outsourcing to a professional recruitment agency provides businesses with a cost-effective and scalable option.

Outsourcing to a professional recruitment agency provides businesses with a cost-effective and scaleable option for hiring as their business continues to grow. Leading recruitment companies can effectively respond to your hiring needs, whether it be during a construction boom or a period of individual business growth.

Tradestaff is here to help

When it comes to your construction staffing needs in New Zealand, no one is better suited than Tradestaff. We fill over 21,000 temporary and permanent positions each year, pulling from our database of over 100,000 local and international candidates.

Our staff of professional recruitment consultants take the time to understand just what your company is looking for in a candidate, which ensures you receive the best possible hires for the position. Keen to learn more? Contact one of our Tradestaff reps today.