We all know that Employers that use Agencies adopt preferred supplier lists to manage the Agency situation. Idea being that you find some good agencies that you’re prepared to work closely with and you exclude the rest.

We also know that whilst this might work well some of the time, there are diametrically opposing forces at work that cause it to fail from time to time. These being: the need to keep the PSL to a manageable number, otherwise you’d be dealing with agencies all day long and the need to have sufficient market penetration to ensure you get the right candidates, in the right locations and as quickly as possible.

Recruitment is about finding candidates, communicating with them and then delivering them. Everyone will tell you that finding people is no longer the problem, however connecting with them and delivering them is a skill that good recruiters possess. It does however take time and it does come at a price.

My point is this: I like buying food from a local delicatessen because it’s local and great quality. It’s also relatively expensive and sometimes because they are specialist and small, they have either run out of my favourite stuff or they don’t have the thing I’m looking for.

So I have come up with the following strategy!

I do a list of what I want.
I go to the local deli and get what I can.
Then I go to a bigger supermarket and buy the rest.

What’s your recruitment strategy?

1. In-House
2. Agency PSL
3. Vacancy-Clearing.com