For recruitment agencies, the concept of starting a working relationship with an Offshore Recruitment Service (ORS) provider makes perfect sense: it will develop and advance their business focus and competitiveness; they will gain a strategic advantage by securing quickly more qualified, focused and available candidates and of course there will be the cost savings.
However, the really great news is that by following some key steps, the implementation and execution of the agencies relationship with their ORS Partner can be really stress-free and efficient.
So how do you create that winning team?
A strong, mutually beneficial relationship is the absolute foundation of a successful relationship and as with any new venture this is best attained by the full and thoughtful participation of all stakeholders. By adhering to the following ‘best practices’ we will help you best achieve your offshore recruitment goals:
- Think Differently – things will change and although for the better, it will require you to think differently. For example, when utilising ORS to support VMS customers it is vital to recognise that the business model needs to be different. Your internal support structure, roles and responsibilities of your staff, compensation, business processes/metrics and performance expectations will all be different from your retail business.
- Determine your desired ROI before starting – to be a viable business model, offshore recruitment must produce a measurable and easily identifiable return on your investment. These could be, for example, making a specific placement, delaying or reducing internal hiring or handing over those important but not critical recruitment functions to your ORS team.
- Determine and utilise metrics – at the outset of the engagement it’s essential to determine how you will measure progress and success. Agree upon what activities will be tracked and by whom, and clarify in what manner and with what frequency reporting data will be generated and delivered.
- You need to operate seamlessly – It’s a two-way relationship and if you want to maximise the relationship you will need to provide regular feedback, a timely response to any requests and keep your ORS team fully updated on your processes, software and any key information needed to perform their job efficiently and effectively. The only difference between your internal and external teams should be one works remotely.
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- Start with a suitable pilot project – the initial project should focus on an area that is visible and important but not acute, such as your most challenging account or most difficult job orders. Ideal pilots include retaining your offshore recruiter to support your VMS clients, handle existing database regeneration, populate your database with new and qualified candidates, support your business expansion or recruit for those hard-to-fill positions by supporting your existing recruiters. The pilot can expand very quickly to play a larger and more critical role in your overall recruiting strategy
- Select a senior internal champion – assigning responsibility for overseeing the project from your side to a senior-level employee is a significant part of the project and they will need to be vested in the project’s success.
- Communicate regularly – clear and consistent communication greatly enhances realisation of your expectations. By utilising the right people and maintaining clear, candid and timely communication, you should expect to see positive returns in 60 to 90 days from launch. Internal communication that explains why you are undertaking this pilot and how it will benefit the company and the existing staff is very important.
- Think strategically – by choosing to work with an overseas recruitment partner you can develop a long-term, trusted resource that serves as an extension of your existing workforce. The flexibility of the offshore team means you can quickly move between your projects or provide recruitment services on demand while your domestic team focuses on its highest-level skills and priorities.
- Have patience – In most cases it will take time (60-90 days) to realise incremental revenue from your offshore recruiting support. An upfront investment in the creation of business processes, training and a communication routine is necessary. Success may be initially seen only in one area, for example, you’re able to produce more viable candidates for future assignments or can cover more orders from your MSP clients.
A recruitment agency can truly benefit from partnering with a winning Offshore Recruitment Team and following these ‘best practices’. The end result will certainly be an increase in their ability to promptly provide their clients with more qualified, interested and available candidates, at a lower price.
