Before You Recruit: Are You Asking the Right Question?
The best recruitment decision isn't always about where to advertise. It's about choosing the right way to fill the vacancy.
One of the questions I'm asked most often is:
"What's the best way to fill this vacancy?"
The honest answer is...
“It depends?”
Not because recruitment is complicated, but because every vacancy is different. Before advertising a role or deciding where to invest your recruitment budget, I'd encourage you to take a step back and ask a different question.
What are we actually trying to achieve?
Getting that decision right can save a huge amount of management time, avoid unnecessary recruitment costs and give you a much better chance of finding the right person first time. One of the biggest mistakes I see is businesses rushing to replace someone simply because they've handed in their notice.
A vacancy is an opportunity to pause and ask a few questions.
Do we still need exactly the same role?
Has the business changed?
Could responsibilities be shared differently?
Could technology remove some of the workload?
Is this an opportunity to strengthen the business rather than simply replace someone?
Sometimes, asking better questions leads to a better solution.
Start by looking internally
Before looking outside your business, look inside it. Is there someone in your team who's ready for the next step? Promoting from within rewards loyalty, boosts employee morale and shows your team there are genuine opportunities to develop their careers. It also creates a smoother transition. The person you've promoted already understands your business, your customers and your culture, making them well placed to mentor and support the person who joins to fill the vacancy they've left behind. Even if promoting internally isn't the right answer this time, it's always worth considering before looking elsewhere.
Your next hire could already know your business
If an internal move isn't the right option, think about who already knows your business.
Your employees.
Your customers.
Your suppliers.
Your wider professional network.
Employee referrals and recommendations often introduce candidates who would never have seen your advert. They already have a connection to your business, making those first conversations much easier. It won't replace a thorough recruitment process, but it can be an excellent place to start.
Could you build the skills instead of buying them?
Not every vacancy needs someone with years of experience. For some roles, an apprentice or graduate could be the better long term investment. You'll have the opportunity to develop someone around your business, your values and your way of working, while building the skills you'll need for the future. Depending on the apprenticeship programme and eligibility, funding and support may also be available, making it an option that's well worth exploring.
Choosing the right route to market
Once you're confident you're recruiting for the right role, the next question is how you're going to find the right person. For many vacancies, a well positioned advert is all that's needed. If the salary is competitive, the role is attractive and there's a healthy pool of active candidates, advertising could generate an excellent response.
Other vacancies require a different approach. Specialist, technical and senior positions often need a proactive search because the people you're hoping to attract aren't actively looking for a new opportunity. They're busy doing a good job elsewhere. Finding and engaging those individuals takes research, networking and relationship building. There are also occasions where recruiting permanently isn't the right answer. A contractor or interim professional may provide the expertise you need while you complete a project, manage a period of change or take more time to decide what the permanent solution should look like.
The best recruitment strategy isn't about starting with a recruitment method. It's about starting with the vacancy and choosing the approach that's most likely to deliver the right outcome.
Where does recruitment support fit?
Once you've decided the best way to fill the vacancy, it's much easier to decide whether you need additional support. Some businesses have the time and resource to manage recruitment themselves. Others would value support with writing engaging adverts, managing applications and shortlisting candidates. Some vacancies require a proactive search to reach specialist talent, while businesses recruiting regularly often benefit from ongoing recruitment support rather than treating every hire as a separate project. The right support should always reflect the challenge you're trying to solve.
Planning to recruit?
Every vacancy presents an opportunity to step back and ask a few simple questions before deciding how you're going to recruit.
Could someone already in the business step up?
Could an employee referral or your wider network introduce the right person?
Would an apprentice help you build the skills your business needs for the future?
Is advertising likely to attract the candidates you're looking for, or would a more proactive approach be more effective?
Taking a little time to answer those questions before you go to market can save valuable management time, reduce recruitment costs and give you a much better chance of making the right hire.
If you're planning to recruit and would like an honest conversation before deciding which route to take, I'd be delighted to help.
Whether you simply need a second opinion, support with a single vacancy or ongoing recruitment expertise as your business grows, we'll look at the role, the market and your options first. From there, we can recommend the approach that's right for your business, whether that's a Managed Recruitment Campaign, Precision Headhunting or Talent as a Service.
The conversation always starts in the same place.
Understanding what you're trying to achieve before deciding how to achieve it.