Running a senior recruitment campaign is challenging, particularly if you want ensure it is thorough and does not cost the earth. As a busy hiring manager struggling to find the time and budget to support headhunting for a key senior role, you may decide to reach out to a recruitment agency or search and selection firm to help you. But choosing the right one is no easy task.
Adding strings to your recruitment bow
Many agencies have a track record of delivering successful senior recruitment campaigns. However, their rates can be out of budget for many SMEs and third sector organisations. In a competitive candidate market attracting top-tier senior talent can be challenging both in terms of reach and cost.
However, a smaller recruitment budget does not mean you need to sacrifice quality. It often means your candidate shortlist needs to be even more ‘on par’ to optimise your hiring process.
Unfortunately, some bigger, less personal agencies, can lack the regional intel needed by an employer to find the talent required. As an organisation that needs a reliable and knowledgeable recruitment partner, specialist experienced agencies like Sitka will be your best bet for ensuring you receive quality senior candidates, because we take an agile, flexible and individual approach to every new role we take on.
So here is our best advice for an organisation of your size:
Diversify your approach for better candidate reach.
Avoid relying solely on search and selection or a database search for key strategic roles. In an incredibly tight labour market, combining headhunting and traditional recruitment methods is essential to secure the right talent, especially as the UK’s hiring boom is expected to continue into 2023.
Understand your organisation for a better recruitment experience.
For higher-level hires, taking your time to get to the heart of your needs will simplify your shortlisting and decision-making after interviewing. As the stakes are higher, senior recruitment is a lengthier process during which you should ask yourself:
- What organisational values do you want to see reflected in your senior hire?
- At what stage of growth will they be joining your organisation?
- What are your short and long-term goals?
- What are the biggest challenges you’re currently facing, both internal and external?
- How will your new senior hire support your organisation to navigate these?
Showing you know where you stand will significantly help improve the candidates’ experience, which according to the IBM Smarter Workforce Institute, could make them 38% more likely to accept a job offer.
Whether it’s finance, marketing, or HR, our experience in multiple business areas allows Sitka to understand the relationships between your different functions, which is the pillar of our consultative senior talent acquisition approach.
Communicate your culture.
Understanding what drives your senior-level candidates to apply will help position your organisation as a first-choice employer. Don’t hesitate to add a more personal touch to your communications or to aim some questions at understanding their expectations.
For instance, senior candidates frequently look to connect with their next professional endeavour, especially as they will be an inherent part of reinforcing your company culture. So, make sure to showcase it and keep your message consistent at all stages: from the first engagement through to onboarding.
Read what our clients said after using Sitka
Through transparency, responsiveness, and communication, we provide our clients with an unrivalled service that leads the best talent in Wales into the heart of their organisation:
“The recruitment process was seamless. The candidates have already made such a difference to our business”
Kath Chadwick, Director, Frontdoor Communications
“As a stand-alone HR manager, my input was minimal, and I felt confident Ita understood the brief and our business. I felt I was in a really safe pair of hands and the communication was good – I was never left wondering. A lot of work goes into what Sitka do.”
Linda Brockway, HR Manager, Intelligent Ultrasound
“The process was thorough and very individual – time was spent finding out about our culture and style of the organisation. Sitka work well with candidates to find the best fit for both employer and candidate. There is a sense of strong relationship building”
Rhian Jones, CEO, Drive
Ready to talk to us about your senior recruitment needs? Contact us at info@sitka.wales or call us directly on 029 2048 4520.
To find out how we can work with you, please drop us a line
Having now worked with Sitka for a number of years, they have a real understanding of the type of people we employ and that the ‘fit’ is as important as having the right skills for the role. Sitka provide an excellent service and make you feel you are their only customer. They are quite unique and such a pleasure to work with.
My recruitment experience with Sitka has been brilliant. I was dealing with Karen who is so friendly and attentive. She really listened to what it was I was looking for and put me forward for a role I am now in and love.
I felt like they truly cared and weren’t just trying to fill vacancies as quick as possible. Other agencies kept suggesting roles I had already said I wasn’t interested in. This wasn’t the case here, and they really wanted to find the right person.
The recruitment process was a very smooth one with constant, non-intrusive updates. We benefited greatly from a personalised visit to our business, ensuring the right candidates were sourced for us. We received an excellent service.
I have always dealt with Karen and have found the recruitment process generally excellent. The calibre of candidates has always been strong and the candidates also show enthusiasm towards the job and company they are interviewing for. I am very happy with the service we receive from Sitka and we have always appointed from the first round of interviews.
The recruitment process was very straight forward and communication and updates were very regular. Sitka staff are very professional and have an excellent customer focus. They were extremely focussed on what WCR needed and gave us a great calibre of candidates. Sitka will be my first point of call when I’m next recruiting.
The experience of working with Sitka has been fantastic. They provide an excellent service with a professional and friendly approach. Karen kept me informed every step of the way, even sending through interview technique tips.