Why Hiring Managers are Now Working Exclusively with 1 Agency

Many believe the more agencies they use, the larger the candidate reach and the better the candidate they will find. This is certainly not the case. Clients that we work with find the most efficient way of finding the ideal candidate by building a trusting relationship and partnering with one agency as this significantly improves the time to hire as well. A great recruitment agency will ask for the job to be undertaken on an exclusive basis. Exclusivity will give the agency the sole responsibility of filling the vacancy while providing the relationship and level of service that you would expect.

Here are 5 reasons why hiring managers are now working exclusively with 1 agency:

1) More Commitment from the Agency

Recruitment agencies work on multiple jobs at a time. It’s not a surprise that they will spend more time on roles they have a better chance at filling. The fill rate is often lower when working under a contingency multi-agency agreement, as a result, an agency will use fewer resources when trying to fill that role. A recruiter working exclusively on a role will be fully invested and committed to finding the perfect candidate for the job. Exclusive roles are a priority for an agency, they will spend more time and use more resources to fill the position.

2) More Detailed Search of Passive Candidates

As previously mentioned, recruitment agencies tend to use fewer resources when a job is not guaranteed. As a consequence, only a brief search of the market is completed for your ideal employee. An exclusive recruiter will carry out a more detailed search of the market for candidates including passive candidates. In addition to the job boards, social media and website adverts, recruiters will headhunt candidates they feel will be perfect for your job. The security of the job allows recruiters to devote more time to selling the role to the candidates.

3) Often Lower Cost Than Multiple Agencies

A lot of hiring managers believe it is cheaper to work under a contingency multi-agency agreement. That is often not the case. A great recruitment agency values the relationship and partnership with a company more than making an extra 2% on a fee. What an agency appreciates the most is the commitment and trust of hiring managers that they will find the best candidate on or off the market. By giving an agency preferential treatment by using them exclusively, they will do the same for you with their fees and efforts.

4) More Pressure on Agency to Deliver

Hiring managers that work with multiple agencies often forget about the agencies that don’t deliver the candidate that they require. In the same breath, the recruiter doesn’t feel any responsibility for not filling the position. The high level of involvement from different parties removes any type of pressure from one agency to deliver. When signing the exclusivity agreement, timescales and expectations will be outlined from the outset. This puts a lot of pressure on the agency to deliver based on what they agreed. To fulfil its part of the agreement, the agency will do all in its power to meet the agreed expectations.

5) Less Agency Issues and Duplications

How many times have you had the same conversation with multiple agencies, only to have no return? Many believe that working with multiple agencies will lead to more candidates. In fact, you will most likely have a lot of duplicate candidates being presented to you. The submission of the same candidate by more than one agency can cause a lot of confusing situations. Instead of wasting time going through a large number of CVs, working with one agency will give you more time to assess whether a job seeker within the talented candidate shortlist is right for your company.

Get to know an agency, build trust and your relationship with them because working exclusively on vacancies will benefit you.