Why Does Recruitment Pi$$ Off

Business Owners & CEO’s?

Ben Watts, CEO - Watts Next 

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It is the one business function that polarizes the global business world. Everyone, me included, has a spine tingling horror story involving recruitment.

What is the best approach?

As HR consultants, we have surveyed our clients and networks over the past decade. Business owners and CEO’s always share what they dislike the most about recruitment. The message has been loud and clear; and very consistent!

The top 5 recruitment challenges are:

1. Cost: Hideous recruitment charges cripple small businesses, an un-budgeted 20% of a salary package fee can destroy cashflow. Especially when unexpected and inopportune.
2. Time: The time it takes when you attempt recruitment internally can blow out. The fact is you and your team members are usually ‘inexperienced recruiters’ and your time is better spent where you are an expert.
3. Quality: We have all heard the ‘database’ myth. I hate to tell you, but these don’t exist. Networks absolutely, but no one can say ‘hand on heart’ they have a clean, updated database of candidates waiting to work for you. Don’t be fooled by this old chestnut! Usually the best ‘future employees’ are currently employed, we need to coax them out!
4. Emotion: As business owners and CEO’s recruiting for our businesses….. well, let’s be honest we are terrible at it. We panic, we rush, and the emotion clouds our judgement and decision making. Mark my words, whether indecisive or too spontaneous recruitment decisions ‘close to home’ are usually illogical (which is why I always involve other team members in recruitment here at wattsnext!).
5. Care: Recruiters usually don’t learn enough about your business. How could someone lead an attraction strategy without truly understanding your business, your strategy, your vision and who your customer is? Beware of the recruiter who doesn’t ask many questions?

At wattsnext we are a small business, like you! We’ve made our fair share of mistakes when recruiting internally; we feel your pain. We have spent a decade explaining to businesses that we are Human Resources experts and not recruiters, because we look at business and the recruitment process differently. Recruitment is just one part of the ‘people experience’ puzzle that we work on with our clients. But, we are increasingly seeing the impact we can have in this space, by partnering with businesses to tackle this less-than-popular endeavour.

As an expert HR department, we are offering an alternative solution to the ‘% of salary fee model’, with recruitment services by the hour. You can outsource part or all of the job, access the best practice recruitment process and only get charged for the hours spent.

Allow yourself to dream

From attraction, ad writing, search, shortlisting, phone screening, first interview, interview scheduling, interview question guidance, reference checking, candidate offer and negotiation, through to closing the loop for unsuccessful candidates – you can have as much (or as little!) involvement to make this process as painless, and cost-effective as possible.

You, as the business owner or CEO, remain in control of the cost, the quality and the result, while our team assist with everything in between.

Finally, a recruitment option that makes sense for SME’s!

So much so, that this is the way I now approach internal recruitment at wattsnext too!