Everything you need to know about contingency recruitment
Looking to hire a recruiter to build your head office team? There are two main recruitment models available, contingency recruitment, and Recruitment Process Outsourcing.
Here, we detail contingency recruitment, which is often the only recruitment model people are aware of. We’ll let you know the pros of this model, when you should be using it, and how we do things a little differently here at Exceda Ltd.
What is it?
Contingency is the style of recruitment most of us are pretty familiar with.
Recruiters are hired on a job-by-job basis and are paid a fee based on an agreed percentage of the wage of the new employee that they place, which is typically invoiced on the candidate’s start date.
What are the advantages of contingency recruitment?
This is an ideal model for businesses that are not regularly hiring. Rather than having an in-house recruiter or working with a recruiter on an ongoing basis, businesses can get ad-hoc support whenever they need it.
Recruiters can be brought in as and when needed, based on the role you are hiring for. Some recruitment organisations might cover a certain geography, or a certain type or level of role. At Exceda, we pride ourselves in specialising in head office roles like sales, marketing, accountancy and finance, HR, and administration.
If your organisation hasn’t worked with recruiters previously or has not worked with external recruiters for some time, contingency recruitment can be an excellent way of testing the water and establishing a way of working with a recruiter long-term.
What companies benefit from contingency recruitment?
Contingency recruitment can and does, work for a range of companies of different sizes and industries.
We recommend contingency recruitment to smaller to medium-sized businesses that do not have significant growth plans over the next 6 to 12 months. Most often, they will have hiring plans of less than 5 to 10 employees in the next year.
For companies with more significant growth plans, an RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing) could provide better value for money and prove more efficient.
Why choose Exceda Ltd?
We make sure that the Exceda experience provides all of our clients with a little bit extra. As a business that also offers RPO services we ensure with each and every client, that we get to know their business.
We offer a unique structure for payment of our fees. At a typical recruitment agency, you pay the full cost upfront with only the security of a 3-month rebate if it doesn’t work out. At Exceda we invoice a much reduced initial up-front cost, 50%, when the person starts, then invoice the remainder on a monthly basis over an ongoing period, either 3 or 6 months, and most clients choose to tie this in with the candidate’s probation period.
We will stay in touch throughout, working in partnership with you to maximise the success of each placement. Should a candidate leave within that agreed period, we will stop invoicing for the outstanding balance of the fee.
This spreads the cost over a number of months meaning that you pay for the service as you reap the benefit, and when the people you take on prove themselves to be a valuable asset to your team and deliver results over time. This also means that the cost reflects the success of the recruitment, and if the employee doesn’t work out for whatever reason, the cost will be much lower than with a typical agency arrangement offering a standard rebate.
By developing long-lasting business relationships and endeavouring to find candidates that aren’t just a fit on paper, but a fit in real life we ensure that we create matches that are long-lasting and successful.
We recognise that culture is everything.
Regardless of what model you choose, you will always receive a consultative approach. We will support you throughout the recruitment process, advise you through selection and interviewing, and even be on hand to support onboarding.
“What sets Nikki and Exceda apart is that Nikki was regularly in contact following the placement. For the first three months, we checked in monthly. The whole process was conducted professionally, delivered well, and at a great pace.
When we next hire, I would go to Nikki, no questions.”
We also support our candidates throughout the process and have been lucky enough to receive some fantastic feedback from previous candidates.
We know that the recruitment process is a candidate's first exposure to you as a company, who you are, and what your values are. That’s why we take the time and care to ensure we know our companies inside out, even if we only work with them from time to time.
By creating a fantastic recruitment process, we can ensure that we find you the best candidates.
“What a refreshing experience with a recruiter! Nikki has honestly been a breath of fresh air, I have worked with a few recruiters when looking for a new career path and often times they send you to the interview with no interaction and that’s it done. Nikki really has been there every step of the way, checking in on everything and is on hand for any advice and questions.
It has made the whole process of finding a new position a breeze and really did take the nerves away!
I can’t recommend Exceda enough and Nikki is very thorough with talking through experience and making sure you are the right match and the role is a good match too!
I am really looking forward to starting my new role and keeping in touch with Nikki on how it all goes.
If you are looking for a new role or direction I highly recommend you use Exceda, not only will you probably be found a fantastic match, you will receive 5* service and advice throughout the whole process! A massive thank you!”
Interested in discussing your current recruitment needs, and how Exceda Ltd can help you?
Contact Nikki today via nikki@exceda.co.uk
