Should I set up a direct sourcing strategy for my business? Do I have the tools, knowledge and people to deliver it?

These are just a couple of questions on many HR professionals’ agendas at present. Faced with spiralling agency costs, shrinking budgets and the need to deliver more for less, savvy managers are realising they are in a position to capitalise on their employer brand and say goodbye to relying on agencies to source talent.

What’s more, with the introduction of much more cost-effective recruitment software, such as applicant tracking systems, HR managers have never been in such a great position to confidently present the concept of direct sourcing to their Board of directors.

But taking the jump into the unknown – a world without agencies – can be nerve-wrecking. Here are Webrecruit’s top questions to ask yourself if you’re considering bringing recruitment in-house and taking the leap into direct sourcing.

 

1) Why are you considering bringing recruitment in-house?

There’s always scope to refine the way a business approaches its talent attraction operations. By doing so, you allows the business to attract the best staff, remain competitive, and identify ways to see if you’re getting the best return from your current suppliers and providers.

You could say it’s a fluid process, dictated by the changing trends in job seeker behaviour and the needs of the business.

Typically, we see businesses considering direct sourcing for reasons such as:

– The need to know which resources will deliver the best candidates
– They have a strong employer brand and would like to capitalise on it
– Increased capability and investment in LinkedIn recruiter licences
– Investment in people with the right skill sets
– The need to centralise processes, and increase collaboration between multi-site operations

 

2) It’s a long term process

Setting up a direct sourcing strategy involves a transition period; you can’t just turn off your agencies straight away.

You will need to audit your current processes, see where you are strong and can absorb responsibility and more importantly, know when to ask for help. This is often where recruiters, such as Webrecruit step in, offering recruitment guidance and expertise to help you to adjust.

How long will it take? Webrecruit has worked with businesses, providing them with the tools to make the transition, and has seen companies become self-sufficient in just over a year.

But remember investment is needed from the start, and you may not start to see the fruit of your efforts until month five.

 

3) Which people will be needed to deliver the strategy?

And how big will your team be? What specialisms will they have? There are many ways to set up a direct resourcing team. You may wish to hire ex-recruiters as they are savvy about the online recruitment market. Perhaps you may wish to have a specialist resource aimed at generating candidates to make up your short fall? Or do you need a recruitment technology specialist?

You’ll also need to be mindful that you will need an extra resource to carry out the tasks you previously delegated to recruiters – fielding calls, processing applications etc.

Either way, you’ll need to map out your resource requirements against the long term objectives of both the direct sourcing strategy, and what your business wants to achieve in terms of talent attraction.

 

Looking to transition to direct sourcing? Find out more about Webrecruit’s recruitment services.