Are Recruiters Responsible for Quality of Hire?

Traditionally, recruiters have been measured on quantity —how many applicants they attract and how much time they take to fill open positions. But the value of a good recruiter goes far beyond these basic metrics. Recruiters aren’t valuable because they can bring in hundreds of resumes for a specific position, because they can conduct numerous interviews in a week or get a warm body behind a desk in a matter of weeks or months. Good recruiters bring value to a company because they can source high-quality candidates that will be a good fit for a specific position and for the organizational culture, meaning their hires will stay and grow with the company, eliminating the need to replace them for the long term. But typically, recruiters are not held responsible for “quality of hire,” the HR industry’s term for a high-performing employee that will be a good, long-term fit. In many companies, no one is being held responsible for that metric. According to research from recruiting firm Hudson RPO, more than 80 percent of companies said they are concerned about the quality of their hires, but only 32 percent were actively measuring for quality of hires. For recruiters who want to improve hire quality, here are three tips to consider. Get to know the business The recruiters who hire the best quality candidates have a deep understanding of the company and the brand for which they are hiring. Spend time talking with hiring managers, other workers in the departments for which you may be hiring, and reading and understanding marketing and branding material. Understand who the company’s customers are, what its brand strategy is, and its strategic plan for growth, and you’ll better understand the type of candidates you should be seeking. Understand relevant data and history Recruiters should spend time studying the company’s hiring data and history, analyzing how the top quality hires were recruited and what their process looked like. They should also read interview reviews on Glassdoor to understand areas where there are successes and failures. Use that historical data to develop and recommend a strategy for filling open positions quickly with high-quality hires. Communicate regularly with hiring managers Recruiters are responsible for delivering the type of candidates that hiring managers want. The hiring manager knows the type of person that will fit best into the open slots in his or her department, so recruiters must talk with them regularly to stay on the same page. Some hiring managers want only a few candidates to choose from, while others want a larger selection. To make sure they understand hiring managers’ needs, recruiters should regularly communicate with them. It can also be a good idea to solicit anonymous feedback from hiring managers through periodic surveys about the recruiting process. Work to build a strong partnership with the hiring manager so that he or she will see you as an expert partner in the talent market and the hiring process. While recruiters shouldn’t be completely responsible for the quality of hires, they can work closely with hiring managers to ensure that they are together sourcing and hiring the highest quality candidates available.