Recruitment has got itself a reputation as an expensive business, filled with hidden fees. However, this doesn’t have to be the case, which is very good news for your business and your recruitment requirements. You will be able to find very low cost, very good value recruitment services, as long as you work with the right companies. And they will still be able to provide a great quality of service to you.

The cheapest way to use recruitment services is to choose flat fee recruitment. This is where you only pay a fixed cost, rather than the recruiter taking a percentage any time you hire a new member of staff. This kind of practice is unfair and deceptive – all costs should be known upfront. Find a recruitment agency that can offer you their services for a flat fee, and make sure you understand exactly how much you will be spending.

If you are a business currently looking for recruitment solutions, this is what you should do:

• Find a recruitment agency that will be able to meet your needs. Talk through them from the very beginning. Recruitment agencies work differently to headhunters – they won’t go out and look for people who would be a good fit, but who may not be actively looking for a role. They usually operate by placing ads for you, attracting in the people who are looking for a new job. This means they are more likely to be interested in the position you need to fill.
• Ask about all fees and make sure you understand all of the small print. If an agency takes a percentage cost every time they place someone in your organisation, this is not a flat fee. A flat fee is where you will pay the same fee for their services and there are no hidden costs on the side (though some recruitment agencies may take a flat fee if they make a placement for you).
• Understand the process. Make sure you know exactly what your recruitment consultant will be doing for you and what is expected on your part. Some recruiters will write job ads for you, using their expertise to attract the right clients. Many recruitment agencies will also then be able to send you relevant CVs from people who have applied for your role, or you can go through all of the applications yourself. Just make sure you fully understand the process so you know exactly what will happen.
• Find an agency that you can work with on a regular basis. It is really helpful if you can keep the same recruitment adviser every time you have a vacancy to fill. They will get to know you and your business, so they will know what you are looking for and the type of person that would make a good employee for you. If you receive a good service from a recruiter, go back to them again in the future. There may even be discounts if you place multiple job ads with them.