Why choose a boutique recruitment firm?
Either as an IT Director or a CTO overwhelmed by your recruiting needs, or by being part of the Talent Acquisition team within a company or simply by being a potential candidate looking for new challenges, you will quickly ascertain that Montreal and the rest of Canada are overflowing with various recruitment agencies / recruitment firms. Some are specialized, some act as generalists, some have gross revenues exceeding 1 billion and others are smaller. The present article will discuss the benefits of doing business with a smaller recruitment firm, because yes, there are many benefits!
Relational over transactional
A boutique recruitment firm, such as DELAN, will have an incentive to differentiate itself from the competition by offering a service that exceeds the transaction by creating a genuine and transparent business relationship with its customers and its candidates. Having a undeniable reputation for its expertise, the reputation of a boutique firm is created over the years by word-of-mouth and not by millions of dollars invested in a brand image. In other words, it is therefore to our advantage to be able to forge solid and long-term business relationships. Moreover, having a team constituted of CHRP certified recruiters applying good recruitment practices, and not the best salesperson; you will have as potential or existing candidates / clients a continuous and transparent follow-up up to your expectations. All things considered, you will have the right to an authentic experience, thanks to our advanced knowledge in IT, as well as our real understanding of your organizational culture and / or your professional preferences.
How long has the firm been in business?
It goes without saying that the number of years of experience is arguably one of the most scrutinized criteria by recruiters as it can often give insight into the degree of a candidate’s experience. Why not ask yourself about the number of years of experience of the recruitment firm you deal with? And if ever, as in the case of IT, specialization is paramount, how long has the department been effective? Despite the fact that the number of years of employment experience does not mean it, it can be an effective indicator, especially when you need a team with a solid recruitment background to meet your IT recruitment needs. In short, I would like to point out that DELAN will be officially in business for 20 years as of 2017, enabling us to take a leading position in the Canadian/ Montreal market.
The methodology and the recruitment cycle
All recruiting firms do not work in the same way and the point of the article is not to list the different methodologies in talent acquisition / recruitment. As for the methodology that has distinguished DELAN from our many rivals over the past 20 years; human contact has always been at the center of our progress. We are proud to say that we have met face-to-face or by videoconference with all of our clients and candidates. There are many benefits to this methodology, by having the chance to visit the workspaces of our various clients; it allows us to accurately express the atmosphere and organizational culture of all our customers. As for our many valuable candidates, by an initial small talk over the telephone and by digging their experience for a second time for an extended meeting either in person or by videoconference, we are able to learn about their professional expectations and ensure that there is indeed a real “fit” with our current or future openings. We are also able to pass technical and psychometric tests, at the request of our clients, to validate certain skills. On another topic, you should always ask yourself if the firm you’ve choose is able to offer you any kind guarantee. All in all, the tools used (i.e. headhunting, candidate bank, networking, job postings, etc.) will also be one of the important aspects to consider when making decisions!
The size of the firm
A reality of large recruitment firms is that they often have a high turnover rate, like most large companies. This, in the case of a recruitment firm, will undoubtedly cause some hindrances because, as you guessed, your account manager may change over and over again within a single mandate. By leaving the chance to a smaller recruitment firm, with a team that remains virtually the same, you ensure you have the personalized service you deserve, whether you are a client or a candidate. Finally, I would like to recall the relevance of encouraging local businesses as well as small and medium-sized enterprises. By trusting the right firm, you will quickly discover the benefits of a transparent and personalized service that can guide you in the “jungle” that can prove to be the recruitment of IT in the era 2.0 … Or 7.0!
Kamil Eladas, CRHA/ CHRP
