You’ve turned to a recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) firm to help you hire a high number of high-quality candidates in the months (or perhaps years) ahead. (A wise choice.)
But, what exactly does the average RPO recruiter at said agency do to help companies like yours with sourcing, nurturing, interviewing, and hiring top talent? The answer: A lot.
The day-to-day tasks of an RPO recruiter
Your in-house talent acquisition function is undoubtedly a high-performing unit. After all, they’ve helped you hire a top-tier workforce to this point. However, there are invariably going to be certain types of hiring needs they can’t help with. (Or, simply don’t have the time and bandwidth to tackle.)
That’s where an experienced RPO recruiter at your outsourced agency of choice can help.
This individual can tackle several unique TA tasks and aid you in your efforts to attract and onboard a distinct type of talent. That could be high-level execs. Or, perhaps it’s technical professionals. Whatever your distinct hiring needs are, a savvy RPO recruiter with a proven track record can help.
Here’s how.
Liaising with your org’s entire hiring team
A big part of an RPO recruiter’s day (or week, if the client prefers otherwise) involves communicating with both the hiring managers and internal recruiting professionals who work for their clients.
By understanding their talent acquisition teams’ historical approach, the latest workforce planning strategy for the calendar year, and their companies’ culture, mission, and values, an RPO recruiter can tailor a hiring process that aligns with these orgs’ near- and long-term goals.
Finding good-fit talent for open roles
Reviewing new requisitions is the starting point of an RPO recruiter’s sourcing approach. They meet with hiring managers to discuss the specific requirements and qualifications needed for the roles in question. Hard skills, soft skills, certifications, years of experience: All are discussed in these chats.
Once this info is collected, RPO recruiters can offer guidance on crafting the perfect job description. (Or, even write it themselves.) Each day the role remains unfilled, outsourced recruiters are focused on turning over ever proverbial rock to find qualified candidates to fill positions quickly and efficiently.
Developing new, targeted TA strategies
A lot goes into crafting successful recruitment strategies. The best RPO recruiters analyze market trends, salary benchmarks, and talent supply, then use this data to create actionable plans.
These plans often include targeted ads on LinkedIn and other job boards, proactive social media outreach, or even partnering with universities and/or professional orgs to promote job postings.
With the right processes and technology (read: a leading ATS) in place, RPO recruiters can easily execute on the TA game plan they develop for clients and, at the end of the day, find the perfect-fit candidates to engage.
Building relationships with top candidates
Speaking of candidates, forming and maintaining strong relationships with job seekers is crucial for an RPO recruiter. By doing so, they can better distinguish “cold” leads from “warm” ones and focus on interacting solely with the latter for openings. (And save the former for down-the-line opportunities.)
Managing the end-to-end recruiting process
From conducting initial phone screens, to sending nurture messages to top passive talent of interest, to scheduling interviews with hiring managers, RPO recruiters play an essential role in managing the entire hiring process.
These recruiters communicate with candidates throughout their recruitment journey, guiding them from the application stage (or initial outreach) all the way through to the offer stage and, if hired, onboarding process.
The result of these various TA activities is a best-in-class candidate experience for each prospect.
Analyzing costs associated with hiring
Saving money is a significant driver for many companies to choose an RPO solution over traditional recruiting methods. An RPO recruiter will regularly analyze the costs tied to their RPO cost-per-hire model (i.e., the average cost per transaction in terms of new hires made in a given period of time).
Doing so shows the efficacy of their services, thanks to cost-efficient TA methods.
Working with the right RPO recruiter agency to meet your business objectives
In short, there are four key benefits of working with a leading recruitment processing outsourcing provider that has far more than one expert RPO recruiter on staff to realize your respective hiring vision.
1) Substantial cost savings, due to efficient hiring
One of the main benefits of RPO solutions is the potential for significant cost savings. By outsourcing recruitment, companies can eliminate the expense associated with managing an in-house recruitment team, including salaries, benefits, and training costs.
Additionally, RPO providers offer flexible pricing models, allowing businesses to pay for recruitment services on a project-by-project basis or according to the volume of hires. This means that companies can better control their recruitment costs and avoid overpaying when hiring needs are low.
Moreover, RPO providers have access to a wider pool of candidates and advanced recruitment technology, which can help companies hire the right talent faster and more efficiently.
Reducing the time-to-fill for open positions can also lead to cost savings, as shorter hiring cycles can minimize the negative impact of vacant roles on business operations.
2) A concerted focus on your org’s efforts to scale
Another significant benefit of RPO solutions is the ability to scale recruitment efforts up or down with ease. When a company experiences unexpected growth or dips in hiring needs, having an RPO provider allows them to quickly adjust to these changes without overburdening its in-house HR team.
Due to the flexibility of the RPO model, businesses can rapidly expand their recruitment efforts to meet increased personnel needs or scale back when demand decreases. This level of scalability is especially beneficial for companies entering new markets or industries.
An RPO provider can quickly provide the expertise and network needed to attract top talent in unfamiliar sectors, enabling orgs to hire high-quality employees and achieve early success in their new ventures.
3) Access to a broad (and growing) talent network
As it pertains to networks, partnering with an RPO provider grants companies access to a broad network of potential candidates, significantly expanding the talent pool available.
Today’s top RPO providers maintain relationships with numerous job seekers, passive candidates, affiliated agencies, and job boards. By tapping into these networks, companies can access a larger pool of qualified applicants than they could with an in-house recruitment team.
Moreover, RPO providers often specialize in specific industries and skill sets, allowing them to identify and engage with hard-to-find talent more effectively. With a strong employer brand and extensive candidate network, companies can secure top talent that aligns with their long-term goals.
4) Utilization of cutting-edge recruiting technology
One of the main advantages of RPO solutions is that they enable companies to tap into cutting-edge recruiting technology and crucial methodologies to stay ahead in the game.
The leading RPO providers access to premier tools and platforms that help improve hiring quality, speed, and efficiency. Notably, these use advanced applicant tracking systems to guide the bulk of their TA efforts.
Partnering with an RPO providers means your org can reap the benefits of their utilization of an advanced ATS with analytics and CRM capabilities built right in. And all without having to bear the hefty cost of acquiring, implementing, and maintaining this tech themselves.
Book a demo with the NXTThing RPO team today to get insights into the advanced recruiting and hiring services we offer — and how we can help your org meet your business growth goals.
