Hiring Managers Reveal What Matters in Current Economy

By: Todd McCormick
Date: 10/1/2008

It's no secret that the hiring environment will remain competitive as concerns over the current economic state continue to slow the hiring pace of many employers. However, this doesn't mean that all business opportunity in regards to prospective and potential clients is lost; today's economy may actually prove to be good for your bottom line. A new survey from CareerBuilder.com of more than 2,900 hiring managers reveals that 26 percent of employers are using the economic slowdown to replace low-performing employees with new, better talent, and are seeking out more of the high quality employees they haven't been able to find in the last few years.

When faced with a downshifted economy, employers need "A" players more than ever - the qualified, motivated and top tier talent. As productivity and results are scrutinized more intensely and finding the best possible talent remains a top priority, you should be asking yourself, how can I become a vital partner to companies in the competition for top talent? And what really matters to hiring managers when selecting a recruiter or staffing firm?

Hiring Managers Rely on Recruiters and Staffing Firms to Deliver Quality Talent

The frequency with which employers have used recruiters and staffing firms in the past and how they foresee using them in the future can offer up valuable perspective on their recruitment strategies; when you know employers' tendencies, you can better approach them with your marketing materials.

Nearly one-in-three hiring managers and HR professionals (31 percent) say they have used a recruiter or staffing firm in their candidate search at some point, and almost a quarter (24 percent) reported using three or more at one time. Looking ahead to 2009, close to a quarter (23 percent) of hiring managers say they intend to use a recruiter or staffing firm to help them in their candidate search.

What Matters to Hiring Managers

Competition for your customers' and prospects' attention is becoming fierce, and acknowledging their viewpoints regarding your services can give you valuable insight into their opinions. Employers reported the following as the top advantages to using a recruiter or staffing firm in their candidate search:

* Access to pre-screened, qualified candidates - 68 percent

* Ability to recruit for hard-to-fill positions - 51 percent

* Shortens hiring cycle - 41 percent

* Personal attention to my recruitment needs - 39 percent

* Cost effective - 22 percent

How to Maximize Your Relationship with Hiring Managers

How can you get the most out of your relationship with hiring managers? Taking their opinions into consideration is a good start; in fact hiring managers revealed several points that would increase their likelihood of using a recruiter or staffing firm in their candidate search. Cost comes up as a major concern for many hiring managers, especially in the current economic slowdown; 40 percent of employers reported that providing candidates at a reasonable cost would increase their likelihood of using a recruiter or staffing firm.

When contacting a potential customer, also consider the following insights of what may make them more likely to use a recruiter or staffing firm:

* Providing hard-to-find candidates in niche areas-32 percent

* Being knowledgeable about employers' businesses -26 percent

*Providing guarantees to deliver candidates in a certain time frame - 20 percent

* Delivering more personal attention to recruitment needs - 19 percent

While companies and hiring managers may be proceeding with caution in terms of their hiring pace in the current economic climate, organizations will always need top talent and your resources to quickly connect with it. Seize this opportunity to provide your clients with the best possible service and expertise possible.

Todd McCormick is the President of CareerBuilders.com's Recruiter Business Unit and Canadian Operations. He can be contacted at 312-698-0830 or by email at todd.mccormick@ careerbuilder.com