How to choose the right recruiter for your startup
Lavanya Bhatt
Customer Success Manager
August 26, 2024
•
4 min
Finding the right team members is always important for any business, but it’s especially important for startups who are rapidly growing and in need of role players. Making the wrong hire can disrupt startup teams, slow down projects, and cost both time and money. Even if you have a system that leads to great hires, your resources are likely spread thin and it can take a lot of time to make a great hire — time that you might not have.
A good recruiter can solve all these problems. They can streamline your hiring pipeline, increase the quality of your hires, and take the hiring process of your and your team’s plate. Ultimately, the right recruiter can make you have a better and more successful business.
So, we know why a recruiter is important, but what kind of recruiter should you hire for your company? There are a few different types of recruiters, and the right choice for you largely depends on the size, resources, culture, and budget of your business. Here are some different types and what businesses they’re best suited for:
In-house recruiter - An in-house recruiter is employed by your company with salary and benefits and is a direct part of your team, like any other employee. Good in-house recruiters can be some of the best recruiters out there, since they have the time to fully understand your culture and long-term goals of your company. But, in-house recruiters often are best for bigger companies. Startups may not have the budget or resources to hire an in-house recruiter, and a more flexible solution might be the better option.
Recruiting agencies - Recruiting agencies are external firms that will assign their recruiters to work with your company. These recruiters often have all of the resources of their recruiting agency at their disposal, so they can quickly access a broad pool of candidates. But, recruiting agencies can be expensive and they’re not always the most flexible or efficient option for startups.
Freelance recruiters - Freelance recruiters operate independently and are hired on as-needed basis. This flexibility and cost-effectiveness makes them ideal choices for startups, especially if you can find recruiters with niche specializations. The downside of freelance recruiters is the process of finding quality recruiters who are the right fit. That's where recruiter marketplaces like Dover come in handy, since you can quickly find vetted freelance recruiters with proven records of success.
There’s no standard definition of what makes the ideal recruiter, as each business has its own needs. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t some essential key qualities you should look for when choosing a startup recruiter. These key qualities include:
Proven track record - Hiring someone fresh with a willingness to learn can be great for some roles or if you’re a company that has the resources and time to train someone. But for recruiting, it’s best for them to have a proven track record of success – especially if you’re a startup that needs talent fast.
Strong communication skills - Communication skills are an absolute must for recruiters. They need to be able to communicate with candidates, with your team, and with other stakeholders in the hiring process. There can’t be a successful recruiting partnership without good communication that prioritizes responsiveness, regular updates, and collaboration.
Ability to explain their process - Naturally, a recruiter who has a proven track record should be able to clearly explain their process to you. They can explain how they source candidates, how they screen, how they interview, etc. Getting insight into their processes is key to understanding if they’ll fit well into your hiring pipeline.
Flexibility - A good freelance recruiter should be flexible and able to mold to the needs of your startup. This means fitting into your culture, understanding your vision, and having the ability to fit seamlessly into your current hiring pipeline.
Specialization - Finally, it’s ideal for a freelance recruiter to specialize in hiring for startups. Startups have unique needs when it comes to hiring, and a startup recruiter understands those needs and how to address them.
What to avoid when choosing a recruiting expert
It’s good to know the key qualities that make a great recruiter, but just understanding these isn’t always enough to make the right hire. Many startup founders fall into the same traps when they bring a new recruiter on. With that in mind, here are some pitfalls to avoid when choosing a recruiting expert:
Not asking enough questions - Even though an external recruiter isn’t going to be an employee of your company, that doesn’t mean you shouldn't ask them questions. This is a common mistake many startup founders make. Ask them questions about their sourcing process, similar companies they’ve worked for, result timelines, and other relevant questions you come up with.
Skipping reference checks - It can be exciting to talk with a knowledgeable recruiter who seems like a perfect fit for your company. But this early in the process, you’ve only learned how well they interview. Make sure to check their references and testimonials to see how they’ve delivered results in the past.
Not discussing fee structure - Make sure you fully understand their fee structure and how they charge for their services. You don’t want to sign on to a contract that locks you in if it’s something that doesn’t fit your budget.
Undervaluing culture fit - Remember, your recruiter is a representative of your company, whether they’re an employee or a contractor. They should understand your culture and vision so they can accurately represent you when speaking to potential hires.
Keeping these tips in mind can help you avoid the common pitfalls of hiring a recruiter and get matched with the best fit as soon as possible.
How to evaluate the success of your recruitment partner
Once you pick your recruiter, it’s important to continually evaluate their success. There are a few good ways to evaluate recruiter success, including metrics like:
Quality of hire - Is your recruiter filling the roles you need with employees that bring value and become quality members of your team? If your recruiter is bringing high quality hires to the table, then that certainly points to a solid partnership. However, if they continually bring you candidates that end up leaving or failing to live up to expectations, you may need to reevaluate the partnership.
Time-to-hire - As a startup, you need to fill roles fast. If you have a startup recruiter on your side, they should understand that need and be able to significantly cut your time-to-hire. If you find your recruiter is leaving positions open for extended periods of time, they might not be the right fit for you.
Candidate feedback - You can dive into feedback that candidates have with your hiring process, whether they’re brought on to the team or not. If candidates frequently feel like the hiring process has issues, it might be time to assess if your recruiter is one of these issues.
Responsiveness and communication - It’s worth mentioning again, but your recruiter should be responsive and proactive. Communication shouldn’t be lacking, as it’s an essential part of any recruiting process.
Find specialized hiring help on Dover’s recruiter marketplace
No matter how you look at it, finding the right recruiting partner can be hard – unless you have some help. Dover’s Recruiter Marketplace is the perfect place for startup founders to find specialized hiring help. We connect you with our vetted, full-cycle recruiting partners who know how to hire quality candidates for startups in a fraction of the time.
Also, our recruiters are priced to fit startup budgets. Each of our partners works an hourly rate on an as-needed basis. This means you’re not locked into a long-term contract and you only use your recruiter as you need them. Ready to find your next recruiting partner? Check out the Recruiter Marketplace at Dover today.
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