Hiring can be a challenge at the best of times. It’s hard to find great people to join your team, especially if you’re looking for people with in-demand skills.
Large-scale hiring takes that challenge up a whole other level. If you need a large group of people—for example, to staff a new office or to launch a new product—then you need to rethink your entire approach to recruitment. Do you have the right processes to manage a huge volume of applicants? Do you have enough hiring managers to conduct interviews? Do you even have enough rooms for interviews?
In this scenario, many companies turn to Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) specialists. Let’s explore what RPO is and what it could mean for your business.
What is Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO)?
Most companies already outsource one part of their recruitment process: finding talent. You may have already worked with a recruitment agency that will take your job requirements and come back to you with a stack of resumes. From that point on, it’s your responsibility to screen, interview, and hire the applicants.
Recruitment Process Outsourcing is about working with a trusted partner on the rest of the process. An RPO consultant might offer services such as:
- Defining job descriptions
- Managing candidate communications
- Conducting initial screenings
- Assisting with interviews and assessments
- Advising on offers and onboarding new hires
RPO consultants can work with your team on a long-term basis, helping you to refine and improve your hiring process and secure the best talent. But they can also help on short-term projects, such as a major hiring initiative.
How can RPO help with high-volume hiring projects?
Imagine this: your company secures a major new contract that will require a large increase in headcount. You need a variety of people, including technical experts, customer-facing operatives, plus managers to lead them.
Even if you have a skilled hiring team (not all organizations do), this is still going to mean an enormous additional workload. Thousands of resumes, hundreds of resumes, and dozens of offers—all on top of the normal day-to-day workload.
Hiring an RPO consultant at this point can make a lot of sense. Here are some of the advantages of project-based RPO.
1. Scalability and flexibility
RPO consultants are the fastest way to scale up your hiring team. You can bring in one or more consultants at short notice, and they will immediately create extra recruitment capacity. You can set clear expectations at the start of the engagement, so the RPO firm knows how long you’ll need the consultants on your team.
Working with a consultant is also much more flexible than with a full-time recruiter. If the project needs to slow down or pause, you can discuss your agreement with the consultant and explore new terms.
2. Knowledge of technology and best practices
Consultants move between companies on a regular basis, which means they get to experience the latest technology and best practices. Your consultant can share those skills with the current team and offer suggestions on how to improve your hiring process.
This is especially important in the fast-moving world of HR technology. Most consultants will know how to use different platforms and tools such as artificial intelligence. This can help make your internal workflows more efficient and improve the overall candidate experience.
3. Access to a larger talent pool
Another advantage of working with a consultant is that they know the talent landscape. They will have seen where other companies find candidates, and they will help you to tap into those alternative sources.
This is especially useful if you’ve had trouble recruiting in the past. An RPO consultant can suggest new sources of talent that your hiring managers might not be familiar with, such as professional associations, online networks, and niche job boards.
4. Streamlined hiring process
Consultants who have worked in project RPOs know how to get results. They may be able to suggest process improvements that speed up screening and interviews, which will reduce overall time-to-hire and result in lower attrition rates.
A fresh pair of eyes can also identify issues that your team may have overlooked. If your hiring process has any weaknesses, an RPO consultant will be able to identify them and suggest improvements that will lead to better outcomes.
5. Opportunity to implement long-term improvements
Even if your consultant is working on a project basis, they can have a long-term effect on your team. They will help develop your recruitment function through process improvements, technology utilization, and updated best practices. That’s likely to have a lasting effect—even after the hiring project is finished.
Consultants can also offer some training and mentoring to your in-house team. Working with seasoned professionals is a great way to grow, and an excellent way to turn your HR people into superstars.
How to choose the right RPO partner
As you can see, RPO can be extremely helpful for large recruitment projects. But how do you find the right RPO partner?
As with any collaboration, it’s all about asking the right questions. Before you engage an RPO consultant, ask questions like:
- Do they have the capacity to support your recruitment goals?
- Have they got a track record of delivering similar projects?
- Do they specialize in the process steps where you most need help (such as talent sourcing or candidate screening)?
- Do they know where and how to access talent?
- If hiring in a specialized field, do they have experience in that field?
- Can they offer flexible contract terms that suit your needs?
Much like hiring the right candidate, it's important to be thorough when choosing the right RPO firm.
Helios HR has been helping firms to grow and succeed for over 20 years. To speak to our team about RPO or any other aspect of HR, book a call today.
