Companies are attempting to recruit new employees themselves; however, these companies may not be getting the best results. Also, undertaking the recruitment process takes up time that these companies may not have to spare. An excellent alternative to recruiting in-house is using a recruitment agency. These agencies help to find highly qualified candidates, save time, and make the overall process easier.
However, not all recruitment agencies are the same. You’ll have two main options: a large agency that helps recruit for most industries and a smaller boutique agency that focuses on recruiting for just a few niches.
One thing to consider is that there are talent shortages for niche roles. It is much harder to recruit for positions like these when using a larger agency or doing it yourself. Boutique agencies will have many industry contacts, making tracking this high-quality talent easier.
What is a Boutique Recruitment Agency?
A boutique recruitment agency is a small, specialized recruitment agency focused on finding employees for just a few industries and/or specific positions. For example, Amphitrite Resource Group focuses on maritime industry positions.
Specialized boutique recruitment agencies will have smaller teams than larger recruitment agencies. This can help improve service and allow for one-on-one contact with a solid understanding of your needs.
Why use a Boutique Recruitment Agency?
Working with a boutique recruitment agency, like Amphitrite Resource Group, will bring many benefits to your hiring process. Recruiters have vast experience and know-how, allowing them to really understand your recruitment needs. Boutique agencies also have a wealth of industry contacts, including highly qualified candidates, and an excellent referral network.
Boutique agencies additionally take the time to understand the position you’re hiring for and your company’s culture and goals. The smaller teams found at boutique recruitment agencies also allow for better communication and more time to focus on each client’s needs. A good boutique recruitment agency builds a relationship with its clients and can be proactive as top talent starts to look for that next move.
In addition, the in-depth knowledge within specific targeted industries that a boutique agency has translates into a tighter network and highly knowledgeable recruiters that possess the ability to be ahead of the curve.
The benefits of using a boutique recruitment agency apply to not only companies with critical hiring needs but also individuals looking to grow their careers. The main benefits of using a boutique recruitment agency are explained in more detail below:
Efficiency
Using a recruitment agency, in general, makes the recruiting process easier and more efficient. Due to their network of candidates and the time that can be spent on recruiting by the agency, they are more likely to find a better candidate in a shorter period of time. This means that you’re saving time that can be spent on other operations while still filling your open position with a top candidate.
The benefit of a boutique agency is that each recruiter will work with fewer clients at once. These agencies focus on a smaller group of clients in order to pay more attention to them. Larger firms tend to take on as many clients as possible, leaving less time to spend on each client and making finding a highly qualified candidate less likely.
The small number of clients each boutique agency recruiter works with allows them to spend the majority of time looking for candidates for the position while having better knowledge of what type of candidates you are looking for to fill that position. The combination of those two things will make the process highly efficient and will greatly decrease the amount of time spent looking for the perfect candidate.
Team Size
Most companies think that large recruitment agencies are the best option for their needs due to their large teams and supposedly extensive database of candidates. However, when recruiting for the perfect candidate, working with a large team isn’t always for the best.
Many large recruitment agencies will have lots of KPIs to meet, as well as individual goals and commissions for each recruiter. This can lead to these agencies being more focused on how many positions they fill than on the quality of their candidates.
Boutique agencies, on the other hand, care more about finding the best fit for each client than filling as many positions as they can. This allows for more communication with each client and time to focus on achieving the results you need. For example, at Amphitrite Resource Group, you’ll always speak directly with the recruiter who is undertaking the search.
They’re also more likely to work with both the company and the recruited candidate to ensure the candidate is meeting their career goals and fitting into the role. This will make it more likely that the candidate will stay with the company long-term. Boutique agency recruiters take the time to ask the company in depth questions regarding the open position.
Not only do they understand exactly what the company is looking for in a candidate, but they also get to know the overall company mission, culture, and team dynamics. This makes it more likely that they’ll find a great all-around fit. They also focus on matching up company long-term goals with candidate long-term career goals.
This process means that the search strategy is tailored to each company and each position they recruit for, making finding the perfect candidate more likely.
Specialized Expertise
Traditional recruiters at larger agencies that cover multiple industries will likely have a harder time finding qualified candidates for specific niches due to a lack of knowledge and experience in that particular niche industry. Boutique recruitment agencies, however, are more specialized and have recruiters with expertise in certain industries. Most boutique agencies will cover just a few niches and may even recruit only for certain types of roles, such as high-level executives.
Boutique agencies often have recruiters that have worked in the industry and in positions similar to those they’re recruiting for. This industry knowledge and experience allows for a much better understanding of client needs and what makes a great candidate for the position.
Industry Contacts
Focusing on just a few industries and having recruiters with experience in those industries means that boutique agencies have a large network. They’ll have a vast number of contacts, both of whom can provide recommendations for candidates and be candidates themselves.
Using a boutique agency will give you access to this extensive network of top talent and industry connections. While larger agencies will have large databases of candidates, those in a boutique recruitment agency’s database will be more qualified and appropriate for the positions you’re hiring for.
Boutique recruitment agencies will often have access to contacts and candidates that a larger, more wide-ranging recruitment agency would not. This increases the candidate pool and makes finding an amazing new hire who’s a great fit for the position and your company highly likely.
In Summary
While working with a large recruitment agency can bring great results, you may have better outcomes working with a boutique recruitment agency for positions in certain industries.
A boutique agency’s process focuses on all of your needs, and you’ll work directly with the same recruiter throughout. You’ll also benefit from a vast network of industry contacts and have a search strategy that’s tailored to exactly what you need. This will help in finding top talent in a shorter amount of time.
If you are looking for top candidates in the maritime industry, please reach out to Amphitrite Resource Group. We will work with you directly to build a search strategy that meets your needs and will find top talent in a competitive marketplace.
