Recruitment Agency Versus Executive Search Firm - WalkWater Talent Advisors

When an organization hires an agency to help find the right candidates for a job, it generally refers to the third party as a recruitment agency or a search firm. Both these terms, although used interchangeably, are actually very different from each other. Business should have a thorough understanding about what these two types of agencies are, and how they differ, in order to decide as to which one will provide the best results for their particular search. The agency that you should hire depends upon certain aspects, a few of them mentioned below.

What is the job role you are trying to fill?

You may be looking for a variety of positions to fill in your organization. Depending upon the vacancy that you are planning to fill, you can decide as to whether you should hire a recruitment agency or executive search firm. For example, if you are looking for general lower level job candidates, a recruitment agency will do. But, if you are looking to fill up positions for higher level jobs such as managers, team leaders, CEOs, directors, and the like, an executive search firm is who you should

be relying upon. This is because all these senior level positions require candidates with a specialized skill set. You can't compromise on the candidates you are choosing for these levels, because a wrong senior entry can cause critical mistakes and problems. Professional executive search firms are well-versed with all the requirements, and always have a strategy in place to look for the most suitable fit not only for the present, but also the better future of the organization.

What kind of candidate are you looking for?

If you are looking for active candidates who are in search for a job, a recruitment agency can help because these agencies generally look at only the database they have of the candidates who are unemployed, or those who want to quit their present jobs, and get onto a new job. On the other hand, executive search firms look into the list of passive candidates too, those that are not currently seeking a new role. These are those candidates who are doing a good job in their current jobs, but executive search firms find them to be suitable for your organization, and thus approach them to come to you. Search firms get in touch with such candidates and involve them in strategic conversations to entice them to consider a job in your organization.

Are you looking to fulfill short-term or long-term goals?

Recruitment agencies are only concerned to fill up the vacant positions in your organizations at present. This is because they want to be the first ones to fill up the vacancy so that no other agency takes away their opportunity of earning from you.

After all, you will pay only that recruitment agency that helps hire a candidate for the vacant job. But, executive search firms are more concerned for bringing to you the best candidate who can prove to be useful in the long term too. Executive search firms understand your business, your policies, your goals, and your culture; and only then bring in candidates who can help achieve your goals in the future.

They are paid not for a recruitment, but for the strategic efforts that they put in.

How confidential do you want it to be?

Recruitment agencies are sending out resumes of candidates to a number of employers to find placement. This results in no focus and a lot of time waste, with zero privacy. In contrast, executive search firms consider confidentiality as an utmost important aspect. Interviews with senior candidates are all kept under

wraps, solely for the organization that has hired the search firm. Also, the name of the organization is kept under wraps until it becomes important to reveal it.

So now, you should be in a position to understand what kind of third party you should be hiring. If you are looking for middle level jobs to be filled in by candidates looking for a job, a recruitment agency should be good enough. But, when you are looking to fill senior level jobs with candidates who are a perfect fit for the job, you need to invest in an executive search firm, who will guarantee a better present, and future too. WalkWater Talent Advisors is one of the best executive search firms in India, who has been helping clients in various industries to fill up their job vacancies with a deep market connect, reputation, empathy, and ability to connect the dots.