If you are looking for a recruiter, you won’t need to look far. A quick Google search will probably reveal several in your area that would be happy to take your business. But when you are looking for specific, critical skills like those required of engineers, you’ll have a bit of due diligence ahead of you to find the most suitable recruiting partner.
What Do Great Engineering Recruiters Know?
The Requirements
Your engineering recruiter should understand your requirements intimately. Without a technical background, he may not completely understand what you are looking for and waste your time with candidates who appear “close enough.” Interview your recruiter to determine if he has the necessary background, understands the terminology and can adequately represent the opportunity to the candidates.
The competition
Choose a recruiter who can tell you who else is looking for engineers. What do they pay? What benefits do they offer? Are other organizations expanding or are the downsizing? Can you leverage instability or stagnation at another company to scoop up their best engineers? These are the kinds of insights you can expect from a top-notch engineering recruiter.
Your Business
An outstanding engineering recruiter will ask you so many probing questions that it borders on annoying. That’s because he’ll want to move past your list of requirements to dig into specifics like projects you have coming up, business units you would like to expand and competencies that are currently in short supply. He’ll want to see what your company is like to work for and what kinds of people will be successful there. Run from recruiters who don’t seek this granular level of detail, because they may just throw candidates at you to see who sticks.
The Hidden Talent Market
Choose a recruiter who knows where the most talented people work, how to reach them and can sell them on your opportunity. Engineers who are actively looking for work are easy to find, but some of the most talented ones – those who may have the specific abilities you need – may be currently employed.
How to Screen
A recruiter with a technical background will be better able to screen technical candidates. They will be able to ask the kinds of questions that will reveal the candidates specific abilities and match them to your requirements.
What the Candidate Wants
If your company or the positions you are offering don’t conform to what the candidate is looking for, it’s a waste of their time and yours to present them. A great recruiter will never bring you candidates who are unlikely to accept your offer, should you extend one.
At Synerfac, our recruiters have the experience to find the engineering talent you need and ensure that they fit seamlessly into your organization. Contact us today to get started.