Myth Busters -Let's Straighten Some Things Out.
Myth #1: "Using multiple agencies improves my hiring chances.”
Having more recruiters means more candidates and potentially better results, right? Not necessarily.
Consider this scenario: if you were a reputable recruitment company, would you accept the following terms? “I’ll give you the work, but I’ll also be working with three of your competitors at the same time, and I’ll pay the first one who completes the job. Additionally, if I’m not satisfied with what you provide, or if I decide to handle it myself at any point, I won’t pay you.”
Of course, you wouldn’t agree to such terms. So, think about who would and why.
Myth #2: “Recruitment Agencies & Search Firms do the same thing.”
A recruitment company offering a contingency service (paid on placement) operates like a generic agency, focusing on volume recruitment and prioritising sales targets. This approach, prevalent among nearly 40,000 UK agencies, relies on the idea that "throw enough at it, and some will stick."
In contrast, a true search firm works on a retained basis, partnering with a limited number of clients. They perform thorough due diligence on your organisation and actively initiate the role briefing. A reputable search firm commits only if they are confident in their ability to fill your position, providing guarantees and creating long-term replacement strategies tailored to your business needs.
Myth #3 “We don’t pay enough to attract the best candidates.”
Why does work get you out of bed in the morning? It’s not just about money..., is it? But money talks if all you’re selling is a job title, salary, and a bland description of what you do. If you recruit based on your business’s purpose, values and culture..., you’ll attract the right people, for the right reasons.
Myth #4 “Advertising doesn’t work.”
Translation: your adverts aren’t working. If your adverts list duties and requirements alongside some company blurb, they’re not adverts; they’re job descriptions. And if you’re not advertising in the right places, you’re also wasting money. Job adverts, typically, work about a third of the time; our adverts have a success rate in excess of 80%. We track success rates.
In collaboration with our sister company adhook.co.uk (the UKs leading job advert writing and training company), we'll ensure your job advert has a far more impactful reach than a typical job advert or a recruitment agency.
Myth #5 “We’ve got a great deal; our agency rates are only 8-12%”
More likely, it’s a good deal for them – but not you. With more than 40,000 UK recruitment agencies out there, someone will always do it cheaper. Low-rate agencies recruit by volume, targeting low-margin quick wins. If a hire leaves your business after only a few months, they don’t care; they’ll do it all over again and gladly raise another invoice. A low rate means low quality. Our advertising model is proven to deliver better results and for far less money.
Myth #6 "There's a skills-shortage.”
AI, technology, automation, and new ideas are continuously evolving and being introduced. Many companies still rely on outdated job specifications when making hiring decisions.
It's a fact that "85% of the jobs that will exist in 2030 haven't been invented yet." While candidates must possess core skills, qualifications, or relevant experience, the key is to focus on what a candidate is capable of rather than simply recruiting based on past standards.
Don't get sucked into this 'Talent Attraction' nonsense phrase that agencies throw around. All they mean is that they can match words on your job spec to words in a candidate's CV. Anyone can do that and then call themselves a 'Talent Acquisition Specialist'.
Myth #7 “Agencies fail when they don't specialise in what we do.”
Here’s the truth: 85% of jobs that will exist in 2030 don’t exist yet. Don’t get lured into the common recruitment agency promises of ‘sector specialists’ and ‘tailored candidate databases’. You are unique. Your roles are unique. Your culture is unique. You need somebody (cough, cough) who’ll work with you to find out what you actually really want, before offering it.
Myth #8 “Agencies are too expensive.”
Too right. So once you understand how to tap into the candidate pool, you’ll save yourself a fortune. We’ll teach you how to do this. Our job advertising success is 80% compared with an average of about 30%. When we do recruit, it’s a quality headhunting service for key roles and business-critical vacancies.
Let’s do the math based on 10 roles...
This is what you’ve been doing: You place 10 adverts (£10,000) and achieve three hires; the remaining seven positions are filled via recruitment agencies (£35,000 based on an average £5,000 fee). Total cost: £45,000.
This is what you could be doing: You place 10 adverts (£10,000) and achieve eight hires; the remaining two hires are filled via Recart (£10,000 based on an average £5,000 fee). Total cost: £18,000.
Even if you only get seven hires from the advert, and three from Recart recruiting, the cost is still only £22,000 – a 100% cost saving.
Recart