Frustrations are commonplace when it is discovered that talented professionals who ought to grasp their job entirely are found wanting. Cases where such professionals make embarrassing mistakes in their interviews or outreaches come with disappointing responses. You should know that these mistakes are bound to happen unless you hire a specialist recruiter. A specialist recruiter, because no one has absolute knowledge of every role you have to hire, especially when these roles span different expertise and various Units. Generalist recruiters are also very important as they give the business the needed agility when it comes to recruitment exercises. There’s no definitive answer as to which of the recruiters you should hire; however, let’s take a look at some of the things that could guide our decision-making about who stays or goes.
In favor of Specialist recruiters
Of all the reasons to employ the services of a generalist recruiter, their ability to find niche communities of needed talents tops the list. When they become immersed in a particular community, they have a great idea of where potential candidates required in the company might be hanging out, and they can then approach them quickly enough. Networking has also been known to help Specialist recruiters create a network of trusted contacts that they can always reach out to for referrals. Once they have identified a prospective candidate, specialist recruiters have vast experience in speaking to them with so much confidence and in a knowledgeable way. It has been said that when you are very extensive in a niche, it becomes easier for you to emphasize words, questions, and answers that would attract the attention of your prospective candidate.
In favor of Generalist Recruiters
Although specialist recruiters are familiar with various talent pools and how to retrieve candidates, they are not without flaws. One of such includes a limit to the Specialist’s career opportunities. Asides from that, it may also limit the Recruiter’s ability to pitch in when the rest of the team is overloaded. Furthermore, since they are specialists, they find it hard to work on other businesses with a peak or sudden demand in hiring. The limitations mentioned above could predispose the entire team to less flexibility and adaptive changes. If perhaps, the company has less demand for the role they specialize in, it could mean a withdrawal from the company. So, flexibility is highly needed to meet up with the constantly changing hiring needs. Having a broad skill set, even though it’s just a peripheral knowledge in various niches, helps generalists pivot according to the needs of the business. Generalists make your team more agile and responsive to the ever-changing business needs.
Ultimately, the choice of a generalist or Specialist would depend on the needs of your company. Weigh your options evenly. Ask yourself questions such as; how likely is your company’s hiring needs bound to change? What niche is your talent pool? Whichever choice you make, always find a way to make your recruiters get better at what they do.