All recruitment is the same?

If all recruitment is the same, then all HR is the same.

I've worked with and in HR teams all my career.

Like recruitment, HR is rich and varied with many functions and required skills.

But broadly it falls into two camps.

Transactional HR is about compliance, risk management and carrying out process.

Strategic HR / People is about business enablement, culture enhancement and designing fit for purpose processes that support realistic outcomes, such as growth.

Both forms of HR are key to supporting businesses. Sometimes employers run with the transactional themselves or outsource it.

It's rare that businesses will run with the strategic people piece themselves, because it's an outside-in skill set.

And it's equally rare to see a transactional HR practitioner move into a people role if the business can't support it.

It's the same in recruitment.

I often say 95% of recruitment is transactional, and that's led by employers running a transactional system.

It's suitable for volume, speed and common skill roles. But it doesn't work so well for skills short vacancies, key hires, 'new roles' or anything where context is king.

A good indicator is when adverts are principally job descriptions showing little insight into why someone should apply or what good actually is.

Or when a process relies on a job description without a brief.

What's non transactional recruitment?

Some people call it relationship-led or transformational. I call it insight-led, because it demands a challenge if I don't show it.

For me, it works to long term business outcomes, with the emphasis on hiring the right person, and excellent experiences for candidate and employer.

A good sign of this type of recruitment is how we consult at the top of the process, whether you are recruiting or considering a move.

This type of recruitment is essential for the impactful vacancies transactional recruitment is less effective for.

Ironically though it works just as well on transactional roles, and costs about the same, often gets done quicker, but isn't scalable in the same way.

Both types of recruitment are just as valuable done well.

But not all recruitment is the same.

Tell me what works best for your business - 07896 092024 or greg.wyatt@bwrecruitment.co.uk.