Talent search firms offer value-added services

Recruitment firms are now offering value-added services to their clients.

Increasingly, companies are looking to hire even entry-level managers after putting them through structured and scientific behavioural tests and processes.

"The key to recruiting top candidates is by maintaining 'applicant control'. Strong candidates who have other opportunities are always in a more advantageous position than the company trying to hire them. Good recruiters can reverse this position by offering a better job among the competing alternatives," said Vipul Prakash, managing director, Elixir Web Solutions, a recruitment and staffing firm.

"Recruitment firms also need to hire and train employees who are well versed in these processes," Prakash added.

Using behavioural interviewing techniques eliminate the chances of netting a poor performer or someone who does not fit the organisation.

"Today, for some recruiters this business has become a numbers game wherein sending the maximum number of CVs means maximum performance. We continuously do a graphical analysis on all the consultants, benchmarking the number of profiles sent with the hit rate. This kind of analysis also ensures quality," said Prakash.

"This is a good time to be in the talent search business," said Gurdeep Hora, managing director, Synergy Consultants, a Delhi-based recruitment consultancy.

With the spurt in job openings in sectors like infotech and infotech-enabled services, these firms are now contributing to nearly 20 per cent of the total vacancies in these sectors.

"All the 100 consultants in our organisation are responsible for creating a positive working environment that is not only attractive," Prashant Sachdeva, business analyst, Elixir, said.