OJ Digital - When (and when not) to engage with an external recruitment agency

The decision on whether or not your business should engage with an external recruiter is never cut and dry. Some agencies will say you should always do it, some internal recruiters will say you should never do it! We want any businesses we help in Thame and the surrounding Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire areas to really consider the pros and cons of using an external agency. Below are a few factors to consider.

When To Use An Agency

1. During High-Growth Periods

When companies experience rapid expansion, sometimes they may need to fill multiple positions in a short time. An external recruitment agency can manage this kind of rapid hiring, especially when there’s an immediate demand to scale teams without straining internal resources. Agencies can often dedicate large chunks of time to searching and screening multiple candidates, something that internal teams just would not be able to do.

2. To Access Passive Candidates

Many of the best candidates aren’t actively looking for new opportunities but may be interested if the right role presents itself. Recruitment agencies have networks and ways to reach out to passive candidates, increasing the size of your talent pool. They often maintain ongoing relationships with potential hires who trust them, which means the agency can present opportunities on your behalf to top talent who may not be reachable through conventional job postings.

3. When Time Is An Issue

Filling an important role quickly without sacrificing quality is challenging. External recruitment agencies specialise in fast-tracking the hiring process. From a large candidate database to pre-screened applicants and proven interview methods, agencies are equipped to reduce time-to-hire significantly.

4. If Your Business Lacks Recruitment Resources

Small and medium-sized businesses may not have a dedicated recruitment team, or they may not have the resources to run an exhaustive hiring process. For these businesses, an external recruitment agency can serve as an extension of their team, bringing recruiting expertise without adding permanent overhead.

5. For Confidential Hires

In situations requiring discretion, an external recruitment agency can maintain confidentiality throughout the hiring process. Agencies can handle the hiring quietly, ensuring that business continuity is maintained without alarming existing staff or alerting competitors.

When NOT To Use An Agency

1. It's Not Urgent

If there is no real urgency to get a role filled and if you can stick an advert out and wait for right person to come to you, you should! It is definitely a lot cheaper.

2. Your In House Team Can Handle Demand

If your internal team can handle the current recruitment demand and have the expertise to do so, there is not really any need to engage with an external agency.

3. When You Need to Retain Control Over the Hiring Process

Outsourcing recruitment to an agency means ceding some control over the hiring process, including initial screening and candidate communication. If your company values close involvement in all stages of recruitment—such as screening, interviewing, and onboarding—keeping the process in-house may be a better option.

Conclusion

Hiring an external recruitment agency can streamline your hiring processes, access top-tier talent, and ultimately drive your company forward. By identifying when an agency is the right choice, you can focus on what matters most—growing your business with the right team in place.

OJ Digital is a recruitment agency based in Thame and Haddenham that recruits all across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and London. OJ Digital builds real partnerships with local businesses, working with them as a team to ensure that any recruitment process is efficient, first-rate and results in the right person being in the right role at the right time. We have recruited in sales, marketing, HR, operations, finance, customer service, account management and administration.