When DIY Isn't Worth It: Lessons in Hiring

A few years ago, we were selling our home in New Jersey and we had to decide whether to bring in a staging expert. Her fee made my stomach hurt, especially when we had so many other expenses connected to the move and sale. Plus, I was dubious of the value, having never worked before with a stager. Was it really worth it? Couldn’t I get similar results by myself??

In the end, we went with the stager. She achieved things I never thought possible: Repainting, moving around furniture, buying inexpensive new fixtures and objects. Not only did she exceed my wildest expectations, but frankly I was disappointed we hadn’t brought her in sooner. I could’ve enjoyed a much prettier version of our house while we were still living there.

And I’m certain we got a better sale price and sold quicker based on the upgrades she recommended.?

The moral of the story is: When the stakes are high, it pays to hire an expert. The outcome far outpaces anything you could have done on your own.?

I found this to be true of home staging, and it’s true for hiring too.

Companies have to walk a brave line right now: Choosing to invest in things that will bring in new business and growth even as they look to reduce expenses. This may translate to making new hires, but attempting to do it as cheaply as possible. Recruiters are often seen as an expense that can’t be justified, particularly when the current market would suggest that available talent outpaces available jobs.

But let me flip the question of 'Can you afford to work with a recruiter?’ on its head and ask: Can you afford not to??

What’s 130 Hours of Your Time Worth?

A seasoned recruiting partner can move fast and tap the brightest in their network. Without them, you’re forced to take on the burden of recruiting yourself. At minimum, that means you must post a job and screen resumes and referrals. Beyond that, you need to engage with applicants, shepherd them through the interview process, collect feedback, etc. Sources like LinkedIn and SHRM (The Society for Human Resources Management) place the average time it takes to hire someone around 130 hours. You know your hourly rate. You know what you’re interested in and what you’re good at. Your time, attention and dollars are probably best spent working in your zone of genius and delegating recruiting to an expert.

The Hidden Costs of Mishiring

There’s also the cost to rehire if something goes wrong. The cost of a mishire can be significant, estimated at 30-50% of an employee’s annual salary. Expenses include recruitment, onboarding, lost productivity, team disruptions, and the time needed to hire a replacement. At Nadexa Group, we guarantee our placements for 3 months. We’re invested in the longevity of our placements because our reputation depends on it.?

Here’s How We Work

We are hired by companies of all shapes and sizes, many without internal talent teams or budgets. We try to make it as affordable as possible to work with us, including offering longer payment terms. We’re committed to bringing in the best people, streamlining the process for hiring teams and guarding against impulsive or least bad option hiring decisions. Our goal is to surprise and delight: Delivering candidates that our clients thought they couldn’t attract or afford, introducing new evaluation tools, navigating tricky conversations and making it feel like a win for everyone. By the time we successfully place a candidate, our clients recognize our value and don't hesitate to engage us again for future hires.?

If you’re interested in getting the best talent onboard but aren't sure about engaging a recruiter, let’s have a chat about your goals and we can design something around you. I'm here at [email protected].