What is a Client Recruiter?
A client recruiter, also sometimes called an in-house agency recruiter, is brought on by a company that has an ongoing need to fill a high volume of open positions. They may work onsite at the company or remotely but are dedicated to supporting the company’s talent acquisition and recruitment efforts.
Some key things to know about client recruiters:
- They are focused on one client’s hiring needs rather than recruiting for multiple companies.
- They build a deep understanding of the client’s workplace culture, open positions, and required skills and experience for candidates.
- They source, screen, and interview candidates specifically for roles at that client company.
- Their goal is to present the client with qualified candidates to advance in the hiring process and ultimately hire.
- They are measured on key performance metrics like time-to-fill rates, interview-to-offer rates, and candidate quality standards.
Why Companies Use Client Recruiters?
There are several reasons a company may choose to use a client recruiter rather than rely solely on its own HR department or a staffing agency:
Handling High Volume Hiring
For companies that have a large number of open requisitions at one time, a client recruiter allows them to ramp up recruiting bandwidth and fill roles more quickly. The recruiter can take over the often time-consuming tasks of sourcing, screening, and coordinator interviews.
Lack of Internal Recruiting Expertise
Some companies’ HR teams are structured more around employee relations, compliance, and compensation than hands-on recruiting. A client recruiter then provides that talent acquisition specialized expertise.
Gain Industry Expertise
An experienced client recruiter likely specializes in particular industries or job categories. They can leverage that expertise to find candidates that are a strong match.
Tap Expansive Networks
Beyond job boards, client recruiters have large networks of passive candidates they can source from based on previous contacts and talent mapping.
## Responsibilities of a Client Recruiter
The day-to-day work of a client recruiter encompasses many human resources and talent acquisition responsibilities, tailored specifically to the needs of their client. Core responsibilities typically include:
- Understanding Hiring Needs
- Sourcing Candidates
- Interview Scheduling
- Interview Debriefs
- Employment Offer Management
- Ongoing Candidate Relationship Management
Benefits of Working with a Client Recruiter
There are many advantages, both tangible and intangible, for companies that leverage a dedicated client recruiter for their talent acquisition needs.
- Fill Roles Faster
- Reduce Time Commitment for Hiring Managers
- Gain Data-Driven Insights
- Centralize Recruiting Expertise
- Enhance Candidate Experience
- Elevate Recruitment Marketing
Also Read: How to Become a Job Recruiter?
When Does It Make Sense to Hire a Client Recruiter?
Here are some signs it may be time for your company to consider adding a dedicated client recruiter to your talent acquisition team:
- You currently have 10+ open positions you are looking to fill within the next few months.
- Hiring managers are overwhelmed handling recruitment tasks alongside their regular workload.
- 30+ days to fill benchmarks are being missed more often than not.
- Future growth plans will require a rapidly expanding headcount.
- Leadership wants to improve talent pipeline health and employer branding.
- There are upcoming initiatives like new product launches or international expansions that require large scale hiring.
If your organization is experiencing several of these indicators, it’s likely time to augment your recruitment bandwidth with a client recruiter focused on these mounting hiring demands.